Off-Street Parking Standards for the T4-O: Neighborhood Open District in Kissimmee
In the City of Kissimmee’s T4-O: Neighborhood Open district, off-street parking must be primarily located behind the principal building or, if that is not feasible, to the side and screened by a street wall [Section 14-5-9.B.3]. Residential projects generally require two spaces per dwelling unit, while commercial requirements vary by use, such as one space per 300 square feet for offices and one space per 200 square feet for retail [Section 14-7-22]. All surface parking within the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) must utilize decorative pavers or stamped concrete rather than standard asphalt [Section 14-5-9.B.10].
General Parking Location and Design
The City of Kissimmee regulates the T4-O: Neighborhood Open district as a transect zone within its Form-Based Code. The primary intent is to maintain a walkable urban form where parking does not dominate the streetscape.
- Placement: Parking must be located behind the building. If rear parking is not feasible, parking may be placed to the side, provided it is masked from the street by a street wall [Section 14-5-9.B.3].
- Setbacks: Surface parking areas adjacent to a street must maintain the same setback as the building façade facing that street [Section 14-5-9.B.4].
- CRA Materials: Within the Downtown CRA, the City of Kissimmee requires the use of decorative pavers or stamped/decorative concrete for the entire parking lot, including drive aisles [Section 14-5-9.B.10].
- Compact Stalls: In the T4-O district, up to 25 percent of the required parking spaces may be reduced to a width of 8.5 feet to be designated as "compact" stalls. These must be marked with thermoplastic reflective paint [Section 14-5-9.B.1.b].
T4-O District Dimensional Standards for Parking
The following table outlines the specific placement requirements for buildings and associated parking structures in the T4-O district.
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Front and Street Side Setback | 5' minimum to 20' maximum |
| Side Setback (Attached) | 0' minimum |
| Side Setback (Detached) | 5' minimum |
| Rear Setback (Lot or Alley) | 5' minimum |
| Parking Garage Setback | Must meet the same setbacks as the transect zone |
[Section 14-5-6, Table 5-2; Section 14-5-9.C.1]
Parking Ratios for T4-O Land Uses
The City of Kissimmee applies standard parking ratios to the T4-O district unless the property falls within the specific "parking exemption area" depicted on the Form-Based Code Special Requirements Plan [Section 14-5-9.B.1.a].
Table: Minimum Parking Ratios
| Use Type | Number of Spaces Required |
|---|---|
| Residential | |
| Single-family, Duplex, Triplex, Townhouse | 2 spaces per unit |
| Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) | 1 space per unit |
| Multi-family (efficiency or 1 bedroom) | 1.5 spaces per unit + 0.5 guest spaces per unit |
| Multi-family (2 or more bedrooms) | 2 spaces per unit + 0.5 guest spaces per unit |
| Commercial/Service | |
| Office Building | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. GFA |
| Retail Stores | 1 space per 200 sq. ft. GFA |
| Restaurant (indoor/outdoor seating) | 1 space per 80 sq. ft. GFA (min. 8 for takeout) |
| Financial Institutions | 1 space per 300 sq. ft. GFA |
| Medical Office or Clinic | 1 space per 200 sq. ft. GFA |
[Section 14-7-22, Table 7-2]
Shared and Reduced Parking
The City of Kissimmee encourages shared parking solutions in all transect zones, including T4-O. For mixed-use developments, the total number of required spaces is calculated by adding the requirements for each separate function and then dividing by a "sharing factor" based on peak demand times (e.g., residential peak at night vs. office peak during the day) [Section 14-5-9.B.8].
Bicycle Parking Requirements
In addition to automotive requirements, multi-family and non-residential developments in the T4-O district must provide secure bicycle parking.
- Quantity: A minimum of 10 percent of the total required automotive parking spaces must be provided as bicycle spaces.
- Limit: This requirement is not to exceed 50 bicycle spaces.
- Location: Bicycle parking must be located in a secure area protected from weather and situated as close to the building entrance as the nearest automotive space [Section 14-7-27].
Vehicular Access and Circulation
To minimize pedestrian conflicts, the City of Kissimmee limits the number of driveways and curb cuts in the T4-O district.
- Primary Streets: New access driveways are generally prohibited along primary streets. Sites should be accessed from rear alleys or secondary streets [Section 14-5-9.A.1].
- Driveway Width: The maximum width of vehicular driveways is 20 feet for two-way traffic and 10 feet for one-way traffic, subject to fire department approval [Section 14-5-9.A.2].
Sections Cited
- Section 14-5-4: Transect zones established
- Section 14-5-6: Site Standards (Table 5-2)
- Section 14-5-9: Access, circulation and parking requirements
- Section 14-7-22: Automobile parking ratios (Table 7-2)
- Section 14-7-25: Shared Parking
- Section 14-7-27: Bicycle parking