Consider Ordinance #21-15 Creating Additional Requirements for Driveways and Parking Pads

A proposed ordinance to regulate additional driveway space, and parking pads in the City of Ramsey. The City currently regulates driveway standards in regards to type of material, width at street, and distance from neighboring property lines. Additional driveway and parking pad requirements would help City staff and residents with future impervious surface expansions.

Notification is not required at this time. A notice will be advertised in the Anoka County Union-Herald when it is introduced to the City Council.

Summary:
At the June Planning Commission regular meeting, the Planning Commission had requested an ordinance update to create more requirements for parking pads and width of driveways in residential districts. The Commission had stated they would like to see a limited width for driveways, a limited number of parking pads per property, and a way to ensure the parking capacity isn't expanded as set in City Code Section 117-355 - Residential Development Off-Street Parking. Planning Staff members have drafted Ordinance #21-15 for review by the Planning Commission to determine if it would meet their proposed requirements, and be sent to the City Council for formal adoption.

July Planning Commission Meeting
Proposed changes as recommended by the Planning Commission at their regular meeting on July 22, 2021 include:

• Variance information to exceed standards set in the ordinance
• Driveways: 15 foot extension requirement for the side yard of a primary garage exclusively
• Graphic included in the attachments to demonstrate proposed ordinance restrictions on driveways and parking pads

Staff have also included regulations from surrounding cities - although many surrounding cities did not have any additional standards for parking pads, just for driveways.

September Regular Meeting
The Planning Commission recommended changing the size limitation of parking pads based on acreage, and not the number of vehicles permitted by City Code. The proposed Ordinance would allow parking pads of no more than 500 square feet on properties less than 2.5 acres in size. There would not be a size requirement for properties 2.5 acres or larger.

October Work Session
Requested revisions included clarification of the 15' side yard width requirement - including drawings representing this, and research into Item E regarding what types of vehicles are considered for the item count (i.e. motor vehicles, boats, go-carts, motorbikes, fish houses, etc.). Staff have made the requested changes in the attachments.

Alternatives:
Alternative 1: Recommend adoption of Ordinance #21-15 to the City Council. Staff supports this alternative.
Alternative 2: Recommend additional changes be made to Ordinance #21-15, and an updated draft be presented to the Planning Commission at their next regular meeting.
Alternative 3: Recommend denial of Ordinance #21-15 to the City Council. Staff does not support this alternative.

This case is being handled as part of Staff's regular duties.

Staff recommends forwarding Ordinance #21-15 to the City Council for adoption.

Motion to recommend City Council adopt Ordinance #21-15.