Frisco Enterprise
By Audrey Henvey | Star Local Media
August 2, 2023

Amid new development in Frisco’s downtown area, the city is looking to address parking needs.

During a Tuesday meeting, the Frisco City Council approved a zoning ordinance that amended parking reduction allowances in the city’s old town commercial (OTC) zoning district.

Previously, the city’s zoning standards for the OTC district allowed for parking requirements to be reduced by 50% compared to what would be required elsewhere in the city.

“So what staff has found is that as new development, as more intensive development has come into the downtown, when those uses are taking advantage of that 50% parking reduction, that adequate parking is not being provided to serve those more intensive uses,” said Jonathan Hubbard, senior director of planning for the city. “Therefore staff is proposing a few amendments.”

Per the proposed amendment, uses currently in the OTC or uses looking to come into the OTC and operate in an existing structure as it is would still have the 50% parking reduction option. For new development or uses that are looking to enter the OTC and renovate a structure for a more intense use, the proposal was to change the allowance to only a 30% reduction, Hubbard said.

Proposed amendments also involved excluding outdoor seating areas from the parking requirement considerations.

“Staff is just proposing to exclude all outdoor dining spaces as a means to incentivize more outdoor space, more outdoor dining opportunities in the OTC,” he said.

The proposal also included clarifying within the amendment that the parking reductions are only applicable to nonresidential development. Any residential development that comes to the downtown area would be expected to fulfill 100% of parking requirements, Hubbard said.

Hubbard said city staff spoke with the downtown advisory board. While the board recommended approval for the proposal, Hubbard said the board wanted it on the record that they do have concerns that the move “may potentially hinder small business growth.” The proposal was recommended for approval by the city’s planning and zoning commission and by city staff.

During the discussion, Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney noted that the city is slated to bring on a downtown parking garage thanks to a $20 million bond item that was approved by voters in May. He also noted that the city is investing millions in revamping the downtown area’s roadways and infrastructure.

“So while this may be necessary to help the current situation, long term, the city is certainly helping to provide relief that we need down there,” Cheney said of the proposed zoning amendment.

In response to a question from Council Member Laura Rummel, Hubbard said the city ordinance includes a provision that allows for city lot spaces to be awarded to uses if a use doesn’t have the ability to provide its own parking. The staff keeps a running tally on awarded spaces, Hubbard said. When the downtown parking garage comes online in the future, Hubbard said, city staff will be able to consider its role in that.

“But without that parking garage being built at this time, not knowing the exact timing, staff is not in a position to start awarding spaces for spaces that are not there yet,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard confirmed that the item could be revisited in the future.

The proposal was approved by the city council in a unanimous vote, and city staff was directed to prepare an ordinance.