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Planning commission recommends changes to residential parking rules, including wider driveways and limited front driveway depth
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to recommend ordinance amendments allowing driveways up to 30 feet wide, permitting driveways to extend up to 20% of the front width of a house, updating commercial vehicle allowances to one‑ton, and aligning sideyard RV parking with accessory structure setbacks.
The Garden City Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend city council adopt amendments to residential parking standards that would give property owners more on‑site options while keeping limits on frontage and setbacks.
Consultant staff explained the principal changes that the commission considered: permitting driveway widths up to 30 feet, allowing a driveway to extend in front of a house by up to 20% of the front façade width (added to give more usable parking area on narrow lots), changing the allowable commercial vehicle size from three‑quarter ton to one‑ton, and revising rules so recreational vehicles parked in sideyards may be as close as three feet from side lot lines—consistent with how accessory structures are regulated.
"The driveway width is going to be allowed to be increased to a maximum of 30 ft on a residential lot," the consultant said, adding that the 20% frontal extension was intended to provide a practical on‑site parking alternative where previous language effectively prohibited any driveway forward of a structure.
The public hearing on the proposal produced no in‑person or written comments. On a role call, commissioners cast a unanimous 5–0 vote to recommend the zoning amendment to city council.
Next steps: the item will move to the city council for formal consideration and possible adoption.
