HomeMy WebLinkAbout04142025 City Council Laydown - Wells2-page Laydown from Council Member Wells
ATTN: Seward City Council
From: Council Member Wells
Regarding: Ordinance 2025-007
Date: 4/13/25
Fellow Council Members,
Current parking & CUP requirements, along with those within purposed ordinance 2025-
007 are & will continue impeding affordable housing development and optimal property
value realization in our Seward community.
Eliminating parking requirements for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) could facilitate
affordable housing development without compromising living space. The Institute for
Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) emphasizes that parking minimums lead to
inefficient land use and escalated costs, disproportionately burdening lower -income
households. I have included links to supporting articles at the bottom of this document.
Several municipalities have already reduced or eliminated parking minimums with notable
results:
• Culver City, California: Abolished minimum parking requirements citywide in 2022.
• Buffalo, New York: Eliminated parking minimums in 2017, resulting in more efficient
mixed -use developments.
• Minneapolis, Minnesota: Experienced a 20% decline in adjusted rents after eliminating
single-family zoning and parking mandates in 2017.
To unlock Seward's housing growth potential, I propose the following WHEREAS be
stricken from the resolution
• WHEREAS, the requirement for an ADU to be attached to the primary dwelling helps to
maintain the character and intent of neighborhoods that are strictly zoned for single-family
dwellings; and
• WHEREAS, detached ADUs will only be allowed in zoning districts where duplexes and
multi -family dwellings are allowed; and
• WHEREAS, detached ADUs located on properties that may be subdivided will be required
to be attached to water, sewer, and electric lines separate from the primary dwelling; and
• Eliminate the minimum parking requirements for all ADU structures.
• Remove Conditional Use Permit (CUP) requirements for ADU development across all
zoning areas.
• Allow detached ADUs in all zones, including properties that may be subdivided.
• Remove restrictions on ADU attachment to primary dwellings in single-family zoning.
• Eliminate the requirement for ADUs to have separate utilities if located on a property that
can be subdivided.
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By removing these requirements, we can reduce construction costs, increase housing
supply, and prioritize people -centric urban design over vehicle -centric planning. This
approach will foster innovative housing solutions, making Seward more accessible,
affordable, and livable for all residents.
Sincerely,
Council Member Wells
"I cannot think of a single good reason to require all of society to pay for parking,"
"There is robust evidence that mandatory parking prevents affordable housing from
being built, causes people to drive, and increases the cost of literally everything."
- Culver City CouncilmemberAlex Fisch.
Links for additional data and related articles:
reason.org/commentary/why-parking-minimums-are-holding-back-housing/
smartgrowthamerica.org/parking-minimums-are-a-barrier-to-housing-development/
usa.streetsblog.org/2022/01/31/analysis-the-decline-and-fall-of-mandatory-parking-
minimums
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