A parking garage that does not incorporate ground-floor nonresidential or residential use or is not otherwise screened or concealed at street frontages on the ground level, must provide a densely planted landscape perimeter that is a minimum of 10 feet in depth for any garage of less than 5 levels and 20 feet in depth for any garage with 5 levels or more.
88-425-07-C.
so all new garages must be concealed or landscaped. the days of big openings into a garage (other than the entrance) at street level is gone
parking garage ordinance to be aware of
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flyingember
- Mark Twain Tower
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LenexatoKCMO
- City Center Square
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Re: parking garage ordinance to be aware of
I like the spirit, but is twenty feet of lawn really the answer? We all know what the typical KC developer is likely to do if given a choice between building ground floor commercial space v. Incorporate a 20 ft set back of sod.
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flyingember
- Mark Twain Tower
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- Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:54 am
Re: parking garage ordinance to be aware of
it's not fair, it's meant to drive actual substance at ground level rather than rows of cars.
go down the 1000 block of Main and imagine if there had been usable space at ground level the whole way down right now instead of open parking garages
20 feet is 1/15th the depth of a block downtown. imagine losing that much space on each floor and having to maintain the landscaping forever.
here's a related one for non-industrial areas requiring the improvements that goes a step further. so if someone wants a garage in the crossroads or river market it's basically mandatory to have a ground floor use other than parking
this, not the streetcar, will change how KC looks
88-425-07-A. GROUND-FLOOR RETAIL/OFFICE
When a parking garage is proposed for a street where the predominant use is retail or office, the garage's ground-level street frontage (except for driveways and pedestrian entrances) must be improved with retail, office of other active use types, as permitted by the subject zoning district. Ground-floor space improved with retail, office or other active uses must include display windows, lighting, architectural treatments, or landscaping that enhances the pedestrian environment.
go down the 1000 block of Main and imagine if there had been usable space at ground level the whole way down right now instead of open parking garages
20 feet is 1/15th the depth of a block downtown. imagine losing that much space on each floor and having to maintain the landscaping forever.
here's a related one for non-industrial areas requiring the improvements that goes a step further. so if someone wants a garage in the crossroads or river market it's basically mandatory to have a ground floor use other than parking
this, not the streetcar, will change how KC looks
88-425-07-A. GROUND-FLOOR RETAIL/OFFICE
When a parking garage is proposed for a street where the predominant use is retail or office, the garage's ground-level street frontage (except for driveways and pedestrian entrances) must be improved with retail, office of other active use types, as permitted by the subject zoning district. Ground-floor space improved with retail, office or other active uses must include display windows, lighting, architectural treatments, or landscaping that enhances the pedestrian environment.