Reno residential parking requirements in the General Commercial (GC) district

The General Commercial (GC) zoning district in Reno is classified as a Level 2 Parking District for the purposes of determining off-street parking requirements. This classification applies because the GC district is not located within the Downtown or Level 1 (Mixed-Use Urban or Midtown Commercial) districts [§ 18.04.705(a)(1)c.1].

Vehicle parking space requirements

Minimum parking standards for residential uses in a Level 2 district are generally based on the square footage of the dwelling units. According to Table 4-6, the following requirements apply:

Household living

For most standard residential types, the requirement is 1 space per 1,250 square feet per unit, subject to the maximum caps listed below:

• Multi-family, Duplex, Triplex, and Fourplex: Not to exceed 2 spaces per unit.
• Single-Family (Attached or Detached) and Manufactured Homes: Not to exceed 3 spaces per unit.
• Live/Work Dwellings: Not to exceed 3 spaces per unit.
• Mobile Home Parks or Subdivisions: Not to exceed 2 spaces per unit [§ 18.04.705(a)].

Group living

Parking for group living arrangements in Level 2 districts is typically calculated by resident beds or units:

• Assisted Living Facility: 1 space per 1.5 resident beds.
• Boarding or Rooming House: 1 space per 2.5 resident beds.
• Fraternity/Sorority House or Group Home: 1 space per 2 resident beds.
• Single-Room-Occupancy (SRO): 1 space per 2 units.
• Transitional Living Facility: 1 space per 2.5 resident beds [§ 18.04.705(a)].

Bicycle parking requirements

Residential developments in the GC district must provide bicycle parking as follows:

• Household Living (e.g., multi-family): 1 space per unit.
• Group Living (e.g., dorms, SROs): 1 space per 2 bedrooms (Assisted Living is exempt) [§ 18.04.705(c)].

All required bicycle parking must be located within a building or covered by a roof, awning, or similar shelter [§ 18.04.705(c)(3)].

Accessible parking standards

Accessible parking spaces count toward fulfilling the total off-street parking requirement for the site [§ 18.04.705(b)(1)].

• Developments with 5+ units: Accessible spaces must be provided at the nonresidential rate based on the total number of spaces provided (e.g., 1 space for 1–25 total spaces; 2 spaces for 26–50 total spaces) [§ 18.04.705(b)(3)].
• Developments with <5 units: 1 accessible space is required for each unit designed for occupancy by people with disabilities [§ 18.04.705(b)(2)].
• Van Accessibility: One in every six accessible spaces must be van accessible [§ 18.04.705(b)(3)].

Parking adjustments and allowances

Location and proximity credits

• District Averaging: Properties in Level 2 that are within 600 feet of the Downtown or Level 1 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].
• On-Street Parking: Required parking may be located on-street if it abuts the project site. This cannot substitute for more than 50% of the total required off-street parking [§ 18.04.706(b)].

Reductions

• Affordable Housing: Projects meeting specific affordability guidelines may receive a reduction of 20% (for 80% AMI units), 30% (for 60% AMI units), or 45% (for 40% AMI units or less) [§ 18.04.706(d)].
• Solar Panels: A 5% reduction in total required parking is available if solar parking structures or panels are installed on-site [§ 18.04.706(e)].

Design features

• Tandem Parking: Permitted for household living uses provided that both spaces are assigned to the same residential unit [§ 18.04.709].
• Multi-family Garages: Garages in multi-family projects only qualify as required parking if they are used for parking and storage is restricted by deed or lease [§ 18.04.703(a)(3)].