Off-Street Parking Standards for the City of Raleigh Planned Development (PD) District

In the City of Raleigh, off-street parking requirements for the Planned Development (PD) District are typically established and customized through an approved Master Plan, which serves as a relief mechanism from standard prescriptive UDO standards [Sec. 4.7.2.B]. If the specific Master Plan does not define alternative ratios, development projects must default to the municipal vehicle parking maximums and bicycle parking minimums defined in the General Development Standards [Sec. 7.1.1.A, Sec. 7.1.2.C].

Authority to Modify Standard Requirements

The Planned Development (PD) District is a customized zoning category intended to achieve higher quality project design than can be accomplished through the strict application of general use districts [Sec. 4.1.1.F]. Within the City of Raleigh, the City Council has the authority to approve a PD Master Plan that modifies standard UDO regulations, specifically including the parking requirements found in Chapter 7 [Sec. 4.7.2.B].

If a property is designated as a PDD (Planned Development District) under the "Legacy Districts" category, it exists under the prior zoning code but is subject to the general rules of the UDO unless specific legacy conditions apply. No new legacy districts may be added to the City of Raleigh Official Zoning Map [Sec. 1.3.4].

Default Vehicle Parking Maximums

Unless the approved Master Plan for a City of Raleigh Planned Development project specifies otherwise, the following default vehicle parking maximums apply based on the specific land use.

Use Category	Vehicle Parking (Maximum Allowed)
Residential: Single-unit / Two-unit	No maximum [Sec. 7.1.2.C]
Residential: Multi-unit (0-1 Bedroom)	1.5 spaces per unit [Sec. 7.1.2.C]
Residential: Multi-unit (2 Bedrooms)	2.25 spaces per unit [Sec. 7.1.2.C]
Residential: Multi-unit (3 Bedrooms)	3 spaces per unit [Sec. 7.1.2.C]
Commercial: Office	1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area [Sec. 7.1.2.C]
Commercial: Retail Sales	1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area + 1.5 spaces per 600 SF of outdoor display [Sec. 7.1.2.C]
Commercial: Restaurant / Bar	1 space per 100 SF of gross floor area [Sec. 7.1.2.C]
Commercial: Shopping Center	1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area [Sec. 7.1.2.C]

Default Bicycle Parking Minimums

Planned Development projects must also provide bicycle parking. Short-term and long-term requirements vary by the specific use and intensity of the project.

Use Category	Short-Term Bicycle (Minimum)	Long-Term Bicycle (Minimum)
Residential: Multi-unit	1 space per 20 units (min. 4)	1 space per 7 bedrooms (for 10+ bedroom developments)
Commercial: Office	1 space per 10,000 SF (min. 4)	1 space per 5,000 SF (min. 4)
Commercial: Retail Sales	1 space per 5,000 SF (min. 4)	None
Commercial: Restaurant / Bar	1 space per 50,000 SF (min. 4)	1 space per 25,000 SF (min. 4)

Vehicle Parking Mitigation

For City of Raleigh projects that include more than 16 residential units or more than 10,000 square feet of nonresidential floor area, providing parking in excess of the UDO maximums triggers mandatory mitigation requirements [Sec. 7.1.4.A]. Projects in the Planned Development District that exceed these maximums must choose one of the following mitigation strategies:

Structured Parking and EV Support: All parking spaces must be provided within a parking structure, and the project must provide 50% more electric vehicle (EV) ready or capable spaces than otherwise required [Sec. 7.1.4.B].
Placement and Environmental Controls: All vehicle spaces must be located no closer to the primary street than the front building façade. Additionally, the project must provide enhanced interior landscaped islands (average 20 feet wide) and meet more stringent stormwater retention standards for the additional runoff generated by the excess parking area [Sec. 7.1.4.B].

Specific Site Access and Layout Rules

Forward Motion: All on-site parking areas must be designed to allow vehicles to enter and exit the parking area in a forward motion [Sec. 8.3.5.A].
Tandem Parking: Tandem parking is permitted for residential uses in the City of Raleigh, provided both spaces are assigned to the same dwelling unit and have a combined minimum dimension of 8.5 feet by 36 feet [Sec. 7.1.5.D].
Shared Parking: The PD District may utilize shared parking, defined as a lot or structure where spaces are available to the general public or another property [Sec. 7.1.5.A].

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