Fairview planning staff outlines plan to remove citywide parking minimums to comply with CFEC rules

City of Fairview planning staff told the Planning Commission on March 25 that the city intends to remove off‑street parking minimums citywide to comply with the state'level Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rules adopted in 2022. The work session reviewed draft text amendments to the Fairview Municipal Code and the Fairview Comprehensive Plan and set a public hearing for April 22 before the Planning Commission. Staff said the city has an extension from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to adopt the amendments by June.

The amendments would repeal minimum spaces in the main parking table (Fairview Municipal Code section 19.16403) while leaving existing parking maximums in place. Planning staff said the changes remove references to on‑street parking credits, shared or off‑site parking provisions, and a parking management‑plan requirement that allowed the planning director to require a plan for uses that required more than 10 spaces; those sections no longer apply if minimums are removed. Staff emphasized that dimensional and design standards for parking (space size, aisle widths, compact spaces) will remain unchanged.

"The purpose of this work session is to review and provide feedback on a draft set of text amendments to both the Fairview Municipal Code and the comprehensive plan," staff said at the meeting. The staff presentation included maps showing areas already exempt from parking minimums under CFEC: properties within a half‑mile of the city'designated frequent transit corridor (centered on Halsey Street) are already not subject to minimums, while areas generally north of Sandy Boulevard continue to show minimums today because much of that land is built out.

Staff described two prior phases of CFEC implementation: the first phase, adopted previously in April, updated parking revisions including EV charging; a second phase, adopted in May, covered parking lot trees, canopies and solar provisions. The current (third) phase addressed changes to parking mandates and parking management.

Commissioners asked for examples about how parking is being handled in existing apartment complexes. Commissioners and staff described a mix of practices: staff said anecdotally some older apartments charge separately for parking stalls and others include one stall with rent while charging for additional spaces. Commissioners noted that the city chose not to pursue an "unbundling" requirement for parking because of complexity and likely pushback from property owners.

Staff said next steps are to prepare the ordinance and code amendments for a public hearing on April 22, 2025, with the city council hearings (first and second readings) anticipated in May and June. DLCD granted an extension to June for Fairview to adopt the required amendments.

The work session did not include a formal Planning Commission vote or ordinance adoption; staff sought the commission's feedback ahead of the April hearing.

Ending: The Planning Commission will consider the drafted amendments at a public hearing on April 22; staff will return with ordinance language and an adoption schedule that reflects the DLCD extension.