Title
Minimum Parking Requirements Code Amendments
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Report
Issue:
Discussion on draft amendments to Olympia Municipal Code (OMC) Chapter 18.38 – Parking and Loading to meet new state law requirements and to eliminate parking minimums.
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 that cities with more than 30,000 people may require for commercial and residential uses. Cities with a population of over 50,000 must implement the requirements of SB 5184 by January 27, 2027.
The Washington State Legislature found that parking requirements increase housing costs, discourage walking, biking, and transit use, and promote reliance on automobiles. The legislature found that the number of parking spaces that a project or use provides on site should be based on actual market conditions rather than blanket parking regulations. The regulations under SB 5184 do not set limitations on the maximum number of parking spaces an applicant can provide; rather, they limit the number of parking spaces that cities may require an applicant to provide (i.e., sets a cap on local parking minimums).
Olympia’s existing parking regulations set a minimum number of parking spaces required to be provided on a new proposed uses or changes of use at a site based on the underlying use of land, the number of units, or the square footage of the space, as outlined in Table 38.01, OMC 18.38.100 Vehicular and Bicycle Parking Standards. The underlying uses set a wide range of minimums and in some cases maximums, and permissible land use is dependent upon the zoning district.
In 2023, Olympia City Council adopted OMC Chapter 18.38 revisions to the motor vehicle parking requirements for new residential development, as follows:
Retain current exemptions in ...
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