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Planning commission tables proposed downtown parking change after preservation, fee concerns
Summary
Prescott City Planning & Zoning Commission voted 6-0 to table LDC 25-002, a proposed amendment to downtown parking rules that would clarify overnight-parking requirements for hotels but retain pre-1968 exemptions; commissioners asked staff to refine language and research fees and preservation safeguards.
The Prescott City Planning & Zoning Commission voted unanimously to table LDC 25-002, a proposed amendment aimed at updating parking requirements in the Downtown Business (DTB) zoning district.
The proposal, introduced by staff as an ordinance amendment to the Land Development Code (LDC 25-002, article 4, section 4.9.4.b), would remove an outdated commentary tied to construction of a downtown parking garage and add a sentence clarifying that “all uses which require overnight parking, including hotel, resort and similar uses shall comply with the city's parking requirements as described in section 6.2 off street parking,” staff said. Tammy DeWitt, community planner, told commissioners the parking garage referenced in the code now exists and “this note is no longer needed, so this will be deleted.”
Commissioners pressed for detail on who would be affected. Staff and legal advised that projects already approved through permits, development agreements or previous special-use processes would be exempt. DeWitt said apartments already must provide parking for new construction; the primary immediate effect of the amendment would be on new hotels and motels.
Several commissioners warned the change, as written, could create unintended consequences for historic properties. One commissioner said removing the waiver could permit demolition or the reconfiguration of adjacent older buildings to create parking for new developments, risking the downtown’s historic character. Planning manager Alex Bramlett urged caution and framed the change as an interim fix ahead of a broader code overhaul: “we are still planning to update our land development code to a complete overhaul within the next 2 years,” he said, adding that the local preservation district and preservation commission offer additional protections.
Public comment echoed those concerns. Mayor Rusing, speaking as a private citizen, said overnight parking had been omitted from earlier language and urged the commission to close the loophole: “If we don't close these loopholes, we're just gonna have what I would call parking chaos downtown,” Rusing said.
Commissioners also asked staff to investigate fee-based options for addressing parking, including in-lieu fees or funding a garage expansion. DeWitt said the last in-lieu fee she recalled was about $10,000 per space but that staff would research and return with an exact figure, and commissioners cautioned that such a fee is unlikely to cover the cost of garage construction.
A commissioner moved to table LDC 25-002 for additional work; Tom Davis seconded. Roll-call votes were recorded individually and the motion passed 6-0. Staff said they will work with legal and return with refined language and additional research on fees, off-site parking options, and preservation safeguards.
The commission did not adopt the ordinance; next steps are staff research and a future Planning & Zoning packet that will include proposed revisions and any additional background.
