Parking Quantity Reductions

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WHAT ARE PARKING QUANTITY REDUCTIONS?
Reducing a site’s parking footprint can help minimize environmental impacts, including automobile dependence, land consumption and rainwater runoff. Sites within a Mixed-Use or Downtown District, which encourage the use of alternative transportation options, are eligible for reductions to the parking requirement (TMC 13.06.090.C).

TRANSIT ACCESS
Applicants requesting this reduction must provide a site map and identify transit service schedules for all transit routes within 500 feet.

  • 25% reduction for sites within 500 feet of a transit stop;
  • 50% reduction for sites within 500 feet of a transit stop with routes serving at least every 20 minutes during peak hours.

TRIP REDUCTION PLAN
The plan must be reviewed and approved by the City’s Commuter Trip Reduction Coordinator. Yearly reports are required to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and ensure its continued maintenance and operation.

  • 25% reduction for a site-specific Trip Reduction Plan and program that includes features such as
  • Employer provided transit passes
  • Telecommuting
  • Ridesharing
  • Carpooling
  • Bicycling

CAR SHARING
One stall reduction for each stall dedicated and designated for use by a locally-operating car sharing program, such as “Zipcar.”

MIXED USE/SHARED PARKING CREDIT
No parking shall be required for the residential units in a mixed-use project where at least 50% of the floor area is designed for commercial or institutional use.

ON-STREET PARKING CREDIT
One-half stall reduction for each new public, on-street parking stall provided as part of the project (through the installation of angled or perpendicular spaces with bulb-outs and curbs or other methods). Any modifications to the right-of-way are subject to the acceptance and approval of the Public Works Department. This one-time credit applies at the time of the development and shall not be affected by any future changes to the right-of-way configuration, design or alignment.

BICYCLE PARKING CREDIT
One stall reduction for every five, non-required bicycle parking spaces provided on the site (beyond the standard requirements, as found in TMC Section 13.06.090.F).

This credit is limited to a maximum of five (5) automobile spaces, or 15% of the standard parking requirement for the development, whichever is less.

MOTORCYCLE/SCOOTER PARKING CREDIT
One stall reduction for every four motorcycle/scooter parking spaces provided. Each motorcycle/scooter parking space must be at least four-feet wide and eight-feet deep, and may be located in areas that are otherwise unusable for automobile parking (such as in corners, at aisle ends and near pillars). This credit is limited to a maximum of five (5) automobile spaces, or 5% of the standard automobile parking requirement for the development, whichever is less.

OTHER EXEMPTIONS AND REDUCTIONS
Other exemptions and reductions are included in the City’s Parking Code related to historic buildings and sites, change of use, group housing and retirement homes, efficiency multi-family housing, and affordable housing within the Tacoma Mall Center Inclusionary Zone (TMC Section 13.06.090.C).

 RESOURCES

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