Single-Family Attached Parking Requirements in Reno’s General Commercial (GC) District
In Reno's GC district, single-family attached units require 1 vehicle parking space per 1,250 square feet, with a maximum cap of 3 spaces per unit. One bicycle parking space is required per unit. Reductions up to 60% are available for properties within 1/4 mile of Downtown or major BRT routes on Virginia or Fourth Streets.
In the General Commercial (GC) zoning district, single-family attached residential units are subject to the parking standards established for the Level 2 Parking District. These standards balance the district's transition from auto-oriented uses to higher-density residential and service-oriented environments.
Vehicle Parking Requirements
Under the Level 2 Parking District standards, which apply to all zoning districts not designated as Downtown or Level 1, the number of required off-street parking spaces for single-family attached dwellings is calculated based on the size of the unit.
Minimum Required Spaces
- Standard Rate: 1 parking space per 1,250 square feet per unit [§ 18.04.705, Table 4-6].
- Maximum Cap: Regardless of square footage, the requirement shall not exceed 3 spaces per unit [§ 18.04.705, Table 4-6].
Calculations and Measurements
- Gross Floor Area: All square footage-based requirements are computed based on the gross floor area of the use. Structured parking within a building is not included in this calculation [§ 18.04.704(a)].
- Rounding: If the calculation results in a fractional number, the total is determined by standard rounding rules found in Section 18.09.209 [§ 18.04.704(b)].
Parking Reductions and Proximity Adjustments
Properties in the GC district may qualify for reduced parking requirements based on their proximity to high-frequency transit or the Downtown district.
- Proximity to Downtown/Level 1: Properties within 600 feet of the Downtown or Level 1 parking districts may provide parking at an average of the Level 2 minimum and the nearby district's minimum [§ 18.04.705(a)(1)c.2].
- Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Reduction: Properties located entirely or partly within ¼ mile of the centerline of the Virginia Street or Fourth Street BRT routes (or within ¼ mile of the Mixed-Use Downtown districts) may reduce their parking to 60 percent of the standard requirement [§ 18.04.705(a)(1)b.2].
Bicycle Parking Standards
Residential developments in the GC district are required to provide bicycle parking to support alternative transportation.
- Requirement: 1 bicycle parking space per unit [§ 18.04.705(c), Table 4-8].
- Design: All required bicycle spaces must be located within a building or protected by a roof, awning, or similar shelter structure [§ 18.04.705(c)(3)a].
- Clearance: A minimum six-foot clear pedestrian passage must be provided behind each bicycle space, or a three-foot clear space next to groups of no more than two spaces [§ 18.04.705(c)(3)c].
Design and Availability Standards
- Tandem Parking: Tandem parking is permitted for household living uses provided all tandem spaces are assigned to the same residential unit [§ 18.04.709(a)].
- Garage Usage: For multi-family or attached projects, garages only qualify toward the parking requirement if they are used for parking. Storage must be restricted through deed or lease restrictions [§ 18.04.703(a)(3)].
- Accessible Parking: For residential projects with fewer than five units per lot, one accessible space must be provided for every dwelling unit designed for occupancy by people with disabilities [§ 18.04.705(b)(2)b].
- Street-Facing Garages: In the GC district, street-facing garages must be set back at least 20 feet from the sidewalk or planned sidewalk [§ 18.02.309, Table 2-22].