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Kansas City is re-writing all of its ordinances that regulate planning, zoning, parking, etc. One part of this project is a new section requiring bicycle parking for most businesses, schools, libraries, parking garages, etc.
Key Points
- Most types of businesses are covered - including office buildings, restaurants, bars, coffee houses, video stores, etc.
- One bike parking space for every ten automobile parking spaces, with a minimum of three bike parking spots.
- Businesses that provide extra facilities like lockers and showers get a reduction in their car parking requirements.
- The "Inverted-U" bike rack used in Chicago, Portland, Denver, and other cities is recommended for KC.
- Parking garages would finally be required to provide bike racks, giving us more sheltered bike parking.
Suggestions for improvement
- Differentiate between customer parking and employee or tenant parking. In other words, a bike rack on the sidewalk is fine for customers who spend 15 minutes in a store, but employees need indoor and secure parking for the entire day.
- Create a formal, transparent, and public process for granting exemptions from bike parking requirements.
- Some areas like Downtown will have reduced or even no car parking requirements - the law must specify that they still provide bike parking.
BICYCLE PARKING - Section 80-420-09
A. SPACES REQUIRED
1. Bicycle parking is required for multi-unit residential buildings and nonresidential development. Unless otherwise expressly stated, buildings and uses subject to bicycle parking
requirements must provide at least 3 bicycle parking spaces or bicycle spaces equal in
number to 10% of the actual number of off-street vehicle parking spaces provided,
whichever is greater. After the first 50 bicycle parking spaces are provided, the required
number of additional bicycle parking spaces is 5% of the required off-street vehicle parking
spaces.
2. The requirements of Sec. 80-420-09-A.1 (above) notwithstanding, the following minimum
bicycle parking requirements apply to colleges, universities, schools and libraries:
(a) Elementary and middle school: 15% of student population’
(b) High school: 10% of student population;
(c) Colleges and universities: 25% of student population; and
(d) Libraries: 1 space per 5 vehicle parking spaces.
3. The city planning and development director is authorized to approve an administrative
adjustment reducing the number of bicycle spaces required for a particular use in accordance
with 80-565.
B. DESIGN AND LOCATION
Required bicycle parking spaces must:
- consist of racks or lockers anchored so that they cannot be easily removed and of solid
construction, resistant to rust, corrosion, hammers, and saws;
Commentary: “Inverted-U” bike racks are recommended, although alternative designs may be approved by the planning and
development director.
- allow both the bicycle frame and the wheels to be locked using a standard U-lock;
- be designed so as not to cause damage to the bicycle;
- facilitate easy locking without interference from or to adjacent bicycles; and
- be located in convenient, highly visible, active, well-lighted areas without interfering
with pedestrian movements.
C. COMMERCIAL PARKING GARAGES
Parking garages containing more than 250 parking spaces must provide bicycle parking area equivalent
to 2 parking spaces. The space must contain lockers, hard covers or shells, or other similar
structures or devices in which bicycles may be covered and locked.
AUTHORIZED ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENTS - Section 80-565-02
F. BICYCLE PARKING
1. The city planning and development director is authorized to approve an administrative
adjustment reducing the number of bicycle spaces required under 80-420-06.
2. Such an administrative adjustment may be approved only when the city planning and
development director determines that use will not generate any bicycle traffic or that it
would be impossible to provide bicycle parking at the subject location.
ALTERNATIVE COMPLIANCE PARKING PLANS - Section 80-420-15
K. SPECIAL FACILITIES FOR BICYCLIST
The city planning and development director may authorize a 15% reduction in the number of required
off-street parking spaces for developments or uses that make special provisions to accommodate
bicyclists. Examples of accommodations include enclosed bicycle lockers, employee shower facilities
and dressing areas for employees. A reduction in parking may not be granted merely for providing
outdoor bicycle parking spaces.
STREETS - Section 80-405-10
A. TRAFFIC MOVEMENT AND PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION PRINCIPLES
1 .create an integrated system of lots, streets, trails, and infrastructure that provides for efficient
movement of pedestrians, bicycles and automobiles within the subdivision and to
and from adjacent development;
E. RIGHT-OF-WAY WIDTH
Proposed streets must have a right-of-way width that will safely accommodate the transportation
(vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle) improvements and street cross-sections needed to provide appropriate,
safe and adequate access to the subject development.
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