HomeMy WebLinkAbout2562 Parking, Loading & QueuingOrdinance No.
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO PARKING, AND LOADING AND QUEUING;
AMENDING THE OFF-STREET PARKING, AND LOADING AND QUEUING
REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED IN CHAPTER 17.30 OF THE PORT TOWNSEND
MUNICIPAL CODE; ELIMINATING OFF-STREET PARKING, AND LOADING AND
QUEUING REQUIREMENTS FOR LAND USES ESTABLISHED, CHANGED OR
RELOCATED IN HISTORIC STRUCTURES THAT LIE WITHIN THE C-HI
ZONING DISTRICT; AND REDUCING OR ELIMINATING THE OFF-STREET
PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR EXPANSIONS OF
EXISTING STRUCTURES AND ANY LAND USES ESTABLISHED, CHANGED, OR
RELOCATED IN NONHISTORIC STRUCTURES THAT LIE WITHIN THE C-IH
ZONING DISTRICT AND OTHER COMMERCIAL ZONES WITHIN THE
HISTORIC DISTRICT.
The City Council of the City of Port Townsend finds as follows:
As recently expressed through the Port Townsend 2020: Getting Together project and
documented in the Community_ Direction Statement (Chapter III of the City's
Comprehensive Plan adopted pursuant to Ordinance No. 2539), Port Townsend citizens
value the preservation and maintenance of the City's special places, including its many
historic commercial buildings and the Downtown and Uptown Commercial Historic
Districts.
Parking management control and the use of altemative transportation modes are
preferable to rigid standards that require the establishment of new off-street parking
spaces within the C-III zoning district and the other commercial zones lying within the
Historic District.
Since their adoption in 1990, the City's off-street parking, and loading and queuing
requirements have served as a disincentive to new infill development and the
revitalization, adaptive reuse, and preservation of existing historic buildings within the
C-III zoning district.
The Port Townsend Municipal Code (PTMC) should establish off-street parking, and
loading and queuing requirements that distinguish between areas where nonmotorized
transportation should be encouraged as a top priority (i.e., the C-III zoning district and
the other commercial zones lying within the Historic District), and areas which are
more auto-oriented (i.e., the Gateway Commercial District).
Eliminating off-street parking, and loading and queuing requirements for historic
structures in the C-III zoning district, and reducing the off-street parking requirements
new construction, expansions, and uses in nonhistoric structures within the C-III
zoning district and the other commercial zones lying within the Historic District, will
reduce govemment regulation and allow individual landowners to meet their own
parking needs, while furthering the City's objectives of assisting in the preservation of
historic buildings, and making Port Townsend a more walkable, livable, and
sustainable community.
Reducing the off-street parking requirements, and loading and queuing requirements
for development occurring in the C-III zoning district and the other commercial zones
within the Historic District will also encourage compact urban growth through a shift
from use of surface parking, to the use of transit and other alternative modes.
Now, Therefore, the City Council of the City of Port Townsend in regular session assembled
does hereby ordain as follows:
Section 1.
Chapter 17.08 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended to
include the following sections:
17,08,213 Historic District.
That area within the city nominated to the National Register of Historic Places on
April 19, 1976. the boundaries of which are described as:
Beginning at Port Townsend Bag in a northwesterly direction co-linear with
Polk Street and continuin~ to the edge of the bluff alon~ Water. Street: then
following the bluff toward the .southwest to the vacated Scott Street right-of-
Way, along that right-of-way to its intersection with Jefferson Street. southwest
along Jefferson one-half block then 90 de~rees to the northwest alon~ a line
parallel to Scott Street contmuin~ to Lawrence Street. northeast alon~, Lawrence
tO Walker Street, northwest alon~ Walker to Blame Street. northeast alon~
Blame to Van Buren Street. southeast alon~ Van Buren to Garfield Street:
northeast alom, Garfield to Harrison Street. northwest alon~ Hamson to
Chestnut Street: .north alon~ Chestnut to F Street. east alon~ F to Oak Street,
north along Oak to Taft Street. alon~, Taft to a ooint midblock between Adams
and Ouincv Streets. then 90 de~,rees to the northwest alon~, a line oarallel to
Ouincv then 90 de~rees to the northeast takin~ in the orooertv at the west
comer of oumcv and Taft Streets. retumin~ alon~ Ouincv to Taft and
contmum~ alon~ Taft Street northeast to Admiralty Inlet.
17,08.476 Structure, historic,
Any ~tructures individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. or
identified as oivotal, orimarv, or secondary on the mae which accomoanied the
certification of the Por~ Townsend National Re~ister Historic DistriCt on May 17,
1976.
17.08,477 Strm:ture, n0nhist0ric.
Any structure not identified as an historic structure oursuant to Section 17.08.476
PTMC.
Section 2.
Section 17.30.010 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended to
read as follows:
17.30.010 Purpose.
A. The purpose of this chapter is to ~ reduce congestion in the streets,
promote and protect property values, and to provide for the health, safety,
welfare, prosperity and enjoyment of residents, shoppers and visitors.
B. An exemption threshold, and Rr_educed or waived off-street parking
requirements are provided for in the Dc, vmtovm Par!~g Distfi~ C-III zoning
district and the other commercial zones lying within the Historic District,
because of the relative scarcity of available land, more efficient use of available
parking in such densely used areas, and in support of the u~,~.4 ......... ,~_
economic development and urban infill goals of the city.
C. An exemntion from the off-street varking, and loading and aueumg
requirements h~ been established for uses changed, relocated or established in
historic structures that lie within the C-III zonin~ district in stmvort of the
historic vreservation goals of the cie,,.
C~. D. On-street parking spaces are allowed in lieu of off-street parking spaces for bed
and breakfast inns in historic buildings in support of tourism and historic
preservation goals.
tX. E. Parking provisions are set forth as minimum standards in order to preserve land
for other purposes.
Section 3.
A new section 17.30.015 is hereby added to the Port Townsend Municipal
Code to read as follows:
17,30.015 Annlicability_.
A. Unless svecificallv exemvted, every land use shall vrovide varkin,, and loading
areas in oc¢orclance with the following regulations whenever:
1.Any StrUcture is constructed, erected, relocated or exmanded; or
Any use is established, changed or relocated.
B. Any land uses established, changed or relocated within historic structures as
defined under Section 17.08.476 PTMC. that also lie within the C-III zoning
district, are exemvt from all off-street varking reauirements, and loading and
aueuing reauirements: however, ff varking facilities are vrovided, they must
meet the requirements established vursuant to sections 17.30.280 through
17.30.340 PTMC regarding varking vlan reauirements, minimum dimensions,
landscaping, and maintenance.'
This exemption does not apply to expansions/additions to historic structures; such expansions are subiect to the provisions of this
chapter pursuant to sections 17.30.015(AXI), and 17.30.040 PTMC.
Any new construction and any land uses established, changed, or relocated
within n0nhistori¢ structttres as defined under Section 17.08.477 PTMC. that lie
within the C-III z0nin~ district or the other commerci0J zones lying within the
Historic District. which would reauire ten (10) or fewer oarkin~, maces as
calculated oursuant to Section 17.30,100 PTMC. are exemm from all off-street
l~arkine reauirements: however, if ~arkine facilities are ~rovided. they must
meet the requirements established ~ursuant to sections 17.30.280 throueh
17,30,340 PTMC rec, ardm~ t~arkin~ olan reauirements, minimum dimensions,
landscaping and maintenance.
For new construction within the commercial zones lying within the Historic
District that exceeds the exemntion threshold established bv subsection C.
above, the off-street r>arkine reouirement comouted ~ursuant to Section
17.30,100 PTMC shall be reduced bv ten (10~ ~arking maces.
Section 4.
Section 17.30.020 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended to
read as follows:
17.30.020
A
Off-street parking and loading requirements.
Where current or anticipated parking congestion warrants, gr-eat~ requirements
in addition to those orovided in this title may be imposed by the board (city
council) pursuant to a conditional use permit
~ ...... sections 17.64.030 and
17.64.040 PTMC) or determination pursuant to PTMC Title 19.
Parking and loading requirements shall be developed to the plans and
specifications provided and approved pursuant to PTMC Section 17.30.280
PTMC.
The provisions of off-street parking and loading in the manner and extent
required in this chapter shall be a continuing obligation of the owner of a given
building or use as long as the use is in existence, provided, however, that any
owner granted a waiver o~ of certain requirements pursuant to PTMC Section
17.30.240 PTMC shall be thereafter relieved of such requirements provided that
all required fees have been paid. Off-street parking facilities for one use shall
not be considered as providing parking facilities for any other use, except as
may be provided in PTMC Section 17.30.220 PTMC, Joint use.
Except as otherwise provided herein, required parking areas shall be used for
motor vehicle parking only, with no sales, storage, repair work or dismantling
of any kind. Removal, discontinuance or reduction of such required parking
and loading facilities from practical use by obstruction, erection of building, or
other actions which reduce the parking or loading capacity or usefulness thereof
is prohibited unless replacement facilities are established which meet the
requirements of this chapter; provided, however, that up to 10 percent of
required parking areas which have at least 10 parking spaces may be used for
bicycle racks and/or solid waste recycling facilities.
Section 5.
Section 17.30.040 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended to
read as follows:
17.30.040 Expansion.
Whenever any building is expanded in floor area, or whenever an outdoor use is
expanded in activity area, off-street parking shall be provided for the uses to be
established in such expansion in accordance with the requirements of this chapter;
provided, however, that for a~ expansion_s of structures that lie within the C-III zoning
district or the other commercial zones within the Pc,~ T,e,v, ms,.m~ N~i~n~ Historic
District, if the parking requirement determined for the area of such expansion, together
with the total area of all expansions to the facility which have occurred within the 10
years preceding the proposed expansion (not including expansions permitted prior to
the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter), is four ten or fewer
parking spaces, there shall be no off-street parking requirement for such expansion.
Section 6.
Section 17.30.050 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended to
read as follows:
17.30.050 Change of use.
A. Except as provided in subsection E of this section, whenever use of an existing
building or portion is changed to a different use, off-street parking shall be
provided in accordance with the provisions of this chapter; provided, however,
that such requirement shall be reduced by the number of spaces required for the
pre-existing use as if such pre-existing use had been established pursuant to this
chapter. For example, if a 2,000-square-foot clothing store was to be replaced
by a restaurant, the parking requirement would be computed as follows:
Restaurant (2,000/100 sq. fi.) = 20 spaces
less pre-existing use
requirement clothing store
(2,000/300 sq. fl.) = 7 spaces
Required parking for new use = 13 spaces
B. The reduction provided in subsection A of this section applies whether or not
the preexisting use was established pursuant to this chapter.
C. In the event the building in which the new use is to be established is served by
existing off-street parking facilities, the required parking for the new use shall
be reduced by the number of existing off-street parking spaces which exceeds
the required parking for the existing uses in the building.
D. For the purposes of this section, any use or portion thereof which has been
discontinued for a period of two years or more shall not be considered a pre-
existing use.
4
For a use to be established in the any nonhistoric structure or portion of a
l:u/?,2ng --'~';~' ..... nonhistoric structure .... +~,,,,~ _.4^~ +^ A ...... + , '~, , o~,
k~g r~;~,.4~ C-III z0nin~, district or the other
within either the r~ .... , ....Par , ,,,
commercial zones within the N~ionn2 Historic District, the off-street parking
requirement computed pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be reduced
by 10 parking spaces; provided, however, that for any such use other than
restaurants, apartments, condominiums, hotels or uses subject to a conditional
use permit, which are to be located on a separate floor above street level, there
shall be no off-street parking requirement.
Section 7.
Section 17.30.140 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended to
read as follows:
17.30.140 Location.
A. Off-street parking facilities shall be located as hereinafter specified; where a
distance is specified, such distance shall be the walking distance measured
along the shortest safe pedestrian way from the nearest point of the parking
facility to the nearest entrance to the building which the facility is required to
sel've~
1.
2.
3.
4.
For one and two family dwellings: on the same lot with the dwellings
the parking spaces are to serve;
For multiple dwellings, boardinghouses, retirement homes, congregate
care facilities, and tourist homes: not more than 100 feet;
For restaurants, tavems, retail establishments, hospitals, sanitariums,
convalescent homes: not more than 200 feet;
For uses in the r~ ...., ....~,n~v;~ r~;~.4~ C-III zonm~ district and the
other ~ommercial zones lvin~ within the Historic District: rani.
more than 200 900 feet;
For bed and breakfast inns: ncr no~ more than 200 feet; and
For uses other than those specified above: not more than 500 feet.
Section 8.
Section 17.30.180 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended as
follows:
17.30.180 Residential transient accommodations - Parking requirements.
A bed and breakfast inn or a tourist home shall provide two off-street parking spaces
for the owner's use plus the off-street parking space for each guest room, provided that
for a bed and breakfast inn in a b'a/la, a2ng ':&ic.~ is,:
~ an historic structure as defined under Section 17.08.476 PTMC, the
required number of off-street parking spaces shall be reduced by the number of
on-street parking spaces which are located on that portion of the public street
right-of-way which is abutting the front and side lot lines of the property. In
such instances, one on-street parking space shall be counted for each
continuous 20 feet of abutting street frontage, less *&,m the 20 closest to each
street intersection and any frontage which may not be safely used for on-street
parking due to the presence of driveways, hydrants or other conflicting uses.
Section 9.
Section 17.30.200 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby stricken in
its entirety:
~ ~e m~ which acccmp~ie~ ~e ce~;~ic~ion~ ~e Po~ Tovms~d
Section 10. Section 17.30.240 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended as
follows:
17.30.240 Waiver of requirements - Fee-in-lieu-of-parking spaces - Waiver of
prior conditions of development, approval.
A. Within the Dovmtov, m Par!:ir.g Distfi~ C-III zoning, district or the other
commercial zones lvin~ within the Historic District, the board (city council)
may waive all or part of the parking requirements prescribed in PTMC Section
17.30.100 PTMC upon request by the applicant to pay a fee into the parking
improvement fund pursuant to PTMC Section 17.30.260 PTMC in lieu of
furnishing the required parking spaces. In making its determination on the
request, the board (city council) shall consider:
1. The extent to which the parking requirements which apply to the
proposed development impose a particular hardship upon the applicant;
2. Whether granting the request would be unreasonably burdensome to
other property owners in the D ..........D~-~-;~,...~ r~;~+~4~.~,.~, C-III zonin~ district or
the other commercial zoning districts within the Historic District; and
3. Whether granting the request would lead to a better overall result
than would strict adherence to the parking requirements of this chapter for the
purposes of encouraging appropriate land uses, improving pedestrian circulation
and achieving better parking design.
The fee-in-lieu of parking spaces shall be $3,660 per space required or suer
other amount as the city council shall hereafter set by ordinance.
Any such agreement shall be made in compliance with applicable state laws.
Any off-street t)arkin~ st)aces reauired as a condition of develot)ment ar)r)roval
prior to December 31, 1996, whether owned or leased, are hereby waived'
PROVIDED, that thi~ waiver shall only a~lv if the off-street t)arkin~, spaces
would not be required os a condition of develo~mgnt am)royal if a~t)lication
were mode under this chanter, as amended.
Section 11. Section 17.30.260 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby amended as
follows:
17.30.260 In-lieu parking fees - Fund created - Parking improvement plan.
A. There is created in the city treasury a special fund designated the "parking
improvement fund" into which in-lieu parking fees shall be deposited to be
expended only for public improvements listed in a parking improvement plan
adopted by the city council. The city council may from time to time direct that
other moneys be transferred into the fund to be used for the purposes of the
fund.
B. The fund shall be used exclusively for planning, acquisition, design,
development, construction, financing, maintenance and operation of off-street
parking facilities within or immediately adjacent to the De,-,~,mto-:,m Park/rig
Digt~ct C-III zoning district or the other commercial zones that lie within the
~, all consistent with the specific project priorities set forth in
the parking improvement plan as hereafter adopted or amended by the city
council.
Section 12. Severability.. In the event any one or more of the provisions of this ordinance
shall for any reason be held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect or invalidate any
other provision of this ordinance, but this ordinance shall be construed and enforced as if such
invalid provision had not been contained therein; provided, that any provision which shall for
any reason be held by reason of its extent to be invalid shall be deeded to be in effect to the
extent permitted by law.
Section 13. Effective Date. This ordinance shall become effective five (5) days following
publication of the attached summaw, which is hereby approved.
Read for the first, second and third times and passed by the City Council of the City of Port
Townsend, Washington, at a regular meeting thereof, held this sixteenth day of December,
1996.
/// Julie McCulloch, Mayor
Pam~ , City Clerk 1~
Approved as to folm: ~-~]/([[~/~/0~~~....,...''-~
It "q~ol ~' ~c](/Ial~:t, ~ Attomey
,/
First reading' December 16, 1996 v Passage' December 16, 1996
Second reading: December 16, 1996 Publication: December 24, 1996
Third reading: December 16, 1996 Effective: December 31, 1996