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Council asks staff to review proposed municipal code changes on garage widths and tandem parking
Summary
A council motion asked staff to review proposed amendments to municipal code that would establish minimum garage dimensions and remove allowance for tandem garage parking when those spaces are intended to meet off‑street parking requirements; council asked staff to return with draft text and implementation guidance.
Chairman Maniscalco introduced proposed municipal‑code language to require minimum garage widths and lengths for residential garages (proposed: 20 feet wide, 24 feet deep) and to eliminate the practice of counting tandem parking within a garage as a required off‑street parking space. He and other councilmembers said that undersized garages and tandem garage arrangements are driving vehicle parking onto sidewalks and into bike lanes in some neighborhoods.
The motion asked staff to review the draft language, confirm where tandem driveway parking (driveways on private property) differs from tandem garage arrangements and to prepare implementation guidelines and, if necessary, a transition schedule to address plans already in process. Councilmembers stressed they did not intend to prohibit tandem driveway parking entirely but to stop developers from satisfying required on‑site parking with tandem garage layouts that do not leave room to park without blocking public sidewalks or bike lanes.
Council moved the review and scheduling motion; staff are to report back with draft text and implementation options for council consideration. Councilmembers asked planning and legal staff to coordinate on relief for projects mid‑stream and to outline any grandfathering rules needed for already‑filed permits.
