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Seward Council enacts parking overhaul, removing most mandatory off-street minimums
Summary
The Seward City Council on Feb. 9 enacted Ordinance 2026-002 to remove most minimum off-street parking requirements for commercial and mixed-use development while retaining residential standards; the move follows yearlong Planning & Zoning work and public input.
The Seward City Council enacted a substitute version of Ordinance 2026-002 on Feb. 9, removing mandatory off-street parking minimums for most land uses while keeping requirements for residential development.
Administrators and Planning & Zoning commissioners told the council the change responds to national research and local work sessions showing fixed parking minimums often block infill redevelopment, increase construction costs and embed parking expenses into housing. Planning & Zoning vice chair Brennan Hornath told the council the commission conducted multiple work sessions and public outreach and approved the recommendation by a 5–1 vote. "With the passage of this ordinance, Seward can join the thousands of towns across the nation which have taken similar steps," Hornath said.
Administration emphasized the ordinance is intended to remove rigid minimums, not to eliminate parking, and to allow property owners more flexibility in providing parking. The substitute enacted tonight mainly reinstated definitions omitted in earlier drafting; council members said the changes were housekeeping in nature and did not alter the substance recommended by Planning & Zoning.
Supporters during the public hearing, including Tamara Philipovic, argued parking minimums are arbitrary and raise costs that are passed on to renters and buyers. "Required parking minimums consume valuable land area, increase construction costs, and limit design flexibility," Philipovic said.
Council members voted unanimously to accept the substitute and then to enact the ordinance. Mayor McClair announced the ordinance had been enacted following a roll-call vote in which all members present voted yes.
Implementation: the ordinance also adds a conditional-use requirement for hotels in certain commercial zoning districts so Planning & Zoning can retain project-specific oversight. City staff and the commission urged ongoing parking utilization monitoring to guide future adjustments, and recommended periodic studies to assess on-street and lot use and pricing.
The council’s action follows a multi-meeting review that City Hall said aimed to align the code with goals around housing, walkability and efficient land use. The city will publish the adopted code amendments and begin applying the updated standards during development review.
The council did not reverse or remove existing parking on private lots; buildings and developers may still provide parking by choice or per conditional-use conditions. The change focuses on eliminating one-size-fits-all minimums that commissioners said have hindered infill and adaptive reuse.
