Seattle requires new off-street parking to include charging

[im.thatoneguy]

The legislation requires that all residences with private parking include an electric vehicle-ready space. Multifamily buildings with shared parking, under the bill, are required to set aside at least 20 percent of spaces for the same purpose. That number dips down to 10 percent for parking garages in non-residential parking garages.​

City passes measure for electric vehicle charging, Durkan still faces flack


All new apartment buildings and condos now must provide 20% of spaces with chargers. And 10% of new public lots must now include charging infrastructure!

“EV-ready” means a parking space that is designed and constructed to include a fully-wired circuit with a 208/240-volt, 40-amp electric vehicle charging receptacle outlet or termination point, including conduit and wiring and the electrical service capacity necessary to serve the receptacle, to allow for future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment, as defined by Article 100 of the Seattle Electrical Code.


1. Residential uses

a. Private parking for individual residential units. When parking for any individual dwelling unit is provided in a private garage, carport, or parking area, separate from any parking facilities serving other units, at least one parking space in that garage, carport, or parking area shall be EV-ready.

b. Surface parking for multiple residences. When parking for multifamily residential uses is provided in a surface parking area serving multiple residences, the number of parking spaces that shall be EV-ready shall be as follows:

1) When between one and six parking spaces are provided, each of those parking spaces shall be EV-ready;

2) When between seven and 25 parking spaces are provided, a minimum of six of those parking spaces shall be EV-ready; and

3) When more than 25 parking spaces are provided, a minimum of 20 percent of those parking spaces shall be EV-ready.

c. Parking garages for multiple residences. When parking for multifamily residential uses is provided in a parking garage serving multiple residences, a minimum of 20 percent of those parking spaces shall be EV-ready.

d. Other residential uses. When parking is provided for all other residential uses, a minimum of 20 percent of those spaces shall be EV-ready.

2. Nonresidential uses. When parking is provided for nonresidential uses, a minimum of ten percent of those spaces shall be EV-ready.
​

 

[PLUS EV]

Does this only apply to new constructions or does every building need to comply?

As an EV owner, I am all for it of course, but I can't imagine there wouldn't be some backlash if every building has to retrofit. Those requirements are quite onerous.

 

[MyJoule]

The biggest problem I see with this new ordinance is that from what I know of construction around the Wallingford area of Seattle, they are letting developers put in residential buildings with no parking, so it might not matter that they require charging spaces if there aren't even any parking spaces. We used to live in Wallingford and they have torn down multiple single family residences and erected buildings with little to no parking for the number of units. They are encouraging folks not to have cars. Seems counter intuitive to me.

 

[PLUS EV]

The biggest problem I see with this new ordinance is that from what I know of construction around the Wallingford area of Seattle, they are letting developers put in residential buildings with no parking, so it might not matter that they require charging spaces if there aren't even any parking spaces. We used to live in Wallingford and they have torn down multiple single family residences and erected buildings with little to no parking for the number of units. They are encouraging folks not to have cars. Seems counter intuitive to me.

This is happening throughout the city. And yes, this ordinance could actually further encourage this type of construction. Perhaps an unintended consequence.

 

[Kuhz]

They are encouraging folks not to have cars. Seems counter intuitive to me.

If you meant that as a positive outcome, that’s not the case. It’s about the most living sqf the lot will allow = more $$$. And that usually means no garage or driveway.

 

[KG2V]

Interesting. I think about my parent's old house, and there was no electricity in the garage at all. Then again, in 54 years of them living there, the car was parked in the garage exactly 0 days. In fact, there was (from the time I was a kid) a fence between the driveway and the back yard where the detached garage was.

 

[AudubonB]

Thinking through this, it would seem to me a 2nd order unintended consequence is that buildings constructed with no parking facility are buildings that receive less interest from buyers, and thereby command a lower price point.
The incremental cost of a de novo parking slot having a 40-amp receptacle is very minimal, so any builder who is contemplating "garage - yes/no?" is, if he or she knows the market, going to use the new regulations in an attempt to snag the EV owner or contemplator away from the competing builder who offers no garage.

There are, I admit, other factors at play but on the margin I think it's clear that having this ordnance is preferable to not having it.

 

[im.thatoneguy]

Yeah the price of adding 40A wiring is so small that it's a fraction of a penny per month in rent. Nobody is going to forgo adding parking for $50k in a 200 unit building.