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Council previews off‑street parking and loading code changes; staff to coordinate enforcement with police
Summary
Planning staff presented a consolidated off‑street parking and loading code update and proposals to allow parking reductions tied to transit proximity, senior housing and permanent affordability; the council asked staff to coordinate enforcement and return with refined language.
Planning staff brought a first read of zoning amendments to the city council that consolidate off‑street parking and loading into a single chapter (Title 17.36) and add adjustments intended to better match parking supply to housing types and transit proximity.
Why it matters: The proposed changes affect how new multifamily projects calculate required parking and offer pathways for reduced parking in transit‑served or permanently affordable projects. The city is also adding standards for loading and mail/service room requirements in larger residential projects.
Key changes presented: Ashton (planning staff) said the amendments would: - Consolidate parking regulations into one chapter for clarity; - Allow reduced parking for senior housing (age 55+); - Add reductions for developments near transit stops, for constructions with parking garages or underground parking, and for units permanently deed‑restricted as affordable; - Add loading provisions for larger buildings (25+ units) and parking maximums in the Central Business District and urban‑village overlay.
Enforcement and neighborhood impacts: Councilman Henderson and others asked staff to clarify enforcement mechanisms for on‑street and overflow parking that affects businesses and sightlines (for example, areas near E & E Lumber and Northern Avenue). Planning staff and public works said on‑street parking enforcement is primarily a public safety function; staff agreed to coordinate with police and code enforcement to develop clearer procedures for complaints, towing and long‑term solutions for recurring spillover.
Council direction: Council asked staff to return with clarified enforcement options, coordinated policies with police and public works, and to schedule a public hearing on the amendments at the planning commission and the council (staff set a public hearing for June 11 for the related TIP item and said planning commission will see the parking amendments again). Council did not take final action on the zoning language at this meeting.
Ending: The council directed staff to continue refining the draft, to coordinate enforcement with police and code enforcement, and to present the amendments for public hearings in the coming weeks.
