What happened?
Coppell City Council held a public hearing and voted to approve several amendments to the city’s zoning ordinance during a March 11 meeting. The amendments add definitions for specific light industrial uses and allow more flexibility on parking for light industrial and retail users, according to a staff memo.
Light industrial spaces such as warehouses and distribution centers can have loading dock areas converted to parking for standard cars as long as the area is screened from public view. For retail centers over 10,000 square feet, the number of required parking spaces can be reduced by up to 10% with conditions.
Coppell’s Community Development Director has the ability to approve the reduction, according to the memo.
The details
The amendments are the result of roundtable discussions held with light industrial and retail developers in 2023, Development Services Administrator Matt Steer said.
In addition to the new parking flexibilities, special definitions for four specific light industrial uses have been added to the city’s zoning ordinance:
- Distribution center
- Fulfillment center
- Showroom
- Warehouse
The reduction in minimum required parking was researched and recommended by staff because the number of employees per square foot has decreased with the increased use of technology, according to the memo.
“What staff’s observed is the larger the warehouse, the emptier the parking area,” Steer said.
Also of note
Any reduction in required parking at a retail center greater than 5% will require a parking study and alternate parking plan, Steer said. The Community Development Director can administratively approve a reduction in required parking up to 10%.
“Greater flexibility in administering the parking requirements allows for more potential businesses to fill the retail centers,” he said. “The reason for the 10,000-square-foot threshold is related to the number of tenants.”
Retail centers under 10,000 square feet would have fewer tenants and therefore less parking wiggle room, Steer said.
