Royce City planning commissioners ask staff to study parking standards, recessed parking for new multifamily projects

Royce City Planning Commission members spent the bulk of their July 22 work session discussing parking shortfalls tied to recent multifamily and townhome developments and directed staff to research potential code and design options, including recessed (indented) parking and modifications to setback/open-space requirements.

Commissioner Tanner, who raised the issue at the meeting, said the problem is visible in satellite imagery and social-media reports showing vehicles parked on Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) property along Airport Road (1750 West). "People's the car safety, traffic safety, pedestrian safety is is priority number 1 when it comes to wintertime," Tanner said, citing problems with snow removal and road maintenance when streets are lined with stored vehicles.

Why it matters: Commissioners said spillover parking from private developments onto city streets is creating safety and maintenance burdens — from obstructed sidewalks to delayed road work that can increase city costs. The commission debated tools that could reduce on-street storage of boats, trailers and extra vehicles often associated with multi-vehicle households.

Discussion highlights

- Scope of the problem: Tanner noted long-term growth in vehicle ownership and said Royce City has "almost 60% more" vehicles now than 20 years ago. He also described a repaving operation where 14 cars blocked the street and crews had to impound five vehicles so work could proceed.

- Examples cited: Commissioners reviewed aerials and on-the-ground photos from several projects, including townhomes near Airport Road (1750 West), a 4‑story apartment complex in West Haven (referred to as the Bridal Apartments), and Nelson Homes/Green Farms. Tanner said some complexes have many daytime vehicles parked along access roads and that private parking lots and visitor stalls can appear empty while cars line adjacent public streets.

- Options discussed: Participants repeatedly mentioned recessed (indented) parking — parking bays cut into the private property along a public street that keep vehicles off the travel lane — as a low-impact option. One attendee, identifying themself as a staff member, told the commission, "I do like the recess parking idea. So I've been in places that have that before, and it was pretty unobtrusive. And it doesn't it didn't mess with the character of the neighborhood." Commissioners also discussed increasing per-unit parking minimums, creating private storage lots for boats/trailers, and allowing front-yard setback flexibility so developers could add on-property parking.

- Tradeoffs: Commissioners and staff noted tradeoffs with each solution. Requiring more on-site parking can reduce the number of units a developer can build; converting required open space to parking can harm stormwater absorption and quality-of-life amenities; and homeowner associations (HOAs) often enforce private parking rules in ways that reduce the benefit of on-lot parking. Staff reminded the commission that private roads and HOAs shift responsibility for enforcement away from the city.

Direction to staff and next steps

The commission expressed informal consensus that staff should compile examples and comparative ordinances from other Utah cities and return the findings at a future work session. Commissioner Tanner asked staff to "pull some standards from cities over the state to see where they're at." Staff (absent planner Steve was referenced) was asked to compare local requirements — for example, common formulas such as two parking spaces per unit plus fractional visitor spaces — and to include examples of recessed/indented parking and any related maintenance or enforcement issues.

Votes at a glance

- June 2025 regular meeting minutes: Motion to approve (mover: Commissioner Tanner; seconder: Presiding commissioner). Passed unanimously. - 06/24/2025 work session minutes: Motion to approve (mover: Staff member Janelle; seconder: Presiding commissioner). Passed unanimously. - 07/08/2025 meeting minutes: Motion to approve (mover: Staff member Janelle; seconder: Presiding commissioner). Passed unanimously. - Motion to adjourn: Moved by Presiding commissioner; seconded. Passed unanimously.

Ending

Commissioners did not adopt any code changes at the July 22 session. Instead, they asked staff to research comparative parking standards, recessed/indented parking designs, and potential impacts on unit counts, stormwater, and enforcement; staff was asked to bring options back for a focused future work session.