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DER2011-00005 - AMENDMENT TO THE WICHITA-SEDGWICK COUNTY UNIFIED ZONING CODE PARKING STANDARDS. (ALL DISTRICTS)
Presented by: John L. Schlegel, Planning Director.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the amendment to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Zoning Code as recommended by the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission; approve the resolution and authorize the Chairman to sign the resolution.
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Background: DER2009-00005 proposes amendments to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Zoning Code (UZC) parking standards. The purpose of this amendment is: to make the UZC parking schedule a more comprehensive tool for the development community; to bring the UZC parking standards in line with national standards; to make it easier to redevelop small infill sites.
The existing UZC parking table currently lists only 59 uses, while the land use matrix recognizes 120 land uses. The proposed amendment has expanded the number of uses listed in the parking table to include all land use types contained in the use type matrix, and includes a recommended number of spaces required for each use. Staff compared our current parking standards against those listed in the 2006 National Parking Associations (NPA) Recommended Zoning Ordinance Provisions for parking. In most cases our local standards are similar or require less off-street parking than those recommended by the NPA study. The proposed amendment brings all of our parking standards more in line with the NPA recommendations with several parking requirement reductions.
The proposed parking table amendment will allow some uses to submit a parking study in lieu of a published standard. The uses proposed for a parking study instead of a published standard can be of such a wide range of scales, potential impacts, operating characteristics or location requirements that off-street parking requirements can better be established by a study. The amendment also proposes no off-street parking requirement for a few uses, such as utility minor or construction burn site limited. Uses for which there is not a published standard are considered to be small enough in scale or limited duration as to not warrant the cost of building permanent parking.
A final proposal is to amend the location section of shared parking standards to allow, by administrative adjustment, staff to increase the current 600-foot distance from which remote off-site parking can be provided, and/or to allow remote parking to be separated from its building or use by an arterial street, expressway or freeway. Today, remote parking must be located within 600 feet of the use it serves and cannot be separated by the three previously mentioned roadways.
The Wichita Area Builders Association and the Wichita Area Association of Realtors were asked to review the proposed amendments, and they both have indicated their support.
Analysis: At the MAPC public hearing held on August 18, 2011, the MAPC voted (13-0) to recommend adoption of these changes to the Unified Zoning Code. No citizens spoke on this item.
Alternatives: 1. Approve the amendment to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Unified Zoning Code as recommended by the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission; approve the resolution and authorize the Chairman to sign the resolution (simple majority vote).
2. Return such recommendation to the MAPC with a statement specifying the basis for the BOCCs failure to approve or disapprove (simple majority vote).
3. Deny the proposed amendments and override the MAPC recommendation (two-thirds majority vote).
Financial Considerations: None
Legal Considerations: Approved as to form and signed by County Counselors Office. The City of Wichita and Sedgwick County are authorized by K.S.A. 12-741, et seq. to adopt a joint zoning code. The City and County have done so, and, in the Unified Zoning Code, have established an off-street parking schedule and related performance standards dealing with off-street parking. The Unified Zoning Code provides for Unified Zoning Code text amendments as detailed in Sec.V-C.
Policy Considerations: The MAPC recommendations are based upon the review and recommendations of the staff report.
Outside Attendees: Not Applicable
Multimedia Presentation: PowerPoint