Parking Requirements Subcommittee

Background

In April 2016, the Planning Commission began the process of working with Planning and Development Department staff to review parking capacity and demand, parking space requirements by use, and parking waiver legislation, fees and practices in an effort to make recommendations for Code amendments based on their findings. Since the initial meeting on April 5, 2016, the Commission discussed the parking study at three regularly scheduled Planning Commission meetings on May 3, 2016, January 3, 2017, and May 2, 2017, and held two public workshops on September 19, 2016 and March 21, 2017. At its January 3, 2017 meeting, the Commission narrowed the focus of the study to the primary topic of revisions to zoning-mandated parking requirements.

Formation of Subcommittee

At its meeting on May 2, 2017, the Planning Commission recommended in favor of the formation of a Parking Requirements Subcommittee for the purposes of carrying out the study of zoning-mandated parking requirements for downtown developments and uses. The recommendation was concurred with by the City Manager on May 17, 2017.

Subcommittee Members

Participants of the subcommittee include two Planning Commissioners and representatives from the local development community, University of Delaware administration, a University of Delaware student, a downtown merchant, and a non-profit organization conducting business downtown.

Subcommittee Meetings

The Parking Requirements Subcommittee will meet for six months, after which it will make its recommendations to the Planning Commission. All meetings will be posted and open to the public. Meeting minutes will be taken and posted on the City website.

The Parking Requirements Subcommittee met monthly from August 2017 through April 2018. Their recommendations were presented to the Planning Commission on May 1, 2018, in the form of a strategic work plan report for action going forward. The Planning Commission postponed their recommendation until after an informational public workshop was held on May 7, 2018. On June 5, 2018, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Parking Requirements Subcommittee report. City Council subsequently approved the report at their meeting on June 25, 2018.

Planning Department staff will now prepare an implementation work plan with timeline based on the discussions of the Parking Requirements Subcommittee. Any zoning or other regulatory changes proposed under the Parking Requirements Subcommittee’s recommendation will be reviewed through a public hearing process by the Planning Commission for their recommendation and forwarded to City Council for final consideration.

Workplan

City Council approved the Parking Subcommittee report on June 25, 2018 and directed staff to put together a technical report workplan titled Parking Policy Matrix: Timeline and Costs was presented to Council and approved on March 26, 2019. The workplan included a Phase I, II and III.

Implementation of Workplan

Per the Council approved workplan a Consultant would be hired to implement Phase I and II. Kimley Horn and Associates was hired in October, 2019. The onset of COVID delayed the progress of this effort. Kimley Horn has compiled draft reports of their work on Phase I and Phase II and will be presenting it to Council for their review and direction on March 7, 2022.