Parking Requirements for the MU-RES (Mixed-Use Midtown Residential) District

Parking requirements for the Mixed-Use Midtown Residential (MU-RES) district are determined by a combination of district-specific design standards, general off-street parking regulations, and residential adjacency rules.

Parking Location and Access Standards

To promote a pedestrian-scale and bicycle-friendly environment, the MU-RES district enforces specific design and location standards for parking:

• Placement: Parking must be located behind the front facade of the primary structure [§ 18.04.1005(d)(3)a].
• Access: Parking must be accessed from the alley or the side of the primary structure [§ 18.04.1005(d)(3)a].
• Street-Facing Garages: Garages facing the street must be set back a minimum of 20 feet, measured from the sidewalk or planned sidewalk to the face of the garage [§ 18.02.313(a), Table 2-26].
• Alley Setbacks: A minimum zero-foot setback is permitted when the property line abuts an alley, provided there is at least 24 feet of backup space (including the alley width) from all garage doors and parking spaces that back up onto the alley [§ 18.02.313(a), Note 2].

Minimum Off-Street Parking Amounts

The MU-RES district falls under the Level 2 Parking District for calculating minimum off-street parking requirements, as it is not explicitly categorized in the Downtown or Level 1 parking districts [§ 18.04.705(a)(1)c.1].

General Level 2 Requirements

The exact number of required spaces depends on the specific land use as outlined in Table 4-6 [§ 18.04.705(a)]. Common residential requirements in the Level 2 district include:

• Multi-family, Duplex, Triplex, Fourplex: 1 space per 1,250 sq. ft. per unit (not to exceed 2 spaces per unit).
• Single-Family (Attached and Detached): 1 space per 1,250 sq. ft. per unit (not to exceed 3 spaces per unit).
• Live/Work Dwelling: 1 space per 1,250 sq. ft. per unit (not to exceed 3 spaces per unit).

Note: There is no maximum parking limitation in this district [§ 18.04.705(a)(2)].

Proximity Reductions

If an MU-RES property is located within 600 feet of the Downtown or Level 1 parking districts, the minimum parking requirement may be calculated as an average of the Level 2 district minimum and the nearby parking district minimum [§ 18.04.705(a)(1)c.2].

Bicycle and Accessible Parking

• Bicycle Parking: Bicycle parking is required based on the Level 2 Parking District standards in Table 4-8. For example, household living uses require 1 space per unit, while commercial uses generally require 1 space per 1,000 sq. ft. (up to 6,000 sq. ft.), plus additional spaces for larger areas. A minimum of two spaces is required for non-residential uses [§ 18.04.705(c)].
• Accessible Parking: Accessible parking must be provided based on the total number of parking spaces provided (not the number required), in accordance with Table 4-7. One in every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible [§ 18.04.705(b)].

Residential Adjacency Standards for Nonresidential Uses

Because MU-RES accommodates a mix of uses, nonresidential parking must be designed to minimize impacts on nearby residential areas [§ 18.04.1409]:

• Location Priority: Nonresidential parking must be placed in the highest feasible location from a prioritized list, starting with areas adjacent to other nonresidential parking lots, behind the building, or on the side of a corner lot not facing the primary street. Placing parking adjacent to lot lines abutting residential uses is the lowest priority [§ 18.04.1409(a)].
• Screening: If nonresidential parking is located within 30 feet of residential districts and is not separated by a principal building, wall screening is required, and the landscape area must be increased to 10 feet [§ 18.04.1409(b)].

Sections Cited

• § 18.02.313 MU-RES: Mixed-Use Midtown Residential
• § 18.04.1005 Supplemental Standards for Other Urban Districts (PO, MU, MU-MC and MU-RES)
• § 18.04.705 Off-Street Parking Requirements
• § 18.04.1409 Off-Street Parking (Residential Adjacency)