Off-Street Parking Standards for the DX-: Downtown Mixed Use District
In the City of Raleigh, the DX-: Downtown Mixed Use district regulates off-street parking primarily through maximum allowances rather than minimum requirements to promote intense, urban development. For residential projects, the City of Raleigh restricts on-site parking to a maximum of 2 spaces per unit (reduced to 1.5 for studios and one-bedrooms), while commercial projects typically face a maximum of 1 space per 200 square feet of gross floor area [Section 7.1.3].
General Parking Philosophies in the DX- District
The DX-: Downtown Mixed Use district is intended to provide for the most intense development within the City of Raleigh's downtown core [Section 3.1.1]. Because this district prioritizes walkability and high-density growth, the City of Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) emphasizes parking maximums to prevent the over-allocation of land for vehicle storage.
Vehicle Parking Maximum Ratios
The City of Raleigh does not require a minimum number of off-street parking spaces for most uses in the DX- district. Instead, the focus is on "Specialized Vehicle Parking Requirements" that set hard caps on the amount of parking a developer can provide on-site.
Residential Parking Maximums
In the DX- district, residential projects are limited by the following maximums:
| Residential Use Type | Maximum Vehicle Parking Allowance |
|---|---|
| Studio or One-Bedroom Unit | 1.5 spaces per unit |
| Two-Bedroom or Larger Unit | 2.0 spaces per unit |
| Multi-unit Living (General) | As noted above |
| Group Living / Boarding House | 1 space per bed / 2 spaces per bedroom |
Commercial Parking Maximums
Commercial projects in the DX- district must adhere to the maximums established in the primary use table, though some uses have no established maximum outside of specific mitigation requirements.
| Commercial Use Type | Maximum Vehicle Parking Allowance |
|---|---|
| Office / Medical / Personal Service | 1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area |
| Retail Sales | 1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area (plus 1.5 per 600 SF of outdoor display) |
| Restaurant / Bar | 1 space per 100 SF of gross floor area |
| Call Center | 1 space per 100 SF of gross floor area |
| Parking (as a principal use) | 20 spaces (maximum) |
[Section 7.1.2, Section 7.1.3]
Structured Parking and Active Use Requirements
The City of Raleigh mandates that structured parking within the DX- district be designed to integrate with the urban fabric.
- Active Use Buffer: The ground story of any parking structure must have "active uses" (such as residential, commercial, office, or civic space) located between the parking structure and any public sidewalk along a primary street [Section 7.1.3].
- Distance Requirement: This active use requirement also applies if the parking structure is within 30 feet of any other public sidewalk [Section 7.1.3].
- Design and Ramping: Ramping within a parking structure must be internalized or otherwise screened from public view. The ground floor facade treatment (materials and windows) must be continued on upper stories with a maximum horizontal/vertical rhythm of 30 feet [Section 7.1.3].
- Blank Wall Limits: The maximum blank wall area for any parking structure facade in the DX- district is 20 feet [Section 7.1.3].
Parking Setbacks in the DX- District
In addition to ratio limits, the City of Raleigh specifies where parking may be located on a lot relative to the street and property lines.
| Building Type in DX- District | Primary Street Setback | Side Street Setback | Side/Rear Setback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detached / Attached House | 30 feet | 5 feet | 3 feet |
| Apartment / General / Mixed Use | 10 feet | 10 feet | 0 feet |
| Tiny House | 10 feet | 10 feet | 10 feet |
[Section 3.2.1 through Section 3.2.9]
Vehicle Parking Mitigation
If a project in the DX- district includes more than 16 residential units or 10,000 square feet of nonresidential space and the developer wishes to provide parking spaces beyond the maximums listed in the UDO, the City of Raleigh requires the following mitigation:
- All excess spaces must be located within a parking structure.
- At least 20% of the excess spaces must be made available to the general public or shared with another property.
- The project must provide 50% more Electric Vehicle (EV) ready or capable spaces than what would otherwise be required [Section 7.1.4].
Bicycle Parking Requirements
The City of Raleigh requires both short-term (visitor) and long-term (employee/resident) bicycle parking for projects in the DX- district to support multi-modal transportation.
| Use Category | Short-Term Bicycle (Min) | Long-Term Bicycle (Min) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-unit Living | 1 space per 20 units (min. 4) | 1 space per 7 bedrooms (for 10+ units) |
| Office | 1 space per 10,000 SF (min. 4) | 1 space per 5,000 SF (min. 4) |
| Retail / Shopping Center | 1 space per 5,000 SF (min. 4) | None |
| Restaurant / Bar | 1 space per 50,000 SF (min. 4) | 1 space per 25,000 SF (min. 4) |
[Section 7.1.2.C]
Sections Cited
- Section 1.5.5: Parking Setbacks
- Section 3.1.1: District Intent Statements
- Section 3.2.1 through 3.2.9: Base Dimensional Standards
- Section 7.1.2: Required Parking
- Section 7.1.3: Specialized Vehicle Parking Requirements
- Section 7.1.4: Vehicle Parking Mitigation