Aurora staff propose removing minimum parking requirements for multifamily near transit to comply with state bill

City planning staff told the Planning and Economic Development Committee on April 9 that they are drafting an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) that would remove city-mandated minimum parking requirements for new multifamily residential development located inside areas defined as applicable transit service areas.

Senior planner Sarah Weil told the committee the change is intended to bring the city into compliance with state legislation. "House Bill 24-13 04 prohibits cities from enacting or enforcing minimum parking requirements for multifamily developments in areas that are considered applicable transit service areas," Weil said. She explained the bill applies to new multifamily developments, mixed-use projects that include multifamily, and adaptive-reuse projects composed of at least 50% residential uses.

The amendment would not prohibit developers from providing parking nor impose parking maximums, Weil said. Staff showed a city map identifying applicable transit service areas—typically parcels within one-quarter mile of bus or rail stops—and said most impacted areas are in western and central Aurora, with small segments in southeast and northeast Aurora also included. An interactive map will be posted on Engage Aurora so property owners and developers can confirm parcel status.

Weil said current practice in Aurora typically results in developments providing about 1.2 to 1.5 parking spaces per unit. "The more parking required, the less space there is for additional units and open space," she said, and noted higher parking requirements can raise building and rent costs. Staff said they expect market-rate developers to continue providing similar parking levels, while some affordable projects may include fewer spaces based on financing and market studies discussed in a developer roundtable.

Director Janine Rustad confirmed staff are drafting UDO language so that multifamily inside applicable transit areas would have no minimum parking requirement, while multifamily outside transit areas and other uses would keep current standards. The draft would also add bicycle parking requirements for those areas and require any voluntarily provided off-street parking to meet ADA and parking-design standards.

Committee discussion included concern about home-rule authority. Council Member Jurinski said many municipalities are considering legal action against the state and voiced worries from residents about traffic and parking. Rustad and Weil said the city will submit a compliance report as required and that staff expect financing and market factors to continue to influence how much parking developers provide.

Staff plan to post a draft of the proposed code changes on Engage Aurora for public review and said the goal is to have the amendment approved by June. No formal vote was taken at the committee meeting.