Worcester County planning panel backs 7-foot garage clearance for required off-street parking in multifamily units
November 06, 2025 | Worcester County, Maryland
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The amendment, described to the commission by Miss Keener, would apply only where the required off-street parking is provided within an enclosed or covered structure; it would not apply to single-family homes where required parking is located outside the garage. "I have been requested to present an amendment to our code pertaining to the clearance height for off street parking, specifically within a garage or an enclosed or covered, space," Keener said.
Keener told the commission the proposal was prompted by a recently completed development where interior garage clearance measured less than 7 feet and "it's caused a lot of parking issues within the community." She said measuring from the garage frame to the slab or apron sometimes meets 7 feet but interior conditions — such as a slab lip, non-flush garage doors and overhead door openers — reduced usable clearance and prevented some vehicles from parking inside.
Commissioners clarified that the amendment addresses interior clearance for parking and does not change overall ceiling or building height. "This would just be your clearance height," Keener said, adding that the 7-foot minimum would not accommodate all larger vehicles but is intended to lessen the problem.
A commissioner moved to make a favorable recommendation on the amendment and the motion was seconded. The commission voted in favor with no opposition recorded. The meeting record does not specify the next procedural step or hearing date for the amendment.
Other items discussed briefly during the meeting included a noted appeal of case no. 2541 (a battery storage site on Seager Hall Road), a TRC review for Coastal Community Church, a proposed 137-unit Racetrack Village project, and a canvas shelter proposal; none of those items received extended discussion in the recorded transcript.
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