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Off-Street Parking Standards for the Raleigh CMP: Campus District

Jurisdiction: RaleighCode Version: May 2024

In the City of Raleigh, the CMP: Campus district provides a flexible framework where the entire campus may be treated as a single development for the purposes of calculating and sharing required off-street parking [Sec. 4.6.2.C.2]. While the City of Raleigh UDO establishes standard vehicle parking maximums for various residential and commercial uses, these requirements can be customized or modified through an approved Campus Master Plan [Sec. 4.6.2.A]. Any project within a CMP: Campus district must submit a formal Parking Plan as part of its master plan application to ensure infrastructure sufficiency [Sec. 4.6.3.A.7].

General Parking Framework

The CMP: Campus district is established to allow for the growth of large institutional entities such as colleges, universities, and hospitals [Sec. 4.6.1.A]. Because these facilities function as integrated environments, the City of Raleigh allows the controlling entity to manage parking resources holistically rather than lot-by-lot. Specifically, Article 7.1 (Parking) of the City of Raleigh UDO applies to the district, but the entire area under the master plan is considered one unit for sharing and calculating parking supply [Sec. 4.6.2.C.2].

Modification of Standards

A unique feature of the CMP: Campus district is the ability to modify the prescriptive standards found in the general UDO. Through the City Council approval of a Campus Master Plan, the district may alter:

  • Standard vehicle parking ratios (maximums).
  • Bicycle parking requirements (minimums).
  • Loading area standards.
  • General development standards related to parking lot landscaping and surface materials [Sec. 4.6.2.C].

Standard Vehicle Parking Maximums

Unless modified by an approved Campus Master Plan, the City of Raleigh regulates the maximum number of vehicle parking spaces allowed for specific uses to prevent excessive impervious surface coverage. The following table outlines standard maximums for common uses typically found in a CMP: Campus district:

Use Category Vehicle Parking (Maximum)
Residential Uses
Multi-unit living: 0 - 1 bedroom 1.5 spaces per unit
Multi-unit living: 2 bedrooms 2.25 spaces per unit
Multi-unit living: 3 bedrooms 3 spaces per unit
Multi-unit living: 4 bedrooms 4 spaces per unit
Multi-unit living: 5+ bedrooms 5 spaces per unit
Supportive housing residence No maximum
Public & Institutional Uses
College, community college, university No maximum
Hospital No maximum
School, public or private (K-12) No maximum
Commercial & Office Uses
Office (General) 1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area
Medical Clinic or Office No maximum
Retail Sales 1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area*
Restaurant/Bar 1 space per 100 SF of gross floor area
Day Care Center No maximum

*Plus 1.5 spaces for every 600 square feet of outdoor display area [Sec. 7.1.2.C].

Bicycle Parking Requirements

The City of Raleigh requires both short-term (for visitors) and long-term (for residents/employees) bicycle parking. These are minimum requirements and must be provided unless a Campus Master Plan specifies an alternative [Sec. 4.6.2.C].

Use Category Short-Term Bicycle (Min) Long-Term Bicycle (Min)
Multi-unit living (10+ units) 1 space per 20 units (min. 4) 1 space per 7 bedrooms
College or University 1 per 10,000 SF academic space 1 per 20,000 SF academic space
Hospital 1 per 10,000 SF (min. 4) 1 per 70,000 SF (min. 4)
Office 1 per 10,000 SF (min. 4) 1 per 5,000 SF (min. 4)
Retail Sales 1 per 5,000 SF (min. 4) None

[Sec. 7.1.2.C].

Application and Plan Requirements

To develop or expand within a City of Raleigh CMP: Campus district, the applicant must include several parking-related components in their Campus Master Plan application:

  1. Parking Plan: A detailed plan showing the location and quantity of all vehicle and bicycle parking [Sec. 4.6.3.A.7].
  2. Vehicular Circulation Plan: A map illustrating how vehicles will access and move between parking areas [Sec. 4.6.3.A.3].
  3. Pedestrian Circulation Plan: Ensuring that parking areas are safely connected to building entrances [Sec. 4.6.3.A.6].
  4. Specific Modifications: If the applicant wishes to use ratios different from those in the UDO, they must explicitly list the standards intended to be modified [Sec. 4.6.3.B.1].

Sections Cited

  • Sec. 4.6.1. Campus Areas
  • Sec. 4.6.2. Modification of District Standards
  • Sec. 4.6.3. Application Requirements
  • Sec. 7.1.2. Required Parking

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