Underground parking? It’s possible

Patchogue Village has always been forward thinking and on Monday, Jan. 11 night the board showed just that after unanimously approving a code change to allow for subterrain, partial and ground level below building parking in the D2 business district.

“This is an innovative proposal to regulate and change parking in D2 zoning, which will have no effect on the D3 core Main Street area,” village attorney Brian Egan said explaining that D2 is located just outside of Main Street and the Four Corners.

The idea behind the proposal, he added, is basically to serve as the relief valve to pile up parking and limit the amount of unnecessary asphalt and concrete on larger lots while also allowing for enough parking in more condensed areas.
It makes sense, he added noting times have changed with car share services and working from home.

Developers will still need to fulfill parking requirements but will be given the credit of one story for the utilization of underground or subterrain parking to accommodate the feature. They will have the choice of first floor, partially submerged or completely underground parking or a mixture of the three as well as the potential for rooftop parking should infrastructure allow, all
with a maximum one-story credit and subject to planning board review. The parking will also be required to be adequately hidden with proper plantings and greenery.

“All ventilation must be concealed and not be visible from the street so that the buildings don’t look like they are on stilts,” he continued.

Also added to the code change, is an amendment to require 12-feet wide driveways at multi-family homes and businesses within residential areas to allow for more than one car parking, two lanes of traffic and areas for pedestrians with vision clearance. As well as the ability to utilize more permeable materials such as rock rather than asphalt and concrete to allow for
better drainage in lots with fewer than 10 parking spaces. If utilized, parking must, however, still have a concrete or asphalt apron.

Generally, D2 buildings, Egan said, are two-stories, meaning if the subterranean, ground level parking was implemented it could only bring the building height to three stories. Or rather 45 feet in height from wherever the under-building parking ends.