Off-Street Parking Standards for the R-1: Residential-1 District in Raleigh

In the City of Raleigh R-1: Residential-1 District, there are no minimum off-street vehicle parking requirements for residential or permitted non-residential uses. However, for residential properties, combined parking and driveway areas are strictly limited to no more than 40% of the area between the front building facade and the front property line [Sec. 1.5.5.D, Sec. 7.1.2.C].

Vehicle Parking Ratios

The City of Raleigh Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) specifies maximum limits for vehicle parking rather than minimums for the R-1: Residential-1 District. For most residential and civic uses permitted in this district, the code does not impose a maximum number of spaces, allowing the developer to determine the appropriate amount of parking based on site needs.

R-1 Vehicle Parking Ratios Table

Use Category	Vehicle Parking (Minimum)	Vehicle Parking (Maximum)
Residential Uses
Single-unit living	None	No maximum
Two-unit living	None	No maximum
Accessory dwelling unit	None	No maximum
Cottage Court	None	No maximum
Public & Institutional Uses
Day care (Home or Center)	None	No maximum
School, public or private (K-8)	None	No maximum
Place of worship	None	No maximum
Parks, Open Space, Greenways	None	No maximum
Minor/Major Utilities	None	No maximum

[Sec. 7.1.2.C]

Residential Parking Limitations

While the City of Raleigh does not mandate a minimum number of spaces, it regulates the physical impact of parking on R-1: Residential-1 properties:

Front Yard Coverage: For a detached house or tiny house in the R-1: Residential-1 District, the combined parking and driveway area cannot exceed 40% of the area located between the front building facade and the front property line [Sec. 1.5.5.D.1, Sec. 8.3.5.C.2.e].
Encroachments: Standalone patios and decks that are 1 foot in height or less may be constructed with a 0-foot setback from side or rear property lines, provided they maintain a 3-foot setback from any street property line [Sec. 1.5.4.D.1].
Orderly Parking: Any parking provided in the front setback must have sufficient depth to ensure that parked vehicles do not encroach upon or obstruct the adjacent public sidewalk [Sec. 1.5.5.D.1].

Parking Location and Setbacks

In the R-1: Residential-1 District, on-site surface and structured parking must be located behind the established parking setback lines.

R-1 Parking Setbacks Table

Development Option	Primary Street Setback	Side Street Setback	Side Setback (Interior)	Rear Setback
Conventional (Detached)	20'	20'	10'	30'
Conventional (Civic)	20'	20'	10'	30'
Compact (Detached)	10'	10'	10'	20'
Compact (Civic)	20'	20'	10'	30'

[Sec. 2.2.1.B, Sec. 2.2.5.C, Sec. 2.3.2.B, Sec. 2.3.6.C]

Surface and Design Standards

All off-street parking areas in the City of Raleigh must adhere to specific construction standards to mitigate environmental impact:

Materials: Parking and driveway areas must be constructed of permanent, non-erodible surfaces. Allowed materials include poured concrete, asphalt, masonry/concrete pavers, or porous/semi-porous monolithic materials. Alternatively, a minimum depth of 4 inches of crushed stone or "crush and run" may be used [Sec. 7.1.9.1].
Delineation: If crushed stone is used, the borders must be delineated with anchored landscape edging to contain the material [Sec. 7.1.9.2].
Landscaping: For any surface parking area with more than 10 spaces, at least one shade tree must be planted within the parking area [Sec. 7.1.7.B.2].

Bicycle Parking Requirements

Unlike vehicle parking, certain non-residential uses in the R-1: Residential-1 District have mandatory minimum bicycle parking requirements.

Use Category	Short-Term Bicycle (Min)	Long-Term Bicycle (Min)
Single/Two-unit living	None	None
Day care center	None	1 space per 10,000 SF GFA (min 4)
School (K-8)	1 space per classroom	3 spaces per classroom
Place of worship	None	None
Civic (General)	1 space per 5,000 SF GFA (min 4)	None