Proposed ordinance could reduce parking requirements for multi-family housing in Leland

LELAND, N.C. (WECT) - A proposed ordinance on the agenda for the Leland Planning Board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25 could reduce the minimum and maximum parking space requirements for multi-family residential developments.

Leland’s ordinances currently require a minimum of one parking space per bedroom and a maximum of three spaces per dwelling unit for multi-family housing. The amendment would reduce the requirements to a minimum of one space per dwelling unit and a maximum of 2.5 spaces per dwelling unit. A “dwelling unit” typically refers to a single apartment or unit in a townhome or duplex; one dwelling unit can have multiple bedrooms.

For an apartment or townhome unit with two bedrooms, the current ordinance requires two parking spaces (one for each bedroom), while the proposed ordinance would only require one parking space (one for each dwelling unit).

Paramounte Engineering, a local company that works in land planning and civil engineering, submitted the amendment on October 12. In the amendment, they say that stormwater runoff is one of the largest sources of non-point source pollution in the state, and that one parking space can produce about 5,857 gallons of stormwater runoff in a single year.

“Excessive parking promotes sprawling developments and, on many parcels in the Town, can result in greater wetland impact and more land disturbance to accommodate larger paved surfaces,” said Paramounte in the proposal.

Town staff recommended approval for similar reasons: parking lots take up large amounts of space that can cause increased issues with flooding.

For now, the Leland Planning Board will consider whether to recommend the amendment for passage by the town council at their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25.

Though the proposed amendment lists the requirement as two spaces per bedroom, the Leland Code of Ordinances website lists this requirement as one space per bedroom.

Copyright 2022 WECT. All rights reserved.