New parking requirement for residential builds

At the June 19 Libby City Council meeting, the council passed a new ordinance establishing parking requirements for future residential buildings.

The ordinance, which the council passed unanimously after its second reading, stated the City of Libby was previously lacking uniform parking standards.

It also asserted that there had been several instances where Libby has seen insufficient off-street parking built in conjunction with new development. The ordinance also cites Libby's growth as a factor considered in this ordinance.

The city council adopted the new standard of two parking spaces per newly constructed residential dwelling unit.

These minimum parking requirements will ensure residents have enough parking space to prevent conflict with neighbors and maintain safe access to streets and alleyways, the ordinance said.

During the public comment period, Darrel "DC" Orr challenged the assertion that insufficient off-street parking has been constructed.

"If you look at our city code, we had parking requirements in the commercial highway district that necessitated adequate parking. Still, there were also residential areas that the city decided needed parking parameters outlined," City Administrator Samuel Sikes said.

"If anybody is building three or four plexes, you have to have two parking spaces per dwelling unit and you have to have one additional parking space for every three units for guest parking.

"So by adopting that ordinance, it says that 'Hey, for each dwelling unit, you have to have two parking spaces,'" Sikes said. "A lot of families will have three or four cars, especially as kids get older."

Sikes said the new minimum standard will help keep residents from parking on the streets. As for older structures, they will be grandfathered in. The ordinance will take effect 30 days after the June 19 meeting.

"People have to use vehicles. We don't have the infrastructure of public transportation that urban communities have. Especially when it comes down to wintertime when bicycles become obsolete, so that's why it was very important that the council did that, and I applauded them for it," Sikes said.