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Ocean Shores planning commission considers removing hotel parking minimums in Title 17 revisions
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Summary
The Planning Commission reviewed proposed edits to OSMC Title 17 (including 17.54 and related sections) that would strike several commercial/transient parking minimums and directed staff to prepare consolidated redlines and schedule a public hearing; staff warned the change must be enforceable at permit review.
The Ocean Shores Planning Commission met April 28, 2026 at the Ocean Shores Library and reviewed proposed revisions to municipal parking rules in Title 17, including OSMC 17.54 and related sections. Commissioners discussed removing language that currently sets minimum parking spaces for transient facilities and asked staff to produce a combined redline of all affected Title 17 chapters before a public hearing.
Commission Chair (S1) said the draft ordinance had been sent to commissioners and asked staff to show the edits. An agency official from planning (S4) cautioned that the current redline would, as drafted, eliminate the per-unit parking minimum for some transient uses. "So there's gonna be no parking requirements for a hotel," S4 said, noting that any final recommendation must be enforceable at the building-permit stage.
Commissioners and staff debated whether to distinguish hotels and motels from short-term rentals in the code or retain a single definition of "transient" uses. One commissioner (S4) said local practice and permit-review mechanisms require clarity so staff can deny a building permit that lacks adequate parking under the code. "Today, I don't approve a building permit for a motel unless they show me prescribed parking," S4 said.
Members discussed balancing year-round usage with peak-event demand (for example summer holidays) and potential overflow arrangements using shared public lots. Commissioners asked staff to prepare a full, consolidated redline that shows all deletions and insertions across Title 17 chapters for the commission to review at the next meeting; staff confirmed a public hearing will be required before the council considers ordinance adoption.
No ordinance vote or formal recommendation occurred at the April 28 meeting; the commission moved the matter forward for additional drafting, consolidation of redlines, and a public-hearing notice to solicit community comments.
The commission expects to revisit the proposed changes at a future meeting once staff returns consolidated redlines and enforcement guidance.
