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Planning board approves site-plan rule change reducing required parking to 1.5 spaces and adding alternative parking language
Summary
The Planning Board voted to amend site-plan review regulations (section 12.4) to revise the off-street parking requirement to 1.5 spaces and to add provisions for alternative parking solutions; the zoning amendment will go to City Council for action.
The Somersworth Planning Board approved a change to the city’s site-plan review regulations to revise the number of required off-street parking spaces to 1.5 per unit/measure and to add a new section enabling alternative parking solutions (for example shared or off-site parking and use of public spaces by agreement).
Board members said the change largely codifies practices the board has already approved on a project-by-project basis when dealing with infill and urban-core development, allowing flexibility for shared parking arrangements or off-site parking to support denser development while keeping pedestrian connectivity and safety requirements in place.
The board made a motion to approve the regulatory amendment and asked that any zoning changes required be forwarded to City Council for action. Board members Jeremy Rhodes and David Witham commented that the change memorializes prior approvals and supports infill development without automatically increasing on-site pavement.
The amendment now advances to City Council for any associated zoning action and final adoption.
