Off-Street Parking Standards for the GC: General Commercial District in Reno
In the City of Reno, the GC: General Commercial district is classified as a Level 2 Parking District for the purposes of determining off-street parking requirements. Residential developments in the GC: General Commercial district typically require one parking space per 1,250 square feet of unit area, while commercial requirements range from one space per 200 square feet for restaurants to one space per 250 square feet for general retail. Projects within the GC: General Commercial district that are located within 600 feet of a Level 1 or Downtown parking district may qualify for a reduced parking rate based on an average of the two applicable district standards.
Parking District Classification
The City of Reno Annexation and Land Development Code organizes parking requirements into three tiers: the Downtown Parking District, the Level 1 Parking District, and the Level 2 Parking District. Because the GC: General Commercial district is not explicitly listed as part of the Downtown or Level 1 districts (which primarily cover Mixed-Use Downtown and Mixed-Use Urban areas), it defaults to the Level 2 Parking District standards [Section 18.04.705(a)(1)].
Proximity Adjustments
A unique provision for the GC: General Commercial district allows for parking reductions based on location. If a property in this district is situated within 600 feet of the Downtown or Level 1 parking districts, the developer may provide parking at an average rate of the Level 2 minimum and the adjacent district's minimum [Section 18.04.705(a)(1)c.2].
Residential Parking Requirements
Residential projects within the City of Reno GC: General Commercial district must provide parking based on the type of household or group living arrangement. For most standard dwelling types, the requirement is calculated by square footage but is subject to a maximum cap per unit.
Household Living Standards
| Use Type | Level 2 District Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Dwelling: Duplex, Fourplex, Triplex, or Multi-family | 1 per 1,250 sq. ft. (not to exceed 2 per unit) |
| Dwelling: Live/Work | 1 per 1,250 sq. ft. (not to exceed 3 per unit) |
| Dwelling: Single-Family (Attached or Detached) | 1 per 1,250 sq. ft. (not to exceed 3 per unit) |
| Manufactured Home | 1 per 1,250 sq. ft. (not to exceed 3 per unit) |
| Mobile Home Park or Subdivision | 1 per 1,250 sq. ft. (not to exceed 2 per unit) |
Group Living Standards
| Use Type | Level 2 District Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Assisted Living Facility | 1 per 1.5 resident beds |
| Boarding or Rooming House | 1 per 2.5 resident beds |
| Convent or Monastery | 1 per 2.5 resident beds |
| Fraternity or Sorority House | 1 per 2 resident beds |
| Group Home | 1 per 2 resident beds |
| Private Dorm | 1 per 2 resident beds |
| Single-Room-Occupancy | 1 per 2 units |
| Transitional Living Facility | 1 per 2.5 resident beds |
[Table 4-6]
Commercial and Industrial Parking Requirements
Commercial requirements in the City of Reno GC: General Commercial district are generally more intensive than residential ones, focusing on gross floor area (GFA).
Retail, Food, and Beverage
| Use Type | Level 2 District Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bakery (Retail), Restaurant, Bar/Tavern | 1 per 200 sq. ft. |
| Commercial Kitchen, Microbrewery/Distillery | 1 per 300 sq. ft. |
| Convenience Store | 1 per 220 sq. ft. |
| General Retail (all sizes) | 1 per 250 sq. ft. |
| Cannabis Retail Store / Dispensary | 1 per 220 sq. ft. |
| Pawn Shop | 1 per 220 sq. ft. |
Office and Personal Services
| Use Type | Level 2 District Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Financial Institution, General Office | 1 per 400 sq. ft. |
| Laboratory, Recording Studio | 1 per 400 sq. ft. |
| Call Center | 1 per 50 sq. ft. of computer/phone bank area, plus 1 per 250 sq. ft. of office |
| Personal Service (General), Wedding Chapel | 1 per 300 sq. ft. |
Transportation and Auto-Related
| Use Type | Level 2 District Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| Auto Service and Repair | 1 per 350 sq. ft. |
| Auto/Truck/RV/Boat Sales or Rental | 1 per 500 sq. ft. of building area |
| Gas Station | 1 per 300 sq. ft. |
| Truck Stop/Travel Plaza | 1 per 300 sq. ft. plus 1 per service bay |
[Table 4-6]
Accessible and Bicycle Parking
Any development in the GC: General Commercial district must include accessible parking spaces for persons with disabilities. The number of required accessible spaces is based on the total number of parking spaces provided (e.g., a lot with 26-50 spaces requires 2 accessible spaces) [Table 4-7].
Bicycle parking is also mandatory for most uses in the GC: General Commercial district. For "All Other Commercial Uses" in a Level 2 district, the code requires one bicycle space per 1,000 square feet (up to 6,000 square feet), plus one additional space per 10,000 square feet of additional area [Table 4-8].
Design and Adjacency Standards
The City of Reno applies "Residential Adjacency" standards to nonresidential developments in the GC: General Commercial district if they are located within 300 feet of a residential zone.
- Parking Location: To minimize impacts, parking should be placed behind the building or adjacent to nonresidential lot lines whenever possible [Section 18.04.1409(a)].
- Screening: If a GC: General Commercial parking area is within 30 feet of a residential district and not separated by a principal building, a screening wall and a 10-foot wide landscape buffer are required [Section 18.04.1409(b)].
- Loading: Loading areas must be centralized and screened. They cannot be located within 30 feet of an adjacent residential district unless no other feasible options exist [Section 18.04.1412].
Sections Cited
- Section 18.04.705: Off-Street Parking Requirements
- Section 18.04.1402: Applicability (Residential Adjacency)
- Section 18.04.1409: Off-Street Parking (Residential Adjacency)
- Section 18.04.1412: Loading Activities
- Table 4-6: Off-Street Parking Requirements
- Table 4-7: Required Accessible Parking
- Table 4-8: Bicycle Parking Requirements