Commission signals support for lower parking minimums for smaller multifamily units

Staff summarized current residential parking requirements and asked the Planning Commission whether to reduce minimums to reflect unit sizes, market conditions and recent state law changes. Members noted that the city currently requires two spaces for detached single‑family homes and 1.5 spaces per unit for multi‑unit buildings, while some recent middle‑housing rules use one space for smaller units.

Commissioner Bill Irving pointed out that many future units will be smaller than 1,200 square feet and asked whether multifamily should be allowed one space per unit; he said developers frequently build smaller apartments and that the one‑space baseline used for some middle housing should be considered more broadly. Several commissioners and staff expressed support for more flexibility and for a lower baseline for smaller units, noting market forces and proximity to services reduce per‑unit vehicle demand.

Staff also explained the downtown fee‑in‑lieu program remains a tool where historic lot constraints make on‑site parking infeasible; commissioners asked staff to keep the in‑lieu option while reviewing its parameters and ensuring a predictable, defensible process for alternatives or demand analyses. No formal change was adopted at the workshop; staff will draft code language that provides clearer minimums with an applicant demand‑analysis pathway and in‑lieu parameters for constrained zones.