Richland council approves targeted rollback of downtown parking minimums

The Richland City Council voted 5‑1 on Jan. 6 to approve ordinance 20‑26‑01, amending Municipal Code Title 23 to remove minimum parking requirements in the Central Business District and the Columbia North Waterfront and to implement state‑required parking changes and improved bicycle‑parking standards.

City planning director Kurt Rizzitillo told the council the proposal responds to recent state law changes and years of local study, including work by consultant Kimley Horn and public engagement dating to March. He said the ordinance combines the state‑mandated updates with targeted local removals of minimums in the downtown and waterfront districts and adds clearer parking dimensions and modern bicycle‑parking templates.

The measure reflects several state references raised in the presentation, including RCW 35 21 9 94 and later legislative actions cited by staff, which reduced or removed minimums for certain small residences, commercial spaces and affordable housing uses. Rizzitillo described the changes as surgical: ‘‘The proposal removes minimums in the CBD and Columbia North Waterfront, consolidates the parking‑use table and strengthens bike‑parking requirements,’’ he said.

Public commenters were split. Francine Pierre Sager, a Richland resident, urged councilors to be ambitious and to ‘‘lead with facts and not fear,’’ urging broader abolition of minimums and citing regional studies and a Spokane pilot. Franchesca Meyer told the council the city’s consultant recommended repealing mandatory minimums and pressed for citywide change; she also praised proposed bike‑parking updates.

During council discussion Kurt Meyer, council member, said he would vote for the ordinance but reiterated his longer‑term aim of abolishing minimums citywide, calling the adopted changes a ‘‘step forward’’ that does not solve all relief requests across Richland. Mayor Pro Tem Van Dyke voted against the ordinance, saying he preferred to implement the state changes first and evaluate their effect before broader local deletions. Mayor Richardson supported the compromise approach and praised the advisory commission process.

Councilmember Meyer moved to approve the ordinance and a second was recorded. The roll‑call vote was 5 in favor, 1 opposed. The council’s action implements the code changes described by staff and directs the city to apply the new parking standards in the identified districts.

The council meeting record shows the public hearing on the ordinance opened at 6:11 p.m. and closed at 6:18 p.m.; the ordinance passed later in the meeting. City staff and council members said they will monitor outcomes and that additional study or changes remain possible.

What’s next: the ordinance as passed removes the specified minimums in the two districts, adopts the state‑mandated amendments for other uses, and includes improved bicycle‑parking provisions; staff will return to the council as required for implementation and any additional refinements.