DRC_STAFF REPORT_TOD ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS_051226.DOCX

STAFF REPORT
TOD ZONING & DEVELOPMENT CODE TEXT AMENDMENT
(PL260139)
COMMENTS:
In 2020, Planning staff introduced an Urban Code District (UCD) to be added to the Zoning and Development 
Code (ZDC) which was to be applied to the 1) downtown area, 2) the area between Rural Road to the west 
and Dorsey Street to the east and roughly between University Drive to the north and Mill Avenue to the south, 
and 3) those areas along Apache Boulevard from Rural Road to the west and the Price - 101 freeway to the 
east. There were to be seven zones within the UCD that ranged in density and included permitted land use, 
development standard and parking requirements. This included a consultant provided study of parking 
reductions for these areas. The UCD and the Urban Core Masterplan were withdrawn and did not ultimately 
move forward for City Council at that time.
In January 2024, the Phoenix City Council approved a zoning ordinance code text amendment to reduce the 
minimum parking requirements for multi-family, single-family attached, and affordable housing projects, and 
introduced the definition of “unreserved spaces”, also known as guest parking spaces. It is important to note 
that at the time, many other cities across the country were undertaking similar code text amendments to 
address parking issues to accommodate the need of changing demographics.
At the Joint City Council/Development Review Commission meeting on May 13, 2024, Planning staff 
presented an analysis of the parking requirements of the City of Tempe compared with those of the City of 
Phoenix. The purpose of the analysis was to evaluate the adequacy of parking in Tempe’s downtown area 
and to provide recommendations for improving parking inadequacies.
In conducting its research, Tempe Planning staff determined that the parking requirements of Tempe’s 
Transportation Overlay District (TOD) were higher comparable to those of the City of Phoenix’s Walkable Urban 
Code. As a result, Tempe staff realized that it could bring its TOD parking requirements in line with those of 
the Phoenix Walkable Code and in line with more recent project entitlements.
This code text amendment includes amending Part 5, Chapter 6, Transportation Overlay District of the ZDC as 
follows:
Section 5-602 – Boundaries

The seven Station Areas within the TOD are listed by name (i.e. Mill Avenue and Third Street, 
Veteran’s Way and College Avenue, University Drive and Rural Road, Dorsey Lane and Apache 
Boulevard, McClintock Drive and Apache Boulevard, Smith-Martin and Apache Boulevard, and 
Price-101 and Apache Boulevard) and renumbering of this section is required due to this addition.

Figure 5-602A – Transportation Overlay District Boundary Map, has been replaced with a new map 
that more clearly delineates the Station and Corridor areas and includes the seven Station Areas 
by name and location.
Section 5-603 – Applicability

Section 5-603.C – Amendments, has been revised to include additional property that can be added 
to the TOD subject to proximity of future streetcar alignment or streetcar line.
Section 5-612 – Pedestrian Oriented Design Standards


Sections 5-612 J (Minimum Parking Ratios), K (Maximum Parking Ratios) and L (On-Street 
Parking) have been deleted and moved to a new section related to parking.

Table 5-612A (Transportation Overlay District Reductions to Minimum Parking) has been 
deleted and a new table is proposed for the new parking section.

PL260139 – ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS 
Page 3
May 12, 2026

Section 5-612 M (Sidewalk Standards) has been renumbered 5-612 J and language has been 
added that would allow exceptions to be made to the minimum 8-foot public sidewalk width for 
neighborhood or local streets subject to Traffic Engineering approval.

Section 5-612 O (Loading, Delivery and Service Entrances) has been renumbered 5-612 L and 
includes language stating that drop off and pickup spaces for passenger share ride shall not 
occupy required parking or travel lanes and shall be clearly visible and accessible to 
development entrances.

Re-lettering of Section 5-612 is required due to the relocation of parking related standards to 
the new parking section.
Section 5-613 – Parking Standards

This is a new parking section that includes standards for:
o
Minimum parking requirements based upon the location of a property within a 
specific Station Area or Corridor (identified in Table 5-613A);
o
Maximum and on-street parking standards; and
o
Clarification of parking requirements for guest parking and mixed-use developments.
Comparison Between Current and Proposed TOD Parking Requirements
Current TOD Parking Requirements
Proposed TOD Parking Requirements
Use
Corridor
Station Area
Use
Corridor
Station Area by 
#
SINGLE-FAMILY 
None specified 
None specified 
SINGLE-FAMILY 
1 space per unit 
+ 0.2 unrestricted 
guest spaces per 
unit
1 and 2: Refer to 
Downtown 
Parking 
Standards
3 through 7: 1 
space per unit + 
0.1 unrestricted 
guest spaces per 
unit 
MULTI-FAMILY 
0.75 spaces per 
bedroom plus 
guest parking 
0.75 spaces per 
bedroom plus 
guest parking 
MULTI-FAMILY 
0.5 spaces per 
bedroom + 0.2 
unrestricted 
guest spaces per 
unit 
1 and 2: Refer to 
Downtown 
Parking 
Standards 
3 and 4: 0.4 
spaces per 
bedroom + 0.1 
unrestricted 
guest spaces per 
unit 
5 through 7: 0.5 
spaces per 
bedroom + 0.1 
unrestricted 
guest spaces per 
unit 
RETAIL SALES AND 
SERVICE 
USES/CUSTOMER 
SERVICE 
OFFICES/ENTERTAINME
NT USES (EXCLUDING 
THEATERS)
Parking waived 
for 25% of floor 
area not to 
exceed 10,000 
SF of floor area
Parking waived 
for 50% of floor 
area not to 
exceed 30,000 
SF of floor area
COMMERCIAL (ALL 
TYPES OF 
COMMERCIAL USES 
INCLUDING RETAIL, 
RESTAURANT, BAR, 
OFFICE AND 
CONFERENCE/ASSEMB
LY)
1 space per 500 
SF
1 and 2: Refer to 
Downtown 
Standards
3 through 7: 1 
space per 500 
SF
THEATERS
Parking waived 
for first 50 seats 
Parking waived 
for first 150 
seats 
REFER TO 
COMMERCIAL USES 
(ALL TYPES)

PL260139 – ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS 
Page 4
May 12, 2026
RESTAURANTS/BARS 
AND CLUBS
Parking waived 
for 25% of floor 
area, not to 
exceed 1,250 
SF of floor area
Parking waived 
for 50% of floor 
area not to 
exceed 2,500 
SF of floor area
REFER TO 
COMMERCIAL USES 
(ALL TYPES)
 
HOTEL
None specified 
None specified 
HOTEL
0.5 spaces per 
hotel unit + 
commercial 
1 and 2: Refer to 
Downtown 
Parking 
Standards
3 through 7: 0.5 
spaces per hotel 
unit, + 
commercial.  
First 5,000 SF 
waived for 
commercial; 1 
space per 500 
SF thereafter
OUTDOOR DINING AREA
No standard
No standard
OUTDOOR DINING 
No Standard
No Standard
Staff reviewed approved projects in the TOD area from the last few years and found that the majority of 
these projects included a Planned Area Development (PAD) Overlay component in which the applicant 
proposed a parking reduction from the TOD parking ratios, often times bringing the provided number of 
parking spaces well below what have been required using the current TOD parking ratios.  
Dorsey Station (PL250278), the mixed-use development located at 1320 E. Apache Boulevard and 1412 
Dorsey Lane is an example of such a project.  The project included 400 multi-family residential units 
along with commercial uses in which a PAD Overlay was proposed to deviate from the development 
standards of the MU-4 TOD zoning district for building height and from the parking requirements of the 
TOD Overlay.  The table below from the Dorsey Station staff report illustrates the current TOD parking 
ratios compared to those requested with the associated PAD. 
While PADs are a common way for applicants to request deviations from the development standards 
and parking requirements of the Zoning and Development Code, lowering the parking requirement in 
the TOD provides additional incentives to developers and businesses to lower overall costs of 
development and for the City of Tempe to promote and increase the use of alternative modes of 
transportation and encourage a mix of uses and balance of densities and intensities within its activity 
areas which are accessible to alternative modes of transportation.

PL260139 – ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS 
Page 5
May 12, 2026
PUBLIC INPUT

A neighborhood meeting is not required for code text amendments.

Development Review Commission heard a presentation and discussed the changes at a study 
session on April 28, 2026.

Neighborhood Advisory Commission will hear a presentation and discuss the changes during a 
meeting on May 6, 2026.

The draft ordinance was posted online on the Planning Division webpage.

Upon completion of this report, staff has received no inquiries or comments regarding the 
proposed changes.
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMISSION STUDY SESSION
Staff presented the proposed code text changes on April 28, 2026 for preliminary feedback. The 
Commission asked for an illustration that shows the current TOD parking requirements versus the 
proposed changes and asked if analysis was done on projects the Commission has approved over 
the past couple of years to see how these proposed changes would have affected them or potentially 
resulted in them being denied.  Chair Johnson stated that he would also like to see these 
comparisons and that in general the direction is very good to see.
NEIGHBORHOOD ADVISORY COMMISSION
Staff will be presenting the proposed code changes on May 6, 2026 for feedback. 
GENERAL PLAN 
The proposed code text amendment will not impact the goals and objectives of the Tempe Tomorrow: 
General Plan 2050. The proposed additions and clarifications to the ZDC will facilitate implementation 
of certain objectives within the General Plan relating to transportation, economic development, 
sustainability, and the protection of public health, safety and welfare.
HISTORY & FACTS:
January 20, 2005
City Council adopted the Zoning and Development Code, a new Zoning 
Ordinance 2003.36 and repealing Zoning Ordinance 808, which had been in effect 
since this date. Subsequent revisions have been made to the code over the past twenty 
years to keep the code current with General Plan updates, changes in state laws, new 
technologies and other factors that affect code implementation and enforcement.
April 28, 2026 Development Review Commission heard a presentation at their study session 
regarding the requested Zoning and Development Code text amendment.
May 6, 2026: Neighborhood Advisory Commission is scheduled to hear a presentation regarding the 
requested Zoning and Development Code text amendment. 
May 12, 2026 Development Review Commission is scheduled to hear a presentation regarding the 
requested Zoning and Development Code text amendment for recommendation to City 
Council.
June 2, 2026 City Council is scheduled for the first public hearing for the requested Zoning and 
Development Code text amendment.
June 25, 2026 
City Council is scheduled for a second and final public hearing for Zoning and 
Development Code text amendment.

PL260139 – ZONING CODE TEXT AMENDMENTS 
Page 6
May 12, 2026
ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT CODE REFERENCE: 
Section 5-602 – Boundaries
Section 5-603 – Applicability
Section 5-612 – Pedestrian Oriented Design Standards
Section 5-613 – Parking Standards