TITLE
Title
TEXT AMENDMENT CASE #26-01-PLBD-00005 TO AMEND SUBSECTION 6.1.D (PARKING STANDARDS) TABLE 6-1-1 (PARKING REQUIREMENTS) OF THE UDO TO REVISE PARKING REQUIREMENTS FOR MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS AND TOWNHOMES
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
J. Leslie Bell
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BACKGROUND
Background
Proposed Text Amendment Case #26-01-PLBD-00005 (attached) seeks to update Table 6-1-1, Parking Requirements, by revising the standards for multi-family dwellings and townhomes. The amendment establishes the following parking ratios:
1.25 spaces for 0-1 bedroom unit;
1.5 spaces for 2-bedroom units; and
2.0 spaces for units with 3 or more bedrooms.
While current parking requirements for Townhouse Dwelling and Multi-Family require an across-the-board 1.8 parking spaces per unit within 200 feet of the unit + 0.25 spaces for visitor parking, the aforementioned recommended requirements are based on a graduated scale that reflects the number of bedrooms in each unit. To ensure consistency with regional practices and for uniformity, staff conducted a comparative analysis of parking requirements across multiple jurisdictions (attached).
At its February 11, 2026, regular meeting (minutes attached), the Guilford County Planning Board recommended approval of this text amendment to the Board of Commissioners by a vote of 5-0, with four members absent. (Ayes: Donnelly, Gullick, Stalder, Little, Alston, Nays: None). The staff report is also attached.
The full text of the proposed amendment is attached. The text to be removed is shown with a single strike-thru, and the new text is underlined.
Consistency: The proposed text amendment to modify the minimum required parking requirements for multi-family dwellings and townhomes is consistent with the Planning Theme for Protected Natural Environment & Greenspace in the Comprehensive Plan. Policy 2 seeks to “Safeguard the environmental integrity of Regional Water Sources and Recreational Water Bodies.” Action Item N2.7 states to “Incentivize development and redevelopment to address environmental concerns, flood risks, and watershed health. Incentivize the preservation of open space along waterways within future developments.”
The proposed amendment reduces required parking space provisions for multi-family dwellings and townhomes. Reducing parking areas decreases impervious surfaces, mitigates stormwater runoff, and helps protect regional water sources and recreational water bodies. Large parking lots contribute to stormwater runoff, which can carry pollutants into regional water sources and recreational water bodies, threatening their integrity. By requiring less impervious surface, developments will be able to provide more open space and green infrastructure, thereby improving watershed health and reducing flood risks.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS REQUIRED
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Hold a legislative hearing, adopt the text amendment as proposed in Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) Text Amendment Case #26-01-PLBD-00005, and adopt the aforementioned statement of plan consistency, as presented herein, to amend Subsection 6.1, Parking Standards, Table 6-1-1 to revise parking standards based on number of bedrooms in each unit for the Townhouse Dwelling and Multi-family.
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