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Commissioners direct staff to draft parking standards for garage-condo projects, emphasizing maneuverability and emergency access
Summary
After extensive discussion, the Orono City Planning Commission asked staff to draft specific parking standards for garage-condo developments: exterior stalls (1 per unit ≤200 sq ft, 2 per unit >200 sq ft), 60-foot minimum between buildings, a 12-foot striped drive aisle, and a required maneuverability study that accounts for parked vehicles and snow.
The Orono City Planning Commission on June 16 directed staff to prepare specific off-street parking standards for garage-condo developments that balance parking supply, maneuverability, emergency access and neighborhood impacts.
Planning staff Miss Oakton presented research showing many cities lack parking standards tailored to garage-condo uses and proposed draft language requiring an 8-by-21-foot stall per unit, a 12-foot drive aisle and one guest stall per 10 units. Oakton noted the current conditional-use permit standards for Orono already prohibit events, exterior overnight parking and exterior storage as part of the garage-condo use.
Commissioners engaged in a lengthy discussion about whether spaces should be parallel or nose-in, how to guarantee emergency-vehicle access, how to provide room for snow storage and whether to count parking in front of garage doors. Commissioners raised real-world concerns about boats, trailers and pickup trucks that are common in Orono, and several said a maneuverability study should demonstrate safe access with parking and snow present.
By consensus the commission asked staff to draft language reflecting five specific concepts: exterior stalls only (1 exterior stall per unit for units ≤200 sq ft; 2 exterior stalls per unit for units >200 sq ft), a minimum 60-foot width between building faces (to accommodate parking and trailer maneuvering), a minimum 12-foot striped no-parking drive aisle, a required maneuverability study that accounts for parked vehicles and snow storage and a requirement that exterior stalls not block overhead or pedestrian doors. Commissioner Ressler moved to approve the summarized direction and Commissioner Wilson seconded; the motion carried by voice vote.
Staff said it will prepare draft code language consistent with the commission’s direction for transmission to the city council and will publish the draft on the city website before the council packet is finalized so the public can comment.
