Cda Council May Kill Parking Rules Off-Street Parking Rules For Downtown Criticized
City parking regulations may be tossed out by the City Council tonight.
Current rules are discouraging rehabilitation of downtown buildings, according to a Planning Commission report. Conversion of the old Interstate Typewriter building on Sherman Avenue into a restaurant and office space also has stalled out due to the rules, said Dave Yadon, city planner.
The rub is that the rules require individual businesses to provide too many off-street parking spaces downtown.
The one-size-fits-all rules don’t recognize the difference in parking needs between downtown and other shopping areas in Coeur d’Alene. Someone who shops downtown tends to park once and walk to several stores - making it “more of a shared parking arrangement,” Yadon said.
Conversely, someone shopping along Appleway or other outlying retail areas is likely to drive to every business, meaning each business needs to provide more parking spaces.
The Planning Commission still believes some requirements are needed for off-street parking downtown. If the current rules are repealed, it would push for something tailored to particular areas of town.
The council also will consider an appeal from McCormack Properties on the Ulrich Ranch subdivision at Kathleen Avenue and Fourth Street. The city Planning Commission approved a preliminary plat for the property with several conditions.
McCormack is protesting three of those conditions, including the requirement that it conduct a traffic study for the area the development affects and that it construct two streets.
The developer also is protesting the request to dedicate a certain amount of land for parks or pay comparable fees.
In other business, the council is expected to:
Approve the final plat for the Neider Avenue hotel and conference center, which is being constructed by Magnuson Properties.
Consider less-dense zoning for a 3-acre triangle of city land that is bounded by Fourth Street, Kathleen Avenue and Honeysuckle Avenue.
, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MEETING The City Council meets tonight at 7 p.m. in City Hall.