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Urbana advances narrower amendment to reduce parking minimums for small commercial workshops
Summary
The committee approved forwarding a text amendment creating a 'commercial workshop' use with a parking requirement of one space per 1,000 sq ft to allow smaller contractors and small manufacturers to develop with lower parking burdens; the item will be considered by the full council.
Planning staff presented ordinance 2026-07-020 to create a new 'commercial workshop' land-use category and to set its parking requirement at one space per 1,000 square feet. Staff said the change is intended to reduce unnecessary parking requirements for small contractors, repair shops and production spaces, to protect the warehouse and building-material categories from misuse, and to promote infill development consistent with Imagine Urbana policies.
Staff explained that current parking and use tables often force small commercial actors into categories that require more parking than they actually need, increasing development costs and impervious surface. The proposed amendment adds a definition for commercial workshop and renames the 'contractor shop and showroom' category to 'contractor supply and showroom' to clarify intended uses.
A council member asked whether the change would worsen street parking pressures when considered alongside the earlier People Over Parking amendment; staff said the workshop amendment is narrower, aimed at lowering unnecessary parking for certain low-foot-traffic uses, and that staff will track outcomes. Charisse moved to send the ordinance to the city council on the regular agenda (to allow public comment); Mary Alice seconded. The committee then voted by voice to forward the item unanimously.
