Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parking Code topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission pauses SMC 1754 parking changes pending code cross‑reference and public hearing
Summary
Commissioners discussed proposed reductions or eliminations of commercial parking requirements in SMC 1754, identified multiple cross-references in the municipal code, and directed staff and commissioners to research contradictions and comp‑plan ties before advancing an ordinance; the item is tabled pending further work.
Ocean Shores Planning Commission members spent a substantial portion of their May 26 meeting reviewing a staff- and commission-initiated proposal to revise parking requirements in Ocean Shores Municipal Code (SMC 1754) and agreed to postpone drafting an ordinance until staff completes a comprehensive cross-reference check and the commission holds required public hearings.
A presenter summarized that SMC 1754 is referenced in at least five other sections of the municipal code: 1716 (R1 single-family residential), 1734 (B1 retail commercial), 1736 (B2 general commercial), 1744 (homeless uses) and 1749 (short-term rentals). Commissioners cautioned against "redlining" — making edits in one place without ensuring consistency where the code references the parking section — and staff recommended running a full search to identify potential contradictions before preparing an ordinance. "It has to be consistent all the way through the code," one commissioner said.
Public commenters and staff also raised policy considerations: a public commenter cited state legislation she said motivated many municipalities to reduce parking minimums to free land for development, while staff warned that eliminating commercial parking entirely could create operational and enforcement problems (for example, motels with no on-site parking). Commissioners also noted that small commercial properties sometimes are exempt (a commenter cited a 3,000-square-foot threshold) and that changes should be weighed against the city's comprehensive plan.
Next steps: The commission agreed the next step is research: staff and commissioners will identify cross-references and contradictions; prepare an "ironclad" proposed ordinance and supporting materials; and schedule a planning-commission public hearing before forwarding any recommendation to the mayor and council, which would themselves require a public hearing. The commission tabled specific ordinance drafting until that research is complete.
