Warrant Article Title:
ZONING BYLAW AMENDMENT/PARKING REDUCTIONS IN THE B3 AND B5 DISTRICTS

Discussion:
The B3 and B5 Zoning Districts make up the three major businesses districts: Capitol Square in East Arlington, Arlington Center, and Arlington Heights. Based on Town GIS data, there are 83 parcels in the B3 Zoning District and 26 in the B5 Zoning District; the Article would affect 109 parcels. The attached maps identify the location of the parcels in the B3 and B5 Zoning Districts. There are no other properties zoned B3 or B5 outside of these areas.

As stated in the definition and purpose in the Zoning Bylaw, the intent of the B3 and B5 Zoning Districts includes allowing for uses oriented to pedestrian traffic. This is both to encourage commercial activity from neighborhood residents, and to encourage visitors who drive to park once and visit multiple locations on foot in a single visit. In each business district, on-street parking is available and in many cases, municipal parking is available.

Additionally, the average lot size in the B3 and B5 Districts is approximately 6,100 square feet and lot coverage (the amount of a building covering a lot) is at or near 100%. Due to these conditions, property owners and business tenants cannot create new parking on lots in the B3 and B5 districts without significant building or lot reconfiguration, or the conversion of existing parcels to surface or structured parking lots. Many of these parcels are also under the jurisdiction of the Arlington Historical Commission and may disturb historic structures making proposals that adhere to strict parking requirements both impracticable and not in the overall best interest of the community.

The ARB indicated that the Article would allow the Special Permit Grant Authorities to have greater flexibility and case-by-case consideration of adjustments to parking requirements beyond the currently allowable parking reduction, especially for a commercial change of use within existing storefronts.

Vote Language:

The Redevelopment Board voted (5-0) to Recommend Action on Article 20 as amended. That the Zoning Bylaw be and hereby is amended as follows:

6.1.5. Parking Reduction in Business, Industrial, and Multi-Family Residential Zones

 

The Board of Appeals or Arlington Redevelopment Board, as applicable, may allow the reduction of the parking space requirements in the R5, R6, R7, Business, and Industrial Zones to 25 percent of that required in the Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations if the proposed parking is deemed adequate and where Transportation Demand Management practices are incorporated, as evidenced by a Transportation Demand Management Plan approved by the Special Permit Granting Authority. Methods to reduce parking on site may include but are not limited to:

A. Shared Parking: To implement shared on-site parking, the applicant shall demonstrate that proposed uses are non-competing. In mixed-use developments, applicants may propose a reduction in parking requirements based on an analysis of peak demand for non-competing uses. In these cases, the parking requirement for the largest of the uses (in terms of parking spaces required) shall be sufficient.
B. Off-site Parking: An applicant may use off-site parking to satisfy their parking requirements as provided in Section 6.1.10. The applicant shall document efforts to promote use of off-site parking by customers, residents, or employees.
C. Transportation Demand Management (TDM): Any request for parking reduction must include a plan to reduce demand for parking. TDM provides incentives to reduce the use of Single Occupant Vehicles and encourages the use of public transit, bicycling, walking, and ridesharing. All projects requesting a parking reduction must employ at least three TDM methods described below:

(1) Charge for parking on-site;
(2) Pay a stipend to workers or residents without cars;
(3) Provide preferential parking for carpooling vehicles;
(4) Provide a guaranteed emergency ride home;
(5) Provide transit pass subsidies;
(6) Provide covered bicycle parking and storage;
(7) Provide bicycle or car sharing on site;
(8) Provide showers for business or industrial uses;
(9) Other means acceptable to the applicable Special Permit Granting Authority.

 

 When the applicable Special Permit Granting Authority determines that a business in the B3 or B5 District has no ability to create new parking onsite and that there is adequate nearby on-street parking or municipal parking, it may reduce to less than 25 percent or eliminate the amount of parking required in the Table of Off-Street Parking Regulations. In those circumstances, the applicable Special Permit Granting Authority may require the applicant to incorporate methods set forth in subparagraphs A., B., and C. of this section. The reductions described in this paragraph do not apply to residential use classes identified in Section 5.5.3. and are in addition to the exemption from the parking requirements for the first 3,000 square feet of non-residential space in a mixed-use development as set forth in Section 6.1.10.C.

 

Arlington Redevelopment Board Report

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