Aldermen adopt on-street parking rules to count toward commercial parking minimums

The Board of Aldermen unanimously adopted text amendment KT284 to clarify when on-street parking can be counted toward required off-street parking in developments zoned for Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND). The amendment establishes standards developers must meet to get on-street spaces counted, including accounting for those spaces on final development and civil plans, marking spaces per MUTCD standards, ensuring space layout and sightlines, limiting counted spaces to those at least 50% abutting the subject parcel, and requiring public availability 24 hours a day.

Catherine Garner explained the amendment was developed after staff research into other municipalities and to address recurring questions about on-street parking in Weldon and other TND areas. "On street parking spaces may be counted towards the off street parking requirements... subject to the following standards," Garner read into the record, then walked the board through the seven enumerated requirements.

Milt Rhodes, who identified himself as living in Fort Walton Village, praised the clarity the amendment provides and urged adoption so future developments can plan accordingly. "These ordinances and plans... require constant updates," Rhodes said.

Board members asked whether these counted spaces would allow private towing or set time limits; staff clarified the rules apply to commercial portions of TND areas (not single-family streets) and do not prescribe time-limited parking enforcement. A motion to adopt KT284 as recommended by staff passed unanimously.