Planner outlines options to revise Central Business District parking rules

Liz Gunden, a planner with Beckett & Raeder, presented options for revising parking requirements in the City of DeWitt’s Central Business District at the Planning Commission meeting on April 25, 2024. Gunden reviewed sample ordinances from other communities and outlined possible approaches to minimum parking, shared parking, and administrative waivers.

The presentation prompted questions from commissioners about how different communities balance downtown economic activity with parking supply. City Administrator Daniel Coss said he would gather additional information on specific communities at the commission’s request so members could compare local approaches and decide whether to amend DeWitt’s ordinance or retain the current code.

The commission took no formal action on the parking rules at the meeting. Commissioners and staff indicated the next step is for Administrator Coss to compile the comparator materials and return to the commission with suggested language or recommendations for amendment if warranted.

Why it matters: parking requirements affect how property owners and businesses can develop downtown parcels, influence customer access, and shape the look and function of the Central Business District. The commission’s request for comparator information signals a preliminary fact-finding stage rather than an imminent policy change.

What’s next: staff will collect sample ordinances and data from other municipalities and present the findings to the Planning Commission for further discussion.