Off-Street Parking Standards for the RX-: Residential Mixed Use District in the City of Raleigh
In the RX-: Residential Mixed Use district, the City of Raleigh primarily regulates off-street parking through maximum allowances rather than minimum requirements for most uses. Multi-unit residential projects are subject to maximums ranging from 1.5 to 5.0 spaces per unit based on bedroom count, while commercial uses such as offices and retail sales are generally capped at one space per 200 to 250 square feet of gross floor area [Sec. 7.1.2.C]. Additionally, the City of Raleigh prohibits on-site parking between the building and the street in most urban frontages within this district [Sec. 3.4.7].
Off-Street Parking Ratios
The City of Raleigh specifies maximum vehicle parking limits for different use categories within the RX-: Residential Mixed Use district. If a project contains a combination of uses, the total requirement is the sum of the requirements for each individual use [Sec. 7.1.2.A].
Residential Parking Maximums
| Use Category | Vehicle Parking (Maximum) |
|---|---|
| Single-unit or Two-unit living | No maximum |
| Multi-unit living: Townhouse | No maximum |
| Multi-unit living (Apartment): 0 - 1 bedroom | 1.5 spaces per unit |
| Multi-unit living (Apartment): 2 bedrooms | 2.25 spaces per unit |
| Multi-unit living (Apartment): 3 bedrooms | 3 spaces per unit |
| Multi-unit living (Apartment): 4 bedrooms | 4 spaces per unit |
| Multi-unit living (Apartment): 5+ bedrooms | 5 spaces per unit |
| Boardinghouse | 2 spaces per bedroom |
| Dormitory, fraternity, or sorority | 2 spaces per bedroom |
Commercial and Institutional Parking Maximums
| Use Category | Vehicle Parking (Maximum) |
|---|---|
| Day care (Home or Center) | No maximum |
| Health club | 1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area |
| Medical or Dental Office | No maximum |
| Office (Standard) | 1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area |
| Personal Service | 1 space per 250 SF of gross floor area |
| Restaurant/Bar | 1 space per 100 SF of gross floor area |
| Retail Sales | 1 space per 200 SF of gross floor area (plus 1.5 spaces per 600 SF of outdoor display) |
[Section 7.1.2.C]
Parking Setbacks in the RX- District
In the RX-: Residential Mixed Use district, the City of Raleigh requires that all on-site surface and structured parking be located behind the designated parking setback lines. These setbacks vary depending on the building type and the street classification [Sec. 1.5.5.C].
| Building Type | Primary Street Setback (min) | Side Street Setback (min) | Side/Rear Lot Line Setback (min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment | 10' | 10' | 0' |
| Townhouse | 20' | 10' | 0' |
| General Building | 10' | 10' | 0' or 3' |
| Mixed Use Building | 10' | 10' | 0' or 3' |
| Civic Building | 10' | 10' | 0' or 3' |
Note: Parking located on an alley typically requires a 4-foot minimum setback [Sec. 3.2.4.C].
Frontage and Placement Limitations
The City of Raleigh applies "Frontage" designations that can further restrict where parking may be placed on a lot in the RX-: Residential Mixed Use district.
- Urban Frontages (-UL, -UG, -SH, -GP): No on-site parking or vehicular surface area is permitted between the building and the street [Sec. 3.4.7, 3.4.8, 3.4.9, 3.4.10].
- Parking Limited Frontage (-PL): A maximum of two bays of on-site parking with a single drive aisle is permitted between the building and the street right-of-way [Sec. 3.4.5].
- Green Frontage (-GR): Requires a 20-foot minimum parking setback from the primary street, and no parking is allowed between the building and the street [Sec. 3.4.6].
Specialized Requirements
Transit Overlay District (TOD)
When an RX-: Residential Mixed Use district is located within a Transit Overlay District, the City of Raleigh imposes stricter maximums for residential units. No more than two on-site parking spaces per dwelling unit are allowed, and studio or one-bedroom units are limited to 1.5 spaces per unit [Sec. 7.1.3.B].
Commercial Use Restrictions in RX-
Commercial uses in the RX-: Residential Mixed Use district are limited in scale and location. They are restricted to the first floor of a corner unit in an Apartment building type at the intersection of two public streets. Total commercial square footage cannot exceed 4,000 square feet per lot [Sec. 3.4.10.I].
Parking Surface Standards
The City of Raleigh requires all off-street parking and driveway areas in the RX-: Residential Mixed Use district to be constructed of permanent, non-erodible materials. This includes porous or semi-porous monolithic or paver materials, masonry or concrete pavers, poured concrete, or asphalt. Crushed stone or "crush and run" may be used if it has a minimum depth of four inches and is delineated with anchored edging materials [Sec. 7.1.9].
Sections Cited
- Section 1.5.5. Parking Setbacks
- Section 3.1.1. District Intent Statements
- Section 3.2.1. through 3.2.8. Base Dimensional Standards
- Section 3.4.5. Parking Limited (-PL)
- Section 3.4.6. Green (-GR)
- Section 3.4.7. Urban Limited (-UL)
- Section 3.4.10. Green Plus (-GP)
- Section 7.1.2. Required Parking
- Section 7.1.3. Specialized Vehicle Parking Requirements
- Section 7.1.9. Parking Surface Standards