§ 122-981. Parking exempt and benefit zones.

(a)

Parking exempt zone.

(1)

The city hereby finds and declares that, because of the character of present development in the core of the downtown and the prospects of future development, imposition of off-street parking and loading requirements in the following area of downtown (the "parking exempt zone") would not be in the public interest.

(2)

The requirements set out in this article for off-street parking and loading shall not be applicable in the parking exempt zone which consists of an area the boundaries of which are as follows:

Starting at the intersection of NW 1st Ave. and NW 3rd Street and then proceeding in a counterclockwise (initially southerly) direction along the following:

NW 1st Ave. from NW 3rd St. to NW 2nd St.

NW 2nd St. from NW 1st Ave. to NW 2nd Ave.

NW 2nd Ave. from NW 2nd St. to E Silver Springs Blvd.

W Silver Springs Blvd. from NW 2nd Ave. to NW 3rd Ave.

NW 3rd Ave. from E Silver Springs Blvd. to SW 3rd St.

SW 3rd St. from SW 3rd Ave. to SE Osceola Ave.

SE Osceola Ave. from SE 3rd St. to E Ft. King St.

E Ft. King St. from SE Osceola Ave. to SE Watula Ave.

SE Watula Ave. from E Ft. King St. to NE 2nd St.

NE 2nd St. from NE Watula Ave. to NE Osceola Ave.

NE Osceola Ave. from NE 2nd St. to NE 3rd St.

NE 3rd St. from NE Osceola Ave. to NW 1st St.

(b)

Parking benefit zone.

(1)

The city hereby finds and declares that, in addition to the parking exempt zone, there are other parts of the downtown (the "parking benefit zone") that may need some flexibility in meeting the off-street requirements identified in this article in order to address intensity and design requirements.

(2)

A portion or all of the requirements set out in this article for off-street parking may be waived by the building official as part of a site plan or building permit for improvements within the parking benefit zone. A property owner may request one or a combination of the following options in order to meet such parking requirements:

a.

If not metered, pay a fee per parking space to the city allowing on-street parking.

b.

If available, pay for designated spaces in a city operated parking garage or lot.

c.

Enter into an agreement or identify shared parking spaces on a site plan between adjacent uses.

d.

Enter into an agreement with a surrounding property owner within 500 feet of the use without a public hearing (distance shall be measured from property line to property line). The surrounding property may be located on any property as long as that property is meeting the parking requirements identified in this article.

e.

Provide a parking study for staff approval to support reducing the required on-site parking requirements.

(3)

The parking benefit zone consists of the following areas:

a.

Starting from the intersection of NW 1st Ave and NW 3rd St. and then proceeding clockwise (initially northerly) along the following:

NW 1st Ave. from NW 3rd St. to South boundary of CSX Railroad

South boundary of CSX Railroad from NW 1st Ave. to NE Osceola Ave.

NE Osceola Ave. from South boundary of CSX Railroad to NE 3rd St.

NE 3rd St. from NE Osceola Ave. to NW 1st Ave.

b.

Starting from the intersection of NW 3rd Ave. and W Silver Springs Blvd. (SR 40) and then proceeding counterclockwise (initially westerly) along the following:

W Silver Springs Blvd. from NW 3rd Ave to N Pine Ave.

N Pine Ave. from W Silver Springs Blvd. to SW 5th St.

SW 5th St. from S Pine Ave. to SW 1st Ave.

SW 1st Ave. from SW 5th St. to SW 10th St.

SW 10th St. from SW 1st Ave. to the crossover to SE 1st Ave.

SE 1st Ave. from the crossover along a projection of the west boundary of the CSX Railroad to SE 5th St.

SE 5th St. from the West boundary of CSX Railroad to SE Watula Ave.

SE Watula Ave. from SE 5th St. to E Fort King St.

E Fort King St. from SE Watula Ave. to SE Osceola Ave.

SE Osceola Ave. from E Fort King St. to SE 3rd St.

SE 3rd St. from SE Osceola Ave. to SW 3rd Ave.

SW 3rd Ave. from SW 3rd St. to W Silver Springs Blvd.

(c)

The map for the parking exempt zone and parking benefit zone - a copy of which is attached to this ordinance - is adopted by reference and declared part of this section. The official map will be maintained in the planning department.

(Code 1961, § 22-12(9); Code 1985, § 7-921; Ord. No. 2637, § 1, 8-6-96; Ord. No. 2011-40, § 1, 12-7-10; Ord. No. 2016-29, § 1, 3-15-16)