The purpose of this chapter is to:
(1) 
Implement the city's comprehensive plan;
(2) 
Ensure that the city's supply of available parking matches parking demand most of the time;
(3) 
Encourage the continued development of Port Orchard as a walkable community;
(4) 
Support the efficient provision of transit services including buses and passenger ferries;
(5) 
Support transit-oriented development in local centers;
(6) 
Limit the creation of unnecessary new impervious surfaces;
(7) 
Ensure the efficient use of available and existing parking;
(8) 
Provide alternatives to single occupant vehicle trips;
(9) 
Encourage the creation of housing that is affordable to all segments of the population;
(10) 
Provide housing, employment, and commerce opportunities to residents who, by choice or other limitation, do not own a car;
(11) 
Recognize innovations in transportation including car sharing, ride sharing, bike sharing, and other emerging technologies that are likely to change transportation patterns in the future;
(12) 
Recognize that the city's goals related to the development of walkable local centers is hindered by restrictive parking minimums and that expansion of transit service as an alternative to single occupant vehicle ownership is hindered by the lack of development in local centers; and
(13) 
Support the commitment expressed in the city's comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
(Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
(1) 
The city shall not issue any land use approval (including building permits, subdivisions, conditional use permits, binding site plans, short subdivisions, or other similar approvals which have the effect of creating a parking demand) or issue an occupancy permit for any new building or a change in use unless the use complies with the parking requirements found in this chapter.
(2) 
Parking studies prepared by individuals with expertise in traffic and parking analysis may be required at the discretion of the director for unique projects which don't fit squarely in the land use categories contained herein. The director may require that such studies be evaluated and reviewed by outside experts hired by the city at the developer's expense prior to city acceptance.
(3) 
Required parking may be provided off site if contracts and/or deed restrictions are provided to ensure the satisfaction of the minimum parking quantity requirements found in this chapter in perpetuity. Should the parking quantity requirements found in this chapter change, a contract and/or deed restriction may be amended by agreement with the city so long as minimum parking quantity requirements continue to be met under the new standard.
(Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
(1) 
Off-street parking areas shall contain at a minimum the number of vehicle and bicycle parking spaces set forth in POMC § 20.124.040 and § 20.124.140. Off-street parking ratios expressed as number of spaces per square feet means the gross square footage of floor area. If the formula for determining the number of off-street parking spaces results in a fraction, the number of off-street parking spaces shall be rounded to the nearest whole number with fractions of 0.50 or greater rounding up and fractions below 0.50 rounding down.
(2) 
An applicant may request a modification of the minimum required number of parking spaces by submitting an application for an administrative variance Type 2 pursuant to POMC § 20.28.150.
(3) 
When the city has received a shell-and-core building permit application, off-street parking requirements shall be based on the possible tenant improvements or uses authorized by the zone designation and compatible with the limitations of the shell-and-core permit. When the range of possible uses result in different parking requirements, the director will establish the amount of required parking based on a likely range of uses.
(Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
(1) 
Bicycle parking facilities shall be provided for new buildings or facilities, additions to or enlargements of existing buildings, or for changes in the use of buildings or facilities that result in the need for additional auto parking facilities in accordance with the parking requirements in POMC § 20.124.140 and where required in Table 20.124.140. The director is authorized to approve modifications to these standards when the applicant successfully demonstrates that the proposed alternative layout, location, design or type of racking meets the intent of these standards.
(2) 
The number of required bicycle parking spaces shall be calculated as shown in Table 20.124.140.
(3) 
Individual bicycle parking spaces shall be a minimum of 75 inches long by 24 inches wide for each space. Where double-sided multi-racks are utilized resulting in overlapping of bicycle parking spaces, the minimum bicycle parking space for two bicycles shall be 100 inches long by 36 inches wide.
(4) 
Bicycle parking racks shall be located in areas visible from public right-of-way and shall be provided with adequate lighting if intended for use after dark. A minimum of 50 percent of the required number of bicycle parking spaces shall be located within 50 feet of a public entrance to the building requiring bicycle parking spaces.
(5) 
Bicycle parking racks shall support the bikes in a stable, upright position, without damage to wheels, frame or other components.
(6) 
Bicycle parking racks shall support the frame of the bicycle at two points of contact and at least one wheel. Racks shall allow the frame and one wheel to be locked to the rack, regardless of whether the front wheel is removed or not. Racks shall be securely anchored. Racks shall accommodate a wide variety of sizes and types of bicycles, including those with water bottles or without kick stands.
(7) 
Bicycle parking racks shall be permanently mounted/installed within private property on solid surfaces. Racks placed adjacent to sidewalks shall not encroach upon required pedestrian access ways, accessible routes or accessible passing space areas.
(8) 
Access shall be provided to each required bicycle parking space. Aisles shall have a width of at least three feet to the front, rear or side of the bicycle parking spaces.
(9) 
Racks shall be placed a minimum of 24 inches away from walls and other elements that may create an obstacle to accessing the bike parking spaces.
(10) 
Where the required bicycle parking spaces cannot be properly located upon the property generating the need for bicycle parking, the owner or applicant of the property generating the need for bicycle parking may apply for a street use from the city for permission to locate the bicycle parking on city right-of-way.
(Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 050-22 § 10; Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
Off-street accessible parking shall be provided in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or as subsequently amended, and all state and federal standards including but not limited to the minimum number of standard and van accessible spaces based on the total off-street parking facility size.
(Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
(1) 
A stacking space shall be an area measuring eight feet by 20 feet with direct forward access to a service window of a drive-through facility. A stacking space shall be located to prevent any vehicle from extending onto the public right-of-way or interfering with any pedestrian circulation, traffic maneuvering, or other parking space areas. Stacking spaces for drive-through or drive-in uses may not be counted as required parking spaces.
(2) 
Uses providing drive-up or drive-through services shall provide vehicle stacking spaces in the following serial or combined sequence per lane of drive-up window; such required spaces shall include the drive-up window space itself:
(a) 
For each service window of a drive-through restaurant, a minimum of five stacking spaces shall be provided.
(b) 
For all other uses, each drive-up window requires a minimum of three stacking spaces.
(c) 
The director may require a vehicle stacking study for proposals if evidence exists to indicate that more than the minimum stacking spaces under subsections (2)(a) and (b) of this section are required to serve a particular use or development.
(3) 
Stacking spaces shall be screened from the right-of-way and adjacent properties using a five-foot type A or B landscape buffer as described in POMC § 20.128.060.
(Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
To support the use of ridesharing as an alternative mode of transportation that will aid the city in its efforts to reduce air pollution, traffic congestion, and fossil fuel consumption, the following shall apply:
(1) 
All land uses with 25 employees working at any given work site during a single work shift listed under the government/business services and manufacturing tables shall be required to reserve parking spaces for registered rideshare vehicle parking as follows:
(a) 
There shall be a minimum of one open parking space reserved for an employee rideshare vehicle, and all registered rideshare vehicles shall have a reserved parking space.
(b) 
A vehicle parked in a rideshare vehicle only parking space must be registered in Kitsap Transit's countywide public rideshare vehicle registration program, qualify as a rideshare vehicle as defined by Kitsap Transit, and display a valid car/vanpool pass.
(c) 
Each rideshare vehicle parking space shall be clearly labeled with a Kitsap Transit carpool or vanpool parking sign.
(d) 
Except for disabled parking spaces, rideshare vehicle parking spaces shall be located closer to the primary employee entrance than any other employee parking spaces.
(2) 
All uses which are located on an existing transit route and are required under the computation for required off-street parking to provide more than 200 parking spaces may be required to provide transit shelters, bus turnout lanes or other transit improvements as a condition of permit approval.
(Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 017-23 § 5 (Exh. A); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
(1) 
The standards in this section shall apply to detached houses, and middle housing as defined in Chapters 20.12 and 20.32 POMC, in any zone in which they are built.
(2) 
For lots abutting an improved alley that meets the city's standard for width, vehicular access shall be taken from the alley. Lots without access to an improved alley and taking vehicular access from a street shall meet the other standards of subsections (3) through (6) of this section.
(3) 
Garages, driveways, and off-street parking areas shall not be located between a building and a street, except when any of the following conditions are met:
(a) 
The combined width of all garages, driveways, and off-street parking areas does not exceed a total of 60 percent of the length of the street frontage property line. This standard applies to buildings and not individual units; or
(b) 
The garage, driveway, or off-street parking area is separated from the street property line by a dwelling; or
(c) 
The garage, driveway, or off-street parking is located more than 100 feet from a street.
(4) 
All detached garages and carports shall not protrude beyond the front building facade.
(5) 
The total width of all driveway approaches shall not exceed 32 feet per frontage, as measured at the property line. Individual driveway approaches shall not exceed 20 feet in width.
(6) 
Requirements for driveway separation and access from collector streets and arterial streets shall conform to the standards described in the adopted public works standards and specifications.
(Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
(1) 
The most distant parking space shall not be located more than 1,000 feet away from the nearest building entrance it is required to serve. Where the off-street parking areas do not abut the buildings they serve, the required maximum distance shall be measured from the nearest building entrance that the parking area serves:
(a) 
In designated local centers, required parking spaces may be located on consolidated off-site parking lots distributed at accessible locations within the center.
(2) 
Minimum parking space and aisle dimensions shall be determined by the director. Regardless of the parking angle, one-way aisles shall be at least 10 feet wide, and two-way aisles shall be at least 20 feet wide.
(3) 
Any parking spaces abutting a landscaped area on the driver or passenger side of the vehicle shall provide an additional 18 inches above the minimum space width requirement to provide a place to step other than in the landscaped area. The additional width shall be separated from the adjacent parking space by a parking space division stripe. The parking space depth may be reduced when vehicles overhang a walkway under the following conditions:
(a) 
Wheelstops or curbs are installed; and
(b) 
The remaining walkway provides a minimum of 60 inches of unimpeded passageway for pedestrians.
(4) 
The amount of parking stall depth reduction is limited to a maximum of 18 inches.
(5) 
Lighting of off-street parking areas shall be provided for safety of traffic and pedestrian circulation on the site, as specified in the International Building Code. Lighting shall be designed to minimize direct illumination of abutting properties and adjacent streets. The director shall have the authority to determine lighting requirements including requiring the preparation of lighting plans to determine the adequacy of on-site lighting as well as the off-site lighting impacts.
(6) 
Tandem or end-to-end parking is allowed in single-family detached residential developments. Driveways crossing required setback areas may be used for parking when serving single-family detached dwellings. Attached single-family and multifamily developments may have tandem parking areas for each dwelling unit but shall not combine parking for separate dwelling units in tandem parking areas.
(7) 
All vehicle parking and maneuvering areas serving a development activity shall be an asphalt or concrete surface, except in industrial zones where only required vehicle parking and related maneuvering areas must be paved.
(8) 
Low impact development (LID) best management practices (BMPs) shall be used for all parking lot design and construction, unless site and soil conditions make LID infeasible as determined by the city. LID BMPs for parking lot design and construction include, but are not limited to:
(a) 
Pervious surfacing;
(b) 
Integrating stormwater management facilities, such as bioretention swales, with required parking lot landscaping; and
(c) 
Using native species in the landscape design.
LID BMPs shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the LID Technical Guidance Manual for Puget Sound (current edition).
(Ord. 010-18 § 20; Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
Subject to director review and approval, up to 40 percent of the total number of spaces to be provided in any development may be sized to accommodate compact cars. Aisle widths shall conform to the standards set for standard size cars.
(Formerly 20.124.120; Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
Internal access roads to off-street parking areas shall conform with or exceed the surfacing and design requirements of the most recent adopted edition of the Port Orchard public works engineering standards and specifications.
(Formerly 20.124.130; Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 059-21 § 12; Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
Except as otherwise provided in this section, development within the downtown mixed use zone (DMU) shall provide parking in accordance with the off-street parking requirements set forth in this chapter.
(1) 
Parking shall not be required for ground floor uses in the DMU zone in the downtown subarea (see City of Port Orchard Comprehensive Plan Appendix D).
(2) 
Residential uses in the DMU zone shall meet the parking requirements of POMC § 20.124.040.
(3) 
No new street level parking lot or parking garage that fronts directly on Bay Street shall be allowed between Port Street and Seattle Avenue.
(4) 
Exemptions. The following uses and buildings within the DMU zone shall be exempt from the parking standards set forth in this chapter:
(a) 
Existing buildings and uses along both sides of Bay Street from Orchard Avenue to Seattle Avenue shall be exempt from the parking requirements set forth in this chapter.
(Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 030-21 § 11; Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N))
(1) 
Vehicle parking minimum quantities shall be provided in accordance with Table 20.124.140. Nothing in Table 20.124.140 precludes development from providing more off-street parking than the minimum required.
(2) 
With the exception of accessible parking spaces as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, minimum parking requirements are not required for the following activities:
(a) 
A building undergoing a change of use from a nonresidential to a residential use or a change of use for a commercial use;
(b) 
Residential dwelling units with a GFA equal to or less than 1,200 square feet;
(c) 
Commercial spaces with a GFA less than 3,000 square feet;
(d) 
Affordable housing;
(e) 
Senior housing;
(f) 
Facilities which serve alcohol;
(g) 
Child care centers as defined in RCW 43.216.010 that are licensed or certified by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families;
(h) 
Ground level nonresidential spaces in mixed use buildings;
(3) 
Bicycle parking minimum quantities shall be provided in accordance with Table 20.124.140. In no case is a single use required to provide more than 24 bicycle parking spaces.
Table 20.124.140
Land Use
Minimum Parking Requirement
Minimum Bicycle Parking Requirement
Residential Uses
Single-family residential dwellings (equal to or greater than 1,200 sq. ft. GFA)
0.5 stall per dwelling unit
None required
Multifamily residential dwellings (equal to or greater than 1,200 sq. ft. GFA)
0.5 stall per dwelling unit
0.25 per dwelling unit
Multifamily residential dwellings (less than 1,200 sq. ft. GFA)
0 stall per dwelling unit
0.25 per dwelling unit
Co-living
0.25 stall per sleeping unit1
1 per 4 sleeping units
Public Uses
All civic uses, except as listed below:
1 stall per 300 square feet office
5% of provided vehicle parking with a minimum of 3 spaces
Community college, high school, university, trade or technical school
1 stall per classroom and 1 stall per 5 students
5% of provided vehicle parking with a minimum of 10 spaces
Elementary, middle, or junior high school
1 stall per classroom and 1 stall per 50 students
5% of provided vehicle parking with a minimum of 10 spaces
Club or lodge
1 stall per 3 fixed seats
5% of provided vehicle parking with a minimum of 3 spaces
Place of worship
1 stall per 3 fixed seats
5% of provided vehicle parking with a minimum of 3 spaces
All open space and park uses, except as listed below:
5% of provided vehicle parking with a minimum of 10 spaces
Golf course
1 stall per hole
None required
All utilities
No min.
None required
Commercial Uses
All day care
0 stalls
None required
Commercial spaces (equal to or greater than 5,000 sq. ft. GFA)
1 stall per 1,000 sq. ft. of GFA
5% of total minimum off-street parking requirement (minimum 3)
Industrial Uses
All light manufacturing
1 stall per 1,000 square feet
5% of total minimum off-street parking requirement (minimum 3)
All research and development
1 stall per 1,000 square feet
5% of total minimum off-street parking requirement (minimum 3)
All warehouse, storage and distribution
1 stall per 1,000 square feet
5% of total minimum off-street parking requirement (minimum 3)
1 No off-street parking shall be required within one-half mile walking distance of a major transit stop as defined in RCW 36.70A.535(11).
(Formerly 20.124.250; Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § 15 (Exh. N); Ord. 019-25, 11/18/2025)
Table 20.124.150
Minimum Parking Stall Dimensions
Minimum Parking Stall Dimensions
Stall Width
Stall Depth
Compact stall
8.0 feet
16.0 feet
Standard stall (required for single-family and duplex parking)
9.0 feet
20.0 feet
Minimum Loading Requirements
Unit of Measurement
Minimum Loading Spaces
Nonresidential Buildings with Retail, Wholesale, Manufacturing, Storage Uses (1)
10,000 – 16,000
square feet
1.0
16,001 – 40,000
square feet
2.0
40,001 – 64,000
square feet
3.0
64,001 – 96,000
square feet
4.0
96,001 – 128,000
square feet
5.0
128,001 – 160,000
square feet
6.0
160,001 – 196,000
square feet
7.0
Each additional 36,000
square feet
2.0
Retail, Hotel, Office, Restaurant, Hospital, Auditorium, Convention Hall, Exhibition Hall, Sports Arena/Stadium or Similar
40,000 – 60,000
square feet
1.0
60,001 – 160,000
square feet
2.0
160,001 – 264,000
square feet
3.0
264,001 – 388,000
square feet
4.0
388,001 – 520,000
square feet
5.0
520,001 – 652,000
square feet
6.0
652,001 – 784,000
square feet
7.0
784,001 – 920,000
square feet
8.0
Each additional 140,000
square feet
1.0
Notes:
(1) Excluding self-service storage facilities.
(Formerly 20.124.260; Ord. 019-17 § 18 (Exh. 1); Ord. 011-19 § 5 (Exh. 2); Ord. 008-25 § HistoryNote15 (Exh. N))