Title
Approval of an Ordinance Amending Residential Parking Requirements
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Land Use and Environment Committee recommends amending Residential Parking Requirement code.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to waive second reading and approve the attached Ordinance amending Residential Parking Requirement code requirements on first and final reading.
Report
Issue:
Whether to approve an Ordinance amending Residential Parking Requirement code requirements.
Staff Contact:
Joyce Phillips, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development, 360.570.3722
Presenter(s):
Joyce Phillips, Principal Planner, Community Planning and Development
Background and Analysis:
In September 2022, February 2023, and March 6, 2023, City staff briefed the Planning Commission on efforts to reduce residential parking standards for new residential projects. This is part of a state funded grant the City was awarded to help implement its Housing Action Plan (HAP). Specifically, this work addresses the following strategy and action step of the HAP:
Strategy: Expand the overall housing supply by making it easier to build all types of housing.
Action 3i: Reduce parking requirements for residential uses, including for multi-family developments near frequent transit routes.
A community questionnaire was open for approximately one month on the City’s Engage Olympia webpage. The questionnaire was not a scientific survey; instead, it was an opportunity for members of the public to share opinions with staff on questions surrounding residential parking requirements.
Staff considered survey responses, public comments, and the intent of the Housing Action Plan strategy and action to develop a first draft of code amendments. That draft included staff comments to help explain why some changes were proposed or what other changes may result from a proposed amendment. The public hearing draft considered comments from the Planning Commission as well as the additional public comments submitted.
Planning Commission Guidance
The Planning Commission had briefings on this proposal in February and early March. In February, the results of the questionnaire were reviewed. In March, the first draft of proposed amendments was reviewed. After reviewing the first draft, which proposed a range of 0.75 - 1.5 parking spaces per unit in multifamily developments, the Commission recommended staff remove the automobile parking minimums for apartments and reduce the maximum. In response, the public hearing draft of the amendments proposed a maximum of 1.25 automobile parking spaces per unit, with no minimum required for automobile parking. The short and long term bicycle parking requirements remain unchanged.
It is worth noting that in the Downtown, where new residential developments are not required to provide automobile parking, parking is typically provided at a rate of 0.7-0.8 parking spaces per residential unit. Additionally, provisions in the parking code would still allow a developer to propose a parking modification to increase the number of parking spaces provided. The parking modification language, while proposed to be modified in this set of amendments, is currently allowed but rarely requested.
Planning Commission Recommendation
The Planning Commission held a public hearing on this proposal on March 20, 2023. The Commission left the public comment period open until noon on April 7, 2023. All comments received by that deadline were attached to the agenda packet for the April 17, 2023, Planning Commission meeting. This allowed time for the Commissioners to review the comments prior to deliberations at the April 17 meeting. At the April 17 meeting a motion was made to approve the proposed amendments with a few minor modifications for clarity. A motion to amend the motion was made, which was to remove required minimum parking requirements for all residential uses. The motion to amend the original motion passed by a vote of five to four. The vote on the amended motion passed by a vote of seven to two. The Commission completed a minority report at its May 1, 2023, meeting (see attachment 2).
The Commission discussed several issues during its deliberations. This included the belief that while parking would not be required by the City, developers would likely provide the amount of parking they believe would be needed to make their projects viable in the housing market, taking into account the conditions (e.g. sidewalks, transit) in and around the site. To paraphrase, Commissioners who spoke in favor of removing the minimums indicated the amount of parking provided would match what developers would need to ensure viable and desirable projects in different locations, that more options would be available for a wider variety of buyers and renters, that people who do not own cars would not be as likely to pay for parking they do not need or use in their rent prices, and that the parking code could be revisited in the future if the desired results were not the outcome.
The minority report includes comments about safety (emergency vehicle access and how far people may need to walk in the dark from their cars to their houses if convenient parking is not nearby), accessible parking, how some streets are narrower and more congested than others, and other issues that came up during the Commission’s deliberations.
Land Use & Environment Committee
The Planning Commission recommendation was considered by the Land Use and Environment Committee (LUEC) at its meeting on April 27th. The LUEC was concerned that if no parking was provided, then no accessible parking would be required. The LUEC asked staff to add a provision to require at least one accessible parking space for residential development projects with five or more units. The threshold for five units or more is also when the City’s land use approval process is required. With the change, the LUEC recommended approval and forwarding the proposed code amendments to City Council for decision. The LUEC recommendation carried with a vote of 2 in favor and 1 opposed.
City Council Decision
At its meeting on June 6, 2023, the City Council considered an ordinance that would implement the Planning Commission recommendation as revised by the Land Use and Environment Committee. Ultimately, the Council voted to approve revisions to the motor vehicle parking requirements for new residential development, as follows:
• Retain current exemptions in the Downtown and for Accessory Dwelling Units;
• Remove parking minimums for residential units in the Capital Mall Triangle subarea;
• Remove parking minimums within a half mile of frequent transit service (transit service at least four times per hour for at least 12 hours a day);
• Require all other residential units in the city to have a minimum of 0.5 parking spaces per unit;
• Require at least one ADA space for multifamily projects 5-units or more; and,
• Retain the current maximum of 1.5 spaces per unit for residential developments with 3 or more units.
The motion passed by a vote of 4 to 2. The attached ordinance would implement this action by the City Council.
Climate Analysis:
The proposed reduction in automobile parking spaces for new residences will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by supporting alternative forms of transportation and promoting compact urban areas within the City. This would support a long-term reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. However, changes to parking requirements only impact new developments or substantial redevelopment projects. While the impact of these amendments may be incremental and slow to accumulate, staff believes the amendments would support the Climate Mitigation Plan mitigation strategies as follows:
T1. Set land use policies that increase urban density and reduce urban sprawl: By reducing the amount of land that must be dedicated to automobile parking, that land could be used for additional housing units (or other things like open space, vegetation/gardens). Accommodating population growth within the City limits and Urban Growth Area (UGA) will reduce sprawl outside of the UGA in rural and resource lands.
T2. Increase the efficiency of the transportation system: As our community becomes more compact and urban over time, more goods and services (and schools and parks) will be available within walking or bicycling distances to a greater number of residences. Trips that are taken by car may be a shorter distance and those shorter trips will reduce fuel consumption. Many of the zoning districts that accommodate the most multifamily housing units are zones that also allow for a mix of commercial land uses within the development or in close proximity.
T4. Increase the use of public transit: More compact and urban neighborhoods provide densities that support transit. As demand for transit increases, the frequency of transit service is likely to increase as well.
T5. Increase the use of active forms of travel, such as walking and biking: See T2 above.
The proposed reduction of required automobile parking for new residences is also being considered at approximately the same time as Electric Vehicle parking standards are being considered. EV parking standards, if approved, would help the community transition to electric vehicles which would also result in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Equity Analysis:
It can be challenging to tie residential parking requirement reductions to equity issues. Most of the proposed parking amendments will impact multifamily housing units. Rents are generally designed to cover the development and maintenance costs of the site. If less parking is provided and if more housing units are provided, the rent per unit could be lower than it otherwise would be. In some cases, property owners charge a rate for rent and a separate rate for per parking space, which would benefit those who do not own a car.
In Olympia, roughly 37% of all households are cost burdened, with almost half of those households being severely cost-burdened. BIPOC members of our community are more likely to be cost-burdened than others. Opportunities to provide more housing units will eventually lead to less pressure on the rental market, which will ease increases to rents. Supply of more housing units of all kinds will help meet demand.
Approximately 42% of Olympians have a household income of less than $50,000. Approximately 15% of our population live in poverty. In 2021, 13.5% of people in Olympia were reported to have a disability, up from 12.9% in 2016. People living in poverty, or with lower incomes or a disability of some kind, may not own cars or multiple cars per household. By eliminating minimum parking requirements, there will eventually be a wider variety of housing options available. People may have a greater ability to choose housing that best matches their transportation needs, especially for those who choose not to own a car or those who cannot afford car ownership.
Obesity rates have been rising in children and adults in Washington State. Residential parking reductions support use of more active forms of transportation, such as by pedestrians or bicyclists.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Interest in parking issues vary by neighborhood and housing types. Some neighborhoods have wide streets with long and/or wide driveways serving one, two, or three car garages. Some have ample on-street parking. Others have narrower streets with or without sidewalks. Most apartment complexes have ample parking lots to accommodate tenants and guests, but some do not.
After its hearing on March 20, the Planning Commission extended the public comment period through noon on Friday, April 7, 2023. The Commission considered the amendments and all comments received by the deadline at its meeting on April 17. All public comments received through May 3, 2023, are attached.
Financial Impact:
This work is being funded by a Housing Action Plan Implementation (HAPI) grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce, Growth Management Services. The Department of Commerce requires the City deliver an adopted and signed ordinance by June 30 to receive the final grant payment of $16,000. Because this is the last City Council regular meeting before that date, staff is recommending waiving second reading and adopting on first and final reading.
Options:
1. Move to waive second reading and adopt the attached Ordinance implementing the decision made at the June 6, 2023, meeting regarding residential parking requirements, on first and final reading.
2. Move to adopt the attached Ordinance implementing the decision made at the June 6, 2023, meeting regarding residential parking requirements, on first reading and move to second reading for final action.
3. Do not adopt the proposed code residential parking requirement code amendments.
Attachments:
Ordinance
OPC Minority Report
Outreach Summary
Public Comments