Shared parking requirements.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 26-500
in effectSec. 26-500. - Shared parking requirements.
(a) Two or more different use classifications within one or more tracts that are not used for or restricted to single-family residential purposes may share parking spaces to reduce the overall parking space requirement as provided in this section. This section shall not be used to reduce the number of required bicycle spaces or loading berths.
(b) The following formula and table shall be used to determine the adjustment of the minimum number of parking spaces required by this article:
(1) Determine the number of parking spaces required by this article for each use classification individually;
(2) Multiply the number derived from item (1) of this subsection for each individual use classification by the corresponding percentage listed in the rows of the table found in this subsection for each time period found in the columns of the table;
(3) Add the numbers derived from item (2) of this subsection for each time period found in the columns of the table. This is the column total for each column; and
(4) Determine the largest column total. This is the shared parking space requirement.
Class | Type of Use | Typical Weekday | Typical Weekend
Mid- night to 7 AM | 7 AM to 5 PM | 5 PM to 9 PM | 9 PM to Mid- night | Mid- night to 7 AM | 7 AM to 5 PM | 5 PM to 9 PM | 9 PM to Mid- night
Class 1. Office | Office | 5% | 100% | 30% | 5% | 0% | 10% | 0% | 0%
Financial facility | 0% | 100% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 0% | 0%
Class 2. Residential | Apartment | 100% | 25% | 50% | 95% | 100% | 65% | 50% | 85%
Hotel or motel | 100% | 10% | 50% | 85% | 100% | 10% | 50% | 75%
Class 3. Health Care Facilities | Clinic (medical complex) | 5% | 100% | 50% | 5% | 0% | 10% | 0% | 0%
Clinic (medical or dental) | 0% | 100% | 25% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 0% | 0%
Veterinary clinic | 0% | 100% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 0% | 0%
Class 4. Industrial, Commercial Manufacturing | All | 10% | 100% | 50% | 10% | 10% | 25% | 10% | 0%
Class 5. Religious and Educational | Church | 0% | 5% | 25% | 0% | 10% | 100% | 40% | 0%
Nursery/day care | 0% | 100% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 0% | 0%
School | 0% | 100% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 10% | 0% | 0%
Library | 0% | 100% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 0% | 0%
Art gallery/ museum | 0% | 75% | 50% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 60% | 0%
Class 6. Recreation and Entertainment | Movie theater | 0% | 10% | 50% | 75% | 0% | 50% | 80% | 100%
Bowling alley | 0% | 10% | 50% | 85% | 0% | 40% | 75% | 100%
Theater, auditorium or arena | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —
Sports club or health spa | 50% | 25% | 100% | 10% | 10% | 50% | 10% | 5%
Class 7. Food and Beverage | Dessert shop | 0% | 25% | 100% | 75% | 0% | 25% | 100% | 85%
Small restaurant | 10% | 50% | 75% | 40% | 15% | 75% | 100% | 50%
Neighborhood restaurant | 10% | 50% | 75% | 40% | 15% | 75% | 100% | 50%
Restaurant | 10% | 50% | 75% | 40% | 15% | 75% | 100% | 50%
Tavern or pub | 0% | 0% | 25% | 75% | 0% | 10% | 80% | 100%
Small bar | 0% | 0% | 25% | 75% | 0% | 10% | 80% | 100%
Bar, club or lounge | 0% | 25% | 75% | 75% | 0% | 40% | 80% | 100%
Class 8. Retail Services | All (excluding shopping center) | 5% | 50% | 75% | 10% | 5% | 100% | 75% | 10%
Class 9. Automobiles | Auto parts and supply store | 0% | 50% | 75% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 50% | 0%
All others | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100%
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(c) A theater, auditorium, or arena use may share parking by submitting a parking study with a site plan that details the parking supply and demand of the intended use. The number of shared parking spaces shall be determined by the director after consideration of all relevant factors, including the factors of subsection (d) this section.
(d) Upon written request of the applicant supported by information adequate to make a determination, the director may approve an additional reduction of up to ten percent of the required number of shared parking spaces after considering all relevant factors, including:
(1) The unique parking characteristics of each use classification, including employee, customer, and patron parking demand, hours of operation, and projected convenience and frequency of use of the shared parking.
(2) Whether the use of shared parking spaces will be injurious to public health, safety, and welfare including, but not limited to, whether the additional reduction of shared parking spaces will cause increased traffic congestion, potential harm to adjacent property owners, and spillover parking into surrounding residential neighborhoods; and
(3) The recommendation of the Director of Houston Public Works.
(e) All shared parking spaces must conform to the following criteria:
(1) A shared parking space shall not be reserved for or restricted to a specific use classification. A parking space reserved for a specific use classification shall not be considered a shared parking space;
(2) All shared and reserved parking spaces shall be identified on a site plan;
(3) Each shared parking space shall be clearly identified by signage on each tract and parking facility identifying the location and availability of the shared parking spaces for participating uses;
(4) Each shared parking space must be made available at all times for use by employees, customers, and patrons; and
(5) Shared parking spaces that are located on off-site parking facilities must comply with the provisions of section 26-499 of this Code for each individual use classification.
(f) The director shall not approve a site plan that proposes to use shared parking spaces unless the applicant or responsible party submits a shared parking agreement to the department that takes the form of a memorandum of lease or a reciprocal easement agreement in a form approved by the city attorney. The shared parking agreement shall comply with the requirements of a memorandum of lease contained in section 26-501 of this Code.
(g) After the director approves a site plan that uses shared parking spaces, any change in the use classification or parking factor shall require the applicant or responsible party to submit a new site plan to the department for approval and a revised shared parking agreement if necessary. The building official shall not issue a building permit or certificate of occupancy without a site plan approved by the director for the revised shared parking agreement.
(h) Operation of a use classification without an approved site plan required by this subsection is a violation of this article.
(Ord. No. 2013-208, § 2(Exh. A), 3-6-2013; Ord. No. 2018-11, § 49, 1-10-2018)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH26PA_ARTVIIIOREPALO_DIV2REPASPBISP_S26-500SHPAREFetched: 10/26/2026