Title
Minimum Parking Requirements Code Amendments Briefing
Recommended Action
Information only. No action requested.
Report
Issue:
The City is required to review and update Olympia Municipal Code Chapter 18.38 - Parking and Loading standards to meet new state law requirements. The City is also proposing some amendments to eliminate nearly all minimum vehicle parking requirements.
Staff Contact:
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner, Community Development, 360.753.8254
Presenter(s):
Casey Schaufler, Associate Planner
Background and Analysis:
In May 2025, Washington State passed SB 5184 to limit the on-site parking spaces for commercial and residential uses. Cities must implement the requirements of SB 5184 by January 27, 2027.
How this relates to the BPAC’s work
For many decades, cities have required private development to build vehicle parking. The number of required spaces has not been based on market demand, which has generally resulted in an oversupply of vehicle parking. This has incentivized driving in two major ways:
• An oversupply of parking for nearly every land use has greatly increased the footprint of cities, spreading out the distances people have to cover to get places, making it harder to walk or bike
• Easy and convenient parking makes driving the easiest choice to get places rather than transit, biking, or walking
In addition to this, the Washington State Legislature also found that parking requirements increase housing costs. The Legislature determined that the number of parking spaces that a project provides should be based on actual market conditions.
The proposed code changes
Olympia’s existing code requires a minimum number of parking spaces based on the:
• Land use
• Number of units, or
• Square footage of the space
In the land use category there is a wide range of minimums and in some cases maximums. What type of land use is allowed in a given location depends on the zoning district.
The proposed code changes address the new state requirements. They also eliminate mandated minimums for off-street parking, which may reduce barriers to housing and commercial development. Certain off-street parking maximums still exist, but do not apply if a parking structure is provided.
The proposed amendments accomplish the following:
• Comply with changes to state laws and regulations
• Eliminate all parking minimums, although parking minimums may be established for specific projects that require a conditional use permit
• Significantly reduce parking use types found in table OMC 18.38 to only four categories: residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional/public facilities
• Standardize bicycle parking requirements for each of the four new categories. In general, require a minimum of at least two short-term spaces, with additional spaces required based on floor area
• Reduce square footage threshold required of commercial space to require long-term bicycle parking. Standardize requirements for long-term bicycle parking in each newly established category (residential, commercial, etc.)
The process
The Olympia Planning Commission received a briefing on the proposed amendments on October 5, 2026. It held a public hearing on October 19, 2026, with no members of the public providing testimony. Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend the proposed amendments with the following revisions:
• Remove upper limit of 12 required bicycle spaces for commercial uses.
• Exempt all bicycle parking requirements for change of use in existing commercial spaces less than 3,000 square feet for the Downton Exemption Area. Commissioners discussed that providing this flexibility will support conversion and occupancy of older buildings in the downtown exemption area.
• Maximum parking exemptions only apply to “multi-story parking structures” when the structure is a primary use. Intent is to avoid single-story garages built to exceed surface parking limits.
These proposed revisions from the Planning Commission are reflected in the attached draft proposed amendments.
The amendments are being presented the Land Use & Environment Committee on November 19, 2026. City Council is scheduled to hold first reading and adoption of the proposal in early to mid-January of 2027.
Please come prepared with questions and feedback for staff.
Options:
N/A - Briefing only.
Financial Impact:
The processing of these amendments is covered by the Community Development annual budget.
Attachments:
Draft Parking Chapter Amendments with Planning Commission Amendments
Parking Update Information Sheet