Planning board recommends reducing residential parking minimums to 1 stall per unit

The Omaha Planning Board on Tuesday recommended approval of a zoning code amendment to Chapter 55 that would set a uniform minimum of one on‑site parking stall per residential unit citywide. City staff said the change is intended to ease development of infill housing types and align parking rules with transit‑oriented goals.

Staff presentation: Assistant Planning Director Eric England told the board the amendment builds on previous zoning revisions and would modify parking requirements so single‑family, duplex and multifamily developments require one stall per unit regardless of dwelling type. "The proposed code amendment would modify and reduce the parking requirements to 1 parking stall on‑site per residential unit," England said, noting that a maximum number of spaces would not be imposed and developers remain free to provide more parking.

Supporters at the hearing argued that parking minimums add thousands of dollars to project costs and prevent more housing from being built. Zeke Rous of Spark, a local nonprofit that supports neighborhood revitalization, testified that every required parking space can cost between $10,000 and $50,000 and that reducing mandates would allow more feasible and site‑appropriate projects.

Board action: After hearing from staff and proponents and receiving no opposition, the board voted 6–0 to recommend the amendment to City Council.

Why it matters: Lowering parking minimums is a common local strategy to reduce development cost and promote denser, transit‑oriented development; it can influence project design, affordability and street use. The amendment preserves developers’ ability to provide additional parking where needed, but removes a regulatory floor that staff say has blocked infill projects in the past.

Next steps: The board’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final consideration.