Charlotte East Community Partners, Inc.

Commercial Vehicles: PRE-HEARING STAFF ANALYSIS, 9-5-03

Sep 10, 2003

*PRE-HEARING STAFF ANALYSIS*
Rezoning Petition No. 2003-58

Petitioner: Robert Brandon, Zoning Administrator

Request: Definition Amendment to Section 2.201, Commercial Vehicle Parking in Residential Areas Amendment to Section 12.218 and Customary Home Occupation Amendment to Section 12.408(10).

BACKGROUND
Commercial Vehicle Parking in Residential Areas:
The reason for this change is that the parking of commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods has become an issue, both with individuals and small businesses parking company vehicles overnight at their residences, either on private property or on public streets.

Customary Home Occupations:
The purpose for this change is also to provide needed changes to regulate parking of commercial vehicles associated with Customary Home Occupations. The parking of such vehicles has resulted in complaints from neighbors about the parking of such vehicles on public streets and on neighboring private property.

PROPOSALS
The proposed revisions would apply the same standards to commercial vehicles being parked overnight in residential districts and to customary home occupations.

Commercial Vehicle Parking in Residential Areas:
This text amendment would add definitions for three classes of commercial vehicles. Large commercial vehicles would be prohibited from parking overnight in residential areas. Medium commercial vehicles would be allowed to park in neighborhoods if parked in side or rear yards and screened from the front and side. Light commercial vehicles would be allowed to park in front of a home with no screening.

The proposed text amendment allows one light or medium commercial vehicle and one passenger vehicle used for business purposes to be parked at a residence overnight. Medium commercial vehicles must be screened.

Light and medium commercial vehicles may be parked in multi-family projects of at least 150 units. They must be screened and larger than normal parking spaces must be provided.
Light and medium commercial vehicles may be parked in true mixed-use (vertically integrated) districts. In mixed-use districts where the uses are separated, the standards for residential districts will apply in residential areas.

Commercial vehicle standards do not apply to temporary parking for deliveries, etc. They also do not apply to active job sites or staging areas in residential districts.

There is a six-month grace period before these regulations become effective.

CONCLUSION
The above is only a summary of the proposed text amendment. See the ordinance language for complete details. The staff believes that this proposal is a realistic compromise between those affected by commercial vehicles and the commercial vehicle operators that will be impacted by the amendments.