PARKING CODE REVISION PROJECT

In September 2008, the Mayor and Council directed staff to proceed with amendments to the City Parking Code.

Issue

The current Parking Code is considered to be outdated, complicated, and suburban in focus. Consequently, the current Parking Code…

§ Makes development and redevelopment of central city lots problematic;

§ Leads to excessive parking areas, which contribute to the urban heat island effect; and,

§ Contribute to an auto-oriented development pattern.

Objectives

The objectives for the amendments to the City’s Parking Code are to:

§ Ensure sufficient off-street parking without negatively impacting nearby residential areas;

§ Reduce the heat island impact of parking areas;

§ Address an appropriate modal split to better address transit-oriented development, urban centers, and suburban areas;

§ Promote safe, convenient, and efficient design of parking, circulation, and access areas; and,

§ Simplify the standards.

Process

Planning & Development Service Department staff will work with the Land Use Code (LUC) Committee to develop recommended amendments to the Parking Code.

For discussion and decision-making purposes, the Parking Code has been divided into four major components:

§ Formulas and Uses

§ Design Standards

§ Bicycle Parking

§ Exceptions, Modifications, and Reductions

The LUC Committee will discuss, evaluate, and develop recommendations for each component. The committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Planning Commission and the Mayor and Council for consideration.

Background Information

Overview of Parking Code Revision Project (powerpoint)

File

Draft Outline of the Revised Parking Code (identifies regulations being considered for revision)

File

Parking Comparison Table

File

Preliminary Recommendations

November 2010 Draft

 File

Best Practices

To assist in making recommendations, staff and the LUC Committee will examine nationally recognized best practices obtained from the following jurisdictions and planning-related publications.

Jurisdictions

File

Planning-Related Publications (includes summaries of the articles and links)

File

Staff Contact

For more information or to be added to the interested party list, contact Adam Smith at (520) 837-6951 or adam.smith@tucsonaz.gov.