Off-Street Parking Standards for the Buffer Commercial (BC) District
In the City of Raleigh, the Buffer Commercial (BC) District is classified as a legacy zoning district that is subject to the general development standards of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Residential and commercial projects within the City of Raleigh BC District must comply with specific vehicle parking maximums and bicycle parking minimums determined by the individual land use, rather than a single district-wide standard. If a project exceeds the established vehicle maximums, the City of Raleigh requires specific environmental and design mitigation measures to be implemented.
Use-Based Parking Ratios
Off-street parking requirements in the City of Raleigh are calculated based on the specific use of the property. The following table outlines the vehicle maximums and bicycle minimums for common residential and commercial uses allowed in the Buffer Commercial (BC) District [Section 7.1.2.C].
| Use Category | Vehicle Parking (Maximum) | Short-Term Bicycle (Minimum) | Long-Term Bicycle (Minimum) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential | |||
| Single-unit living | No maximum | None | None |
| Two-unit living | No maximum | None | None |
| Multi-unit (0-1 bedroom) | 1.5 spaces per unit | 1 space per 20 units (min. 4) | 1 space per 7 bedrooms* |
| Multi-unit (2 bedrooms) | 2.25 spaces per unit | 1 space per 20 units (min. 4) | 1 space per 7 bedrooms* |
| Multi-unit (3+ bedrooms) | 3 to 5 spaces per unit | 1 space per 20 units (min. 4) | 1 space per 7 bedrooms* |
| Commercial | |||
| Office | 1 space per 200 SF | 1 space per 10,000 SF (min. 4) | 1 space per 5,000 SF (min. 4) |
| Call Center | 1 space per 100 SF | 1 space per 10,000 SF | 1 space per 2,500 SF |
| Medical / Dental Office | No maximum | 1 space per 10,000 SF (min. 4) | 1 space per 10,000 SF (min. 4) |
| Retail Sales | 1 space per 200 SF** | 1 space per 5,000 SF (min. 4) | None |
| Eating Establishment | 1 space per 100 SF | 1 space per 50,000 SF (min. 4) | 1 space per 25,000 SF (min. 4) |
| Personal Service | 1 space per 250 SF | 1 space per 5,000 SF (min. 4) | None |
*Applies only to developments with 10 or more bedrooms. **Includes additional requirements for outdoor display areas: 1.5 spaces per 600 SF of outdoor display.
Calculation and Applicability
The City of Raleigh requires that parking be provided for every building or land use before it is occupied [Section 7.1.1.A].
General Rules of Calculation
- Mixed Uses: When a site in the Buffer Commercial (BC) District contains multiple uses, the total requirement is the sum of the requirements for each individual use [Section 7.1.2.A.2].
- Fractions: When a calculation results in a fractional space, the number is rounded to the nearest whole number, with one-half or more counting as an additional space [Section 7.1.2.A.3].
- Additions: If an existing building or site is expanded by more than 25% cumulatively, the entire site (existing and new portions) must be brought into compliance with the UDO's bicycle and vehicle parking standards [Section 7.1.1.C.4].
Legacy District Interpretation
As the Buffer Commercial (BC) District is a legacy district from the previous City of Raleigh zoning code, the UDO standards for parking are controlling whenever they are more stringent than the original conditions of the property's zoning [Section 1.2.3.B].
Vehicle Parking Mitigation
In all districts other than Downtown (DX) or Transit-Oriented Development (-TOD) overlays—which includes the BC District—projects that provide more vehicle parking than the maximums listed in Section 7.1.2.C must choose one of two mitigation options [Section 7.1.4.B]:
- Option One: Provide all parking spaces within a structured parking facility and provide 50% more electric vehicle (EV) ready or capable spaces than otherwise required [Section 7.1.4.B.1].
- Option Two: Meet a combination of site design requirements, including:
- Locating all spaces no closer to the primary street than the front building façade [Section 7.1.4.B.2.a].
- Providing interior landscaped islands with an average width of 20 feet [Section 7.1.4.B.2.b].
- Detaining and retaining specific volumes of stormwater runoff to prevent increased peak rates [Section 7.1.4.B.2.c-d].
- Providing 50% more EV-supporting spaces than required [Section 7.1.4.B.2.e].
Design and Layout Standards
The City of Raleigh enforces strict standards for the physical construction of parking areas in the Buffer Commercial (BC) District.
- Surfacing: All off-street parking and driveways must be constructed of permanent non-erodible material. This includes porous or semi-porous monolithic materials, masonry or concrete pavers, poured concrete, asphalt, or a minimum of 4 inches of crushed stone/run that is delineated with landscape edging [Section 7.1.9].
- Location: On-site parking must be arranged so that no vehicle is forced to back out onto a public street (excluding alleys) to gain access from one parking aisle to another [Section 7.1.6.A].
- Tandem Parking: This is permitted in the City of Raleigh for residential uses (single-unit, two-unit, and multi-unit living) provided the two spaces have a combined minimum dimension of 8.5 feet by 36 feet and are assigned to the same dwelling unit [Section 7.1.5.D].
Sections Cited
- Sec. 1.2.3. Rules of Interpretation
- Sec. 1.3.4. Legacy Districts
- Sec. 7.1.1. Applicability
- Sec. 7.1.2. Required Parking
- Sec. 7.1.4. Vehicle Parking Mitigation
- Sec. 7.1.5. Additional Vehicle Parking Provisions
- Sec. 7.1.6. Vehicle Parking Location and Layout
- Sec. 7.1.9. Parking Surface Standards