Title
Ordinance No. 17-8 amending Part 2 (Off Street Parking Standards) of Article 4 (Site Development Standards) of Chapter 7 (Planning, Development and Building) of the Code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001, As Amended, Pertaining to Parking.
(Legislative)
Presenter:
Meggan Herington, LUR/DRE Planning Manager, Planning and Community Development
Peter Wysocki, Director of Planning and Community Development
Body
Summary:
This amendment proposes to update multiple sections of City Code supporting the addition of allowances for alternative off-street parking options as well as an update pertaining to [handicapped] accessible parking space requirements for the disabled.
The new additions for alternative parking are in section 7.2.204 and the accessibility amendments are in Section 7.2.205 as outlined in the attached ordinance.
Previous Council Action:
This item was scheduled to be reviewed by City Council at their work session on December 13, 2016. Due to the long agenda, however, Councilman Bennett asked that this item be moved to the work session on January 9, 2017 with permission for the item to be formally considered at the hearing on January 10.
On January 10, 2016, a request was made to postpone this item. A motion by Councilmember Knight and seconded by Councilmember Bagley, that the ordinance be postponed to a date certain, the January 24, 2017 City Council meeting. The motion passed by a vote of 9-0-0.
On January 24, 2017, this ordinance was approved at first reading by a vote of 9-0-0.
Background:
One impetus for this recommended Code change is the Infill Supplement to the Comprehensive Plan along with an associated Infill Action Plan (IAP). Both documents were recommended for approval by the Planning Commission and adopted by the City Council on March 22, 2016. One of the specific recommendations in the IAP is as follows:
“Amend Chapter 7.4.201-207 of the Zoning Code (Off Street Parking Requirements) to adopt new infill-supportive standards including allowing credit for on-street and off-site parking in some cases.”
Under “Problem Statement/Justification” in the IAP there is the following additional language:
“Outside of the parking-exempt area of Downtown, it is not uncommon for infill projects to have difficulty meeting current parking requirements within their sites and based on a strict application of calculations and standards in the Zoning Code. Credit for on-street, shared or off-site parking is not normally allowed, even if reasonably available. Options for alternative compliance are (e.g. credit for alternative modes, unique use mixes etc.) are also limited.”
The IAP recommends for this code change to be a near term priority and that it should be processed through the Code Scrub Committee.
Due to the technical nature of the changes, a very detailed analysis is provided in the attached Planning Commission staff report.
Financial Implications:
N/A
Board/Commission Recommendation:
On October 10, 2016, the City Planning Commission voted 9:0 to support the proposed changes with a motion by Commissioner Markewich, seconded by Commissioner Henninger.
For a detailed record of the discussion, please see the attached staff report and minutes from the October 10th meeting.
Stakeholder Process:
Standard notification is not utilized for legislative code changes, as the proposed application affects all City residents and property owners. However, adequate public outreach and input was achieved principally through the City’s Code Scrub Committee (“Committee”). This topic and proposed change have been discussed at several Committee meetings in late 2015 and early 2016. The Committee includes staff of Planning & Development Department and City Attorney's Office as well as community members representing stakeholder interests including Council of Neighbors and Organizations (CONO), Housing and Building Association (HBA), Regional Business Alliance (RBA), Commissioner Shonkwiler, architects, engineers, and planning consultants. The process ultimately relies on staff putting forward and carrying forward the code changes with Committee input, and the opportunity for the individual Committee members and other stakeholders to continue to represent their perspectives throughout the process.
Alternatives:
1. Uphold the action of the City Planning Commission;
2. Modify the decision of the City Planning Commission;
3. Reverse the action of the City Planning Commission; or
4. Refer the matter back to the City Planning Commission for further consideration
Recommended Action
Proposed Motion:
Approve an ordinance amending Part 2 (Off Street Parking Standards) of Article 4 (Site Development Standards) of Chapter 7 (Planning, Development and Building) of the Code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001, As Amended, Pertaining to Parking
Summary of Ordinance Language
An ordinance amending Part 2 (Off Street Parking Standards) of Article 4 (Site Development Standards) of Chapter 7 (Planning, Development and Building) of the Code of the City of Colorado Springs 2001, As Amended, Pertaining to Parking