MOORHEAD – Before developers bring commercial parking lots to residential neighborhoods here, they will now have to first go through a public hearing and the city will notify residents living within 350 feet of the proposed future development.
This changes how the city has previously granted permits for parkings lots with provisional use permits that don’t require public notification. Concerned neighbors have argued there was a lack of transparency with provisional use and requested the planning commission and city staff consider conditional use permits, which require council approval following a public hearing and mail notification to neighbors.
Council members unanimously approved Monday, March 26, an ordinance amendment that states parking lots in residential districts will now require a conditional use permit rather than a provisional use permit.
Discussion of parking lots in residential neighborhoods has been going on in the community since December 2017. At one point, the commission considered prohibiting commercial lots in residential areas – which is the case in Fargo and West Fargo – but the ordinance amendment was most-favored by staff and neighbors.
