Planning commission asks staff to limit parking‑minimum reforms to downtown rather than citywide

The Richland Planning Commission voted to direct staff to return with an ordinance that narrows proposed parking‑minimum reforms to the city’s Central Business District (CBD), after hearing consultant findings, public comment and a spirited commission discussion.

The decision came after a consultant presentation on a parking optimization study and a public hearing that included local residents and planners who urged both immediate action and caution.

"I hope that this parking, getting rid of this parking minimum will give it another surge forward so that we can keep moving towards having a nice downtown area," Richland resident Randy Slovak told the commission during public comment. City planning staff and a consultant from Kimley‑Horn presented a parking study that analyzed downtown parking patterns and recommended options ranging from adopting state parking reforms to abolishing minimums citywide.

Staff background and consultant work

Mike Stevens, Richland planning manager, summarized the process: the city contracted Kimley‑Horn to analyze parking in the downtown Central Business District because several projects and ongoing council discussions had highlighted concerns about how parking requirements…