HomeMy WebLinkAboutA039 - Second reading of ordinance modifying driveway dimensions and spacingTo:Mayor & City Council
From:Kelly Diekmann, Director of Planning & Housing
Date:July 22, 2025
Subject:Second Reading of Driveway Ordinance
Item No. 41
MEMO
The ordinance relating to modifying driveway dimensions and spacing is attached
for the City Council's review and consideration of second reading.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Ordinance_Driveway_Width_Standards.pdf
City Clerk's Office 515.239.5105 main
515.239.5142 fax
515 Clark Ave. P.O. Box 811
Ames, IA 50010
www.CityofAmes.org
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ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF
THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY AMENDING SECTIONS
29.406(7) and 29.406(10) THEREOF, FOR THE PURPOSE
OF MODIFYING DRIVEWAY WIDTH AND STANDARDS
REPEALING ANY AND ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF
ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH
CONFLICT; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED, by the City Council for the City of Ames, Iowa, that:
Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and the same is
hereby amended by amending Section 29.406(7) and 29.406(10) as follows:
“Sec. 29.406. OFF-STREET PARKING.
* * *
(7)Locating Parking Spaces and Paving in the Front Yard.
* * *
(e)Household living and short-term lodging front yard vehicular parking
within any "RL", "RM", "RH", "UCRM", "FS-RL", or "FS-RM" zones is prohibited, except upon
an approved driveway that leads to a side or rear yard vehicular parking area or to a garage.
Specifications for driveways are stated below, no other installation at grade of any expanse of
asphalt, gravel, brick, concrete, or other form of paving is permitted without approval by the
Planning and Housing Department:
(i)No required parking for apartment buildings may be approved upon
a driveway within a front yard.
(ii)All newly constructed single and two-family dwellings shall provide
for at least one required parking space located outside of the Front Yard.
(iii) Prior to approval of a permit to establish an Accessory Dwelling Unit,
two conforming paved parking spaces per dwelling unit of the single-family residence on the
property must exist.
* * *
(10)Driveways. Driveways to all parking facilities shall be designed to promote safety and
access management while providing convenient access to adjoining properties. Drive Through
Facilities have additional standards within Article 13. The Planning and Housing Department
shall maintain a Driveway Manual to provide examples and diagrams of generally accepted
practices for conformance to front yard parking, paving, and driveway specifications for
residential properties.
(a)Driveway width and design characteristics shall be as specified in the
Design Manual of the Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) as adopted by the
City of Ames unless specified differently in this Chapter. Driveway width shall be the specified
minimum to promote on street parking opportunities and pedestrian safety unless the City Traffic
Engineer approves a wider driveway width (not to exceed SUDAS maximum) based upon the
applicable following criteria:
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(i)The extra driveway approach width is necessary to accommodate
design dimension characteristics of non-residential vehicles that regularly use the site (does not
apply to properties with dwelling units); or
(ii)The extra driveway approach width is necessary to resolve concerns
over safe approach and volume of traffic entering and exiting the site.
(b)Additional driveways.
(i)Additional nonresidential driveways shall be limited to the
minimum number necessary for use and design characteristics of the site and in conformance with
SUDAS standards.
(ii)A second single or two-family driveway may be permitted by the
Traffic Engineer if the lot has at least 150 100 linear feet of street frontage and can meet all other
specifications and spacing requirements including 75 feet of separation between drives.
New construction of a Two-Family Dwelling may have a second
driveway approved by the Planning and Housing Director subject to size and appearance
standards of Sec. 29.410 and all other specifications and spacing requirements, including
conformance with all driveways design specifications including but not limited to widths, flares,
sidewalk slope, and separation from other driveways (e.g. five feet) and property lines in
accordance with the Driveway Manual.
(c)Dimensions Single and Two Family
(i)Single and Two-Family home driveway width onsite is intended
to be proportional to the curb cut and approach dimensions in the right of way. The approach
shall match the width of the approved driveway that leads directly to parking within an attached
garage or vehicular parking outside of the front yard.
(ii)The minimum Single and Two-Family home driveway width of
the approach in the right-of-way shall be no less than 10 feet, the on-site driveway width shall be
no less than 9 feet.
(iii)The maximum width of a driveway approach is 12 feet for a one-
car garage, carport, or uncovered parking spaces, 20 feet for a two-car garage, and 24 feet for a
three-car garage. notwithstanding subsection (i) above, shall not exceed 34 feet inclusive of
flares measured at the curb line.
(iv) Driveway approaches that do not lead directly to a garage, including
second or looped driveways on the same street frontage are limited to 12 feet. A second
driveway shall have a minimum space of 34 feet between driveways are limited to the
equivalent width of a one car garage.
(iv) (v) On site driveway paving is limited to areas related to the width of
the garage and exceptions described in this Section. In no event will additional paving adjacent
to a driveway be approved that would allow for an additional parking space to be created in
front of a home. Walkways adjacent to a driveway must be of a different decorative paving
material or separated by five feet of vegetative landscaped area from the driveway paving.
(v) (vi) Parking upon decorative paving, rock, gravel, or other material
that is not the approved driveway is illegal front yard parking.
* * *.”
Section Two. All ordinances, or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed to the extent of such conflict, if any.
Section Three. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage
and publication as required by law.
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Passed this day of , 2025.
__________________________________________________________________
John A. Haila, Mayor
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
Passed on:
I, Renee Hall, City Clerk of the City of Ames, Iowa, hereby certify that the above and
foregoing is a true copy of Ordinance No. _____________, passed by the City Council of said
City at the meeting held on ____________________________, and signed by the Mayor on
____________________, and published in the Ames Tribune on _________________.
____________________________________
Renee Hall, City Clerk
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