Orting council extends interim downtown parking reductions for six months

The Orting City Council on Jan. 28 adopted Ordinance 2026‑1155, extending for six months an interim code that reduces off‑street parking requirements by half for most uses in the downtown METC zone.

Mayor Scott Brennan opened a public hearing on AB 26‑01 and Contract Planner Kim Ducker told council the interim control — originally enacted about a year ago — was intended to give the city time to study whether lower parking requirements would help downtown businesses. “An interim control is a six‑month valid code that can be passed by ordinance… it carries the same weight as the permanent code,” Ducker said.

The council asked how the reduction would affect accessibility and calculations. Ducker confirmed that ADA‑required stalls are not subject to the reduction and described how fractional stalls would be rounded under current code. She said the 50% figure was chosen to provide a clear, measurable test of the policy’s effects: “we really wanted to do something that felt big and see if the reaction was big,” she said.

A council member moved to adopt Ordinance 2026‑1155, the motion was seconded, and council voted to approve the extension. The council recorded the motion as passed and staff said the extension will allow time to explore potential permanent measures and whether to commission a study of on‑street parking capacity.

Why it matters: Council and staff said the change aims to reduce barriers for small businesses in the downtown core while giving the city data and time to craft a long‑term approach. Staff emphasized that ADA parking requirements would remain unchanged and that further adjustments to the zoning table would be made only after study.

What’s next: Staff will work with the mayor and council on options for a permanent measure, and could return with recommendations or request additional extensions if studies or grant timelines require it.