Parking Ordinance
Parking Ordinance
CITY COUNCIL
September 20, 2022 at 4:00pm
City Hall, 3rd floor Council Chambers, 1737 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201
Proposal: Request to amend Table 17-5.2 (D)(1), Minimum Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces,
to add MU-1, MU-2, NAC, CAC, and RAC to “no minimum” column; eliminate parking
requirements for buildings of 7,500 sq ft or less citywide; and reduce requirements for
certain warehouse and manufacturing uses as well as private dorms
Applicants: Krista Hampton, Director of Planning & Development Services; Members of Columbia
City Council
PC Recommendation: 07/14/2022; Approval (6-1) proposing to City Council to include .5 spaces per bed and
for private and public dorms
DETAIL
The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) was adopted by City Council on August 20, 2019 and took effect on
August 30, 2021. Since the effective date, Council has adopted a number of amendments. Some have been
corrections and others have been to improve upon new or modified provisions. This amendment falls into the
latter. Staff and members of Columbia City Council are proposing an amendment to eliminate minimum off-
street parking requirements for certain mixed-use districts and in all districts for non-residential uses in buildings
of 7,500 sq. ft. or less.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Many urban areas across the country are taking steps to reduce off-street parking requirements, as communities
prefer a more pedestrian-oriented environment and alternatives to individual auto use increase. Reducing required
parking provides several benefits. Fewer parking spaces can decrease the amount of impervious surfaces, which in
turn reduces stormwater runoff and lessens the impact of urban heat islands. As less individual parking is created,
other forms of transportation are encouraged and a more walkable, pedestrian-friendly, urban core and corridors
develop. Businesses benefit from increased pedestrian activity, while still being able to provide parking if needed.
An important takeaway is that this amendment does not prohibit the provision of parking.
CURRENT REGULATIONS
Prior to the adoption of the UDO, Columbia did not have minimum parking requirements in the Central Business
District for over forty years. The UDO further expanded this area to the Vista and Innovista. In addition to these
exemptions, there previously was and remains a provision that, city-wide, uses such as retail and some service
uses utilizing existing building are not required to provide parking beyond what exists, essentially exempting
them from parking requirements. In the Five Points district, uses other than restaurants occupying buildings less
than 4,000 square feet are not required to provide parking. Nominal reductions in parking requirements are
provided in the urban design districts.
In other areas, minimum parking requirements vary by use with residential based on the unit and commercial
generally based on square footage.
IMPACTS
Mandated parking minimums can impose harmful effects that are in conflict with other goals articulated in the
Comprehensive Plan and other policies of the City.
HOUSING COSTS: Mandated off-street parking increases the cost of housing without necessarily benefitting the
residents. A surface lot space costs at least $5,000 and a space in a structure can cost a minimum of $25,000. The
cost of the space is the same regardless of whether the unit is small or large or affordable or luxury. These costs
are folded into the cost of the housing whether the occupant drives or not. Since this particular change affects
commercial districts, the impact will largely be in multi-family or condominium developments where there is a
great need for affordability.
BUSINESS COSTS: The impacts of minimum parking requirements are felt the most by small businesses who
are unable to absorb the cost of excess parking. For larger developments, the costs are added to the goods or
services produced.
DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS: Mandated parking minimums result in less compact development, which
contributes to urban sprawl. This is especially true of surface lots. These lots are not only unproductive as a land
use; they decrease the development potential of the City, limit space for new businesses and housing, and provide
little in the way of revenue for City services. They make the City less walkable, degrade the fabric of the street,
and lead to a less inviting environment for pedestrians and bicyclists. The average parking space requires a
minimum of 300 square feet when including maneuvering and aisle space. Minimum requirements often will
result in a parking lot that exceeds the footprint of the building.
ENVIRONMENTAL: Mandated parking, which is in most cases low cost or free for the driver induces vehicle
trips, which increases emissions and associated air pollution. Large areas of paved parking increases stormwater
runoff and intensifies heat islands.
ON-STREET PARKING: Eliminating parking minimums may result in an increased demand for public, on-street
parking that is provided by the City. This demand can be managed through appropriately pricing and managing
on-street parking in high-demand locations. This includes the option to implement residential parking districts .
Staff recommends City Council approve the request with the change recommended by Planning Commission.
(9) Completion
All off-street parking and loading areas shall be completed prior to the issuance
of a certificate of occupancy for the development they serve. In the case of
phased development, off-street parking and loading areas may only be provided
for the phase being developed.
RESIDENTIAL USES
Dwelling, live-work No minimum 2/du 2/du
in accordance with an in accordance with an
Dwelling, mixed-use No minimum approved alternative approved alternative
Household parking plan parking plan
Living Uses
Dwelling, multifamily No minimum 1.5/du 1.75/du
Dwelling, single-family
No minimum 1.5/du 2/du
detached
School, business or trade No minimum 1 for every 3 persons 1 for every 3 persons
Hospital No minimum 1/300 sf 1/300 sf
Laboratory, medical or
No minimum 1.7/1,000 sf 1.7/1,000 sf
Health Care dental
Uses Medical or dental
No minimum 2/1,000sf 1/250 sf
clinic/office
Nursing care facility No minimum 1 for every 6 beds 1 for every 6 beds
Arboretum or botanical
No minimum No minimum No minimum
Parks and Open garden
Space Cemetery No minimum No minimum No minimum
Park or greenway No minimum No minimum No minimum
Airport No minimum No minimum No minimum
Park and ride No minimum No minimum No minimum
Parking lot No minimum No minimum No minimum
Transportation
Uses Parking structure No minimum No minimum No minimum
Passenger terminal, surface
No minimum 1/500 sf office facilities 1/500 sf office facilities
transportation
Railroad facility No minimum 1/500 sf office facilities 1/500 sf office facilities
Solar energy conversion
No minimum 1/500 sf office facilities 1/500 sf office facilities
system (large scale)
Utility Uses Utility facility, major No minimum 1/500 sf office facilities 1/500 sf office facilities
Utility facility, minor No minimum 1/500 sf office facilities 1/500 sf office facilities
COMMERCIAL USES
Animal shelter No minimum 1/500 sf 1/500 sf
Animal Care
Kennel No minimum 1/250 sf 1/250 sf
Uses
Veterinary hospital or clinic No minimum 3/1,000 sf 3/1,000 sf
Equipment rental No minimum 3/1,000 sf 3/1,000 sf
Laboratory, photofinishing No minimum 1.7/1,000 sf 1.7/1,000 sf
Laboratory, testing or
No minimum 3 1,000 sf 3/1,000 sf
research
Commercial
Services Uses Lawn, tree, or pest control
No minimum 3/1,000 sf 3/1,000 sf
services
Linen or uniform supply No minimum 1.7/1,000 sf 1.7/1,000 sf
1/2,000 sf rentable 1/2,000 sf rentable
Self-service storage No minimum
storage area storage area
AGRICULTURAL USES
Agriculture and forestry
No minimum No minimum No minimum
uses, not elsewhere listed
Agriculture and Community garden No minimum No minimum No minimum
Forestry Uses
Crop production No minimum No minimum No minimum
Forestry No minimum No minimum No minimum
INDUSTRIAL USES
Contractor's yard No minimum 3/1,000 sf 3/1,000 sf
Freight
Motor freight facility No minimum 1.5/1,000 sf 1.5/1,000 sf
Movement,
Warehousing, Petroleum bulk station or
No minimum 1.5/1,000 sf 1.5/1,000 sf
terminal
use in NAC, CAC, RAC, and MC districts, except as may be allowed through
approval of an alternative parking plan in accordance with Sec. 17-5.2(f)(2),
Provision over Maximum Allowed.
Amending the 1998 Code of Ordinances of the City of Columbia, South Carolina,
Chapter 17 (Unified Development Ordinance), Article 5, Development Standards, Sec.
17-5.2, Off-Street Parking, Bicycle Parking, and Loading
RESIDENTIAL USES
CATEGORY
PRINCIPAL USE TYPE NAC,CAC, N,&,,, ,A,, aRr.l AM: Base Zoning Districts
RAC, MU-1, ~ not Elsewhere Listed
MU-2
Dwelling, townhouse No minimum ~ 2/du
Residentia l care faci lity No minimum ± feF e~·eF¥ 4 FesiseAts 1 for every 4 residents
Rooming house or
No minimu m Q.7§1l9eSF88FR 1/bedroom
boardinghouse
Day care facility No min imum ± feF e"'eF¥ :J:Q el=tilaFeA 1 for every 10 children
23.b
CATEGORY
PRINCIPAL USE TYPE NAC,CAC, NA,, ,A,, aR~ RJ'' Base Zoning Districts
RAC, MU-1, ~ not Elsewhere listed
MU-2
faF e•rePf ~ st~:~eeRts for every 2 student s
~Qtl=lgFaee aRe aea...e lOth grade and above
School, business or trade No minimum ~ faF e~•ePf 3 j3eFSaRS 1 for every 3 persons
Hospital No minimum ~ 1/300 sf
Laboratory, medica l or
No minimum 1.7/~,QQQ sf 1.7/1,000 sf
Health Care dental
Uses Medical or dental
No minimum ~~~.QQQsf 1/250 sf
clinic/office
Nursing care facility No minimum ~ faF e...e,.!; eees 1 for every 6 beds
Arboretum o r botanical
No minimum Na R'liRiffii:IR'I No minimum
garden
Parks and Open
Space Cemetery No minimum Na R'liAiffii:IR'I No minimum
Park or greenway No minimum Na R'liRiffii:IR'I No minimum
COMMERCIAL USES
~
Establishment
Uses Eating and drin ki ng
uv
No minimum 8/1,QQQ sf seatiAg area 8/1,000 sf seati ng area
establish ment, Type 2
Funeral and Crematory No minimum ~jo FAiAiFAIJFA No minimum
~
M ortuary
Services Uses Fu neral home or mortuary No minimum 1/17§ ft asseml31¥ area 1/150 sf assembly area
Office Uses
Business/Professional office
Contractor's office
No minimum
No minimum
~
;! 1,QQQ sf
1/SOOsf
3/1,000 sf
d§
Ba nk, reta il No minimum ;!/1,QQQ sf 3/1,000 sf
~
Bea uty sa lon or barbershop No minimum 2.§/1,QQQ sf 2.5/1,000 sf c:::::::
~
Body piercing facilities or
No minimum 2.§/1,QQQ sf 2.5/1,000 sf
tattoo establishment
Personal
Services Uses
Dry cleaning pick-up
No minimum
1.7/1,QQQ sf
2.§/1,QQQ sf
1. 7/1,000 sf
2.5/1,000 sf uv
Nail salon
Non-deposit ory personal
No minimum 2.§/1,QQQ sf 2.5/1,000 sf
~
credit institut ion
No minimum ;!/1,QQQ sf 3/1,000 sf
c:::::::
Repair of personal goods No minimum 2.§/1,QQQ sf 2.5/1,000 sf
Consumer goods
No minimum a,t±, QQQ sf 3.5/1,000 sf
Retail Sales establishment
Uses
Co nvenience store No minimum a,t±, QQQ sf 3.5/1,000 sf
V±,QQQ sf efveAeliAg 1/1,000 sf of vending
Farmers' market No minimum
aFea area
AGRICULTURAL USES
INDUSTRIAL U SES
CATEGORY
PRINCIPAL USE TYPE NAC,CAC, NJl,,, ,Jl,,, aRa RA(; Base Zoning Districts
RAC, MU-1, ~ not Elsewhere listed
MU-2
and Wh olesale Ware house distribution and
No minimum l .S,ll,QQQ sf .Q.d_M/ 1,000 sf
Uses storage
W holesale sales, not
No minimum l.Stl,QQQ sf 1.5/ 1,000 sf
elsewhere listed
M anufacturing, assembly, or
No minimum l .S,ll,QQQ sf 0.5 M / 1,000 sf
fabrication, light
M anufacturing Manufacturi ng, asse mbly, or
No minimu m l.S,ll,QQQ sf .Q.d_M/ 1,000 sf
uses fabrication, medium
M an ufacturing, asse mbly, o r
No minimum l .S,ll,QQQ sf .Q.d_M/1,000 sf
fabrication, heavy
Resource
Mining No min imum ~la miRim~Jm No minimum
Extraction Uses
;!tl,QQQ sf affiee 2/ 1,0 00 sf office
Com posti ng facility No minimum
faEilities facilities
Junk, salvage, scrap, or
No minimum l.Stl,QQQ sf 1.5/ 1,000 sf
W aste-Relat ed wrecking yard
Uses Recycling center ~tl,QQQ sf
No minimum 3/1,000 sf
Refuse processing facility No minimum ltl,;!QQ sf 1/1,200 sf
Refuse disposal No minimum l .Stl,QQQ sf 1.5/1,000 sf
NOTES:
[1] "/" is an abbreviation of "for each," and "sf" is an abbreviation of " square feet of gross f loor area ."
[2] " N/ A" in t he "Current" co lumn in dicates a new use.
[3] Non-residential uses occu Q~in g new or existing structures of 7,500 sguare feet or less are exemQt from a minimum
Qarking reguirement.
1~1 <;;~JFFeAt staAEiaFEis listeEI a Fe faF tRe <;; 4 ElistFiet sRI•~ ~!Riess atReFwise stateEI.
b. An applicant for a development containing more than one use may submit
an alternative parking plan (see Sec. 17-5.2(£), Off-Street Parking
Alternatives) that proposes a reduction in the minimum number of required
off-street parking spaces for the development based on a comprehensive
analysis of parking demand for each use by time of day, in addition to any
other reduction for off-street parking alternatives (see Sec. 17-5.2(£), Off-
Street Parking Alternatives).
Where a property does not have the area available to provide off-street parking
spaces because of existing conditions that were lawful at the time of establishment
(e.g. an existing building covers the entire parcel), the fo llowing uses shall only be
required to provide as many off-street parking spaces as will physically fit upon the
property:
For a multifamily dwelling, mixed-use dwel ling, or any use in the Office Uses or
Retail Sales Uses category, the maximum number of off-street parking spaces shall
not exceed 125 percent of the minimum number of off-street parking spaces
required for that use in Table 17-5.2(d)(l): Minimum Number of Off-Street Parking
Spaces, except as may be allowed through approval of an alternative parking plan
in accordance with Sec. 17-5.2(±)(2), Provision over Maximum Allowed. If there is
no requirement for a minimum number of off-street parking spaces for the use in
Table 17-5.2(d)(l): Minimum Number of Off-Street Parking Spaces, the maximum
number of off-street parking spaces shall not exceed 120 percent of the minimum
number of off-street parking spaces required for that use in NAC, CAC, RAC, and
MC districts, except as may be allowed through approval of an alternative parking
plan in accordance with Sec. 17-5.2(£)(2), Provision over Maximum Allowed.
Requested by:
City Manager
Introduced:
Final Reading: