Commission previews parking and mixed‑use zoning overhaul, including lot‑width caps and downtown parking plans

Staff presented a consolidated set of proposed changes to Manchester’s zoning rules that aim to reduce on‑street parking pressure while protecting walkability in neighborhoods adjacent to downtown.

The presentation, led by planning staff, focused on several coordinated measures: keeping a 10‑foot landscaping buffer as the default around parking areas (with a reduced 5‑foot buffer allowed for small lots of fewer than 10 spaces or alley‑loaded parking); capping main frontage widths at 50 feet in MX2 mixed‑use districts to limit building scale; and setting maximum lot widths in some neighborhood business areas (proposed 200 feet in BC1). Staff also showed site plan visualizations and lot‑layout comparisons prepared by Rosa and colleagues to demonstrate how parking requirements affect lot size and building scale.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the city has to balance competing public input — many respondents favor keeping on‑site parking even if that limits new housing or business space, while others prioritize reduced parking to promote walkability. The staff package is designed to give the city options that avoid very large lots and excessive asphalt in areas intended to remain pedestrian‑oriented.

Key points and supporting details

- Landscaping buffer: The default buffer around any parking area larger than five spaces remains 10 feet in the proposed draft, with staff recommending a…