Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parking And Circulation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port Orchard staff propose parking and circulation code overhaul to align with pending state bill
Summary
City planning staff presented proposed amendments to Port Orchard Municipal Code (POMC) 20.124 to update minimum parking requirements, EV parking references, bicycle parking and consolidated downtown standards; the commission asked staff for feedback within two weeks and offered questions on walkability and neighborhood impacts.
Port Orchard planning staff on Monday outlined proposed changes to the city’s parking and circulation rules meant to align local requirements with pending Washington state legislation and local comprehensive-plan goals.
Jim (Principal Planner, City of Port Orchard) told the Planning Commission the amendments to POMC chapter 20.124 would reference the Washington State Building Code for electric vehicle (EV) charging requirements, revise minimum parking standards in anticipation of Senate Bill 5184, and consolidate bicycle parking rules into the main parking table to make the code more user-friendly.
The changes are intended to reduce barriers to development and promote infill and alternative transportation, staff said. The proposal would add exemptions for minimum off-street parking in certain circumstances—examples referenced in staff materials include conversions of vacant buildings, residential units under 1,200 square feet, commercial spaces smaller than 5,000 square feet, childcare facilities, affordable and senior housing, and housing for people with disabilities.
Commission members asked how the proposed minimums would affect downtown event parking and neighborhood on-street availability. Jim responded that the draft is written to adjust minimums (not impose parking maximums), that the market and developers generally provide needed parking for day-to-day use, and that the city plans for special-event parking separately. He noted potential changes to public-works standards to require on-street parking where development occurs so neighborhoods can share curbside spaces and reduce the need for large private parking lots.
A planning-commission member asked whether the proposal would make the city more "walkable." Jim and another staff member (Jen, staff) said downtown already has no minimum parking requirement for ground-floor uses and that decreasing minimum required off-street stalls in other parts of the city can free land for buildings and pedestrian-oriented uses. Staff emphasized they are not eliminating parking; developers may still provide more parking if they choose.
Commissioners and members of the public raised concerns about special events that temporarily overwhelm downtown parking and about preserving parking-lane requirements on new local-access streets. Staff said those operational issues could be managed through public-works standards and the city’s on-street parking policies.
No formal action was taken. Staff asked the commission and public to send written comments within two weeks so the draft can be refined before a public hearing and any eventual recommendation to city council.
Ending: The Planning Commission will review written feedback and schedule a public hearing on the draft amendments; staff said it will return with any revisions needed to keep the code consistent with state law and the city’s comprehensive-plan goals.
