MD-PD: Mixed-Use Downtown Powning District Off-Street Parking Guide

The City of Reno does not mandate any minimum off-street motor vehicle parking spaces for residential or commercial projects located within the MD-PD: Mixed-Use Downtown Powning District. While vehicle minimums are waived, development in this district must still comply with mandatory bicycle parking ratios and provide off-street loading spaces for nonresidential buildings exceeding 30,000 square feet.

The Downtown Parking District Exemption

The City of Reno Annexation and Land Development Code classifies the MD-PD: Mixed-Use Downtown Powning District as part of the "Downtown Parking District" [Section 18.04.705(a)(1)a]. Under these regulations, there is no minimum off-street parking requirement for any land use within this specific district [Section 18.04.705(a)(1)a.2].

While developers are not required to provide vehicle parking, if they choose to do so, they must adhere to specific location and design standards intended to preserve the historic character of the Powning neighborhood.

Off-Street Vehicle Parking Standards

Although the minimum number of spaces is zero, the City of Reno imposes the following requirements on any vehicle parking facilities provided within the MD-PD: Mixed-Use Downtown Powning District:

Standard Type	Requirement for MD-PD District
Minimum Spaces Required	0 spaces (Exempt) [Section 18.04.705(a)(1)a.2]
Maximum Spaces Allowed	No maximum limit specified [Section 18.04.705(a)(2)]
Street-Facing Garage Setback	20 feet measured from the sidewalk or planned sidewalk to the face of the garage [Table 2-19]
Parking Location (Nonresidential)	Trash and loading areas must be centralized and screened; outdoor facilities are prohibited on the river side of properties [Section 18.04.1003(a)(8)]
Accessible Parking	If vehicle parking is provided, accessible spaces must be included based on the total number of spaces provided [Section 18.04.705(b)]

Bicycle Parking Requirements

Unlike motor vehicle parking, the City of Reno requires mandatory bicycle parking for all new developments within the MD-PD: Mixed-Use Downtown Powning District. The following ratios apply to the "Downtown and Level 1" parking categories:

Use Category	Required Bicycle Spaces (MD-PD)
Household Living (Multi-family)	1 space per unit [Table 4-8]
Group Living (Dorm, SRO, etc.)	1 space per 2 bedrooms [Table 4-8]
Commercial (Retail/Service)	1 space per 500 sq. ft. (up to 3,000 sq. ft.), plus 1 space per 5,000 sq. ft. of additional area [Table 4-8]
Lodging (Hotel/Motel)	1 space per 4 guest rooms [Table 4-8]
Community & Cultural Facilities	1 space per 300 sq. ft. [Table 4-8]
Education & Healthcare	1 space per 500 sq. ft. [Table 4-8]

Minimum/Maximum Thresholds:

Minimum: Except for residential uses, a minimum of two bicycle parking spaces is required per project [Section 18.04.705(c)(1)a].
Maximum: No more than 30 bicycle parking spaces are required for any single nonresidential use [Section 18.04.705(c)(1)b].

Off-Street Loading Requirements

Nonresidential projects within the MD-PD: Mixed-Use Downtown Powning District must provide dedicated loading areas if they exceed 30,000 square feet of gross floor area.

Gross Floor Area	Required Number of Loading Areas	Minimum Size of Each Loading Area
Less than 30,000 sq. ft.	None	N/A
30,000 sq. ft. or more	1, plus 1 additional for every 30,000 sq. ft. beyond the first 30,000	10 ft. wide x 45 ft. long x 14 ft. high [Table 4-11]

Design and Placement Restrictions

To maintain the specific urban fabric of the MD-PD: Mixed-Use Downtown Powning District, the City of Reno mandates that parking and service areas be designed as follows:

Access: Off-street parking is generally prohibited within the front yard setback for residential uses [Section 18.04.903(a)(3)b].
Screening: Loading and service areas must be screened from public view in accordance with City standards [Section 18.04.1003(a)(8)].
Adjacency: If a nonresidential parking lot is within 30 feet of a residential district and not separated by a building, a wall and a 10-foot landscape buffer are required [Section 18.04.1409(b)].

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