Downtown Commercial Parking Changes Under Review by Cashmere Planning Commission

CASHMERE - Proposed changes to downtown commercial parking was the focus of the Oct. 2 Cashmere Planning Commission meeting.  The Planning Commission was asked by the City Council to look into possible parking code modifications. The guidance was given, due to concerns that the amount of parking currently required for a new business is limiting development in the downtown area.

Significant changes were outlined and discussed, one potential change would be to allow city-owned parking lots to be included as 75% of a business’s parking requirement. Currently, this is set at 25%. Three additional city parking lots would be included as part of a businesses’ off-site parking allotment.

Shared parking spaces by businesses was offered as another potential solution if the parking needs and times do not overlap. Changes to business type categories and the amount of parking required for each type of business could alleviate pressures and Croci added that these changes would be beneficial for new businesses in all commercial/business zones in the city.

Another change suggested was a process for a business to request an Exception to the Parking Requirement. This would allow a business to provide a written justification to demonstrate a reduction in the amount of required parking. Christine Wollman, a consultant with Perteet, Inc. said that this provision provides flexibility to the code and allows a business the opportunity to tell, and prove, to the city how much parking they would really need. As discussed by the Commission this could be important for a business that may not be focused on drive up customers.

Cashmere’s Director of Operations, Steve Croci, who outlined the proposed changes, provided examples of how the changes would affect specific businesses. Citing an example of a 7000-square-foot restaurant, current regulations would require a total of 72 parking spots with 54 being on-site and 18 off-site. With the proposed code changes a total of 72 spots would still be required, but only 18 would have to be on-site, the remaining 54 would be off-site, utilizing city parking lots and street parking. Describing the new River View Building, which is currently under construction, Croci explained that 40 on-site parking spots for the apartments would be required in both the new and old codes, but on-site parking requirements for the building’s office spaces would be reduced from 24 to 5 spots.

Croci said that the changes are substantial and very pro-business. Throughout the Commission’s discussion, Croci repeatedly made the point that these changes would only apply to commercial enterprises and that no changes are being recommended for residential parking requirements in any part of the city.

Although supportive of the proposed changes, the Commission did not vote on changes, but said they preferred to get input from the City Council in a workshop at the Council’s next meeting, before beginning the formal process to change the code. Wollman explained to the Commissioners that a vote for the changes would need to be followed by a public hearing and other official steps will be required to complete the process.

Four positions will be available on the Cashmere Planning Commission. Anyone interested in serving on the Commission, to help guide the City’s future, is asked to contact the Mayor’s office.