Chapter 16.100
ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING1
16.100.000 Chapter Contents
Sections:
16.100.010 Definitions.
16.100.020 Electric vehicle parking standards.
16.100.010 Definitions
Electric Vehicle (EV). A vehicle registered for on-road use, primarily powered by an electric motor that draws current from a rechargeable storage source that is charged by being plugged into an electrical current source.
“Electric Vehicle Capable Parking Space” or “EV-Capable Parking Space”. A parking space that is provided with a listed raceway capable of accommodating a minimum of 40-ampere dedicated 208/240-volt branch circuit. The raceway shall terminate into a cabinet, box, or other enclosure in close proximity to the proposed location of the EV-Capable parking space. Raceways and related components that are planned to be installed underground, and in enclosed, inaccessible, or concealed areas and spaces, shall be installed at the time of original construction.
“Electric Vehicle Ready Parking space” or “EV-Ready Parking Space”. A parking space that is provided with a minimum 40-ampere dedicated 208/240-volt branch circuit for electric vehicle supply equipment that is terminated at a receptacle, junction box or electric vehicle supply equipment within the parking space in order to allow for future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment.
“Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment”. The conductors, including the ungrounded, grounded, and equipment grounding conductors, and the electric vehicle connectors, attachment plugs, personnel protection system, and all other fittings, devices, power outlets, or apparatus installed specifically for the purpose of transferring energy between the premises wiring and an electric vehicle.
“Electric-Vehicle-Supply-Equipment Parking Space” or “EVSE Parking Space”. A parking space with electric vehicle supply equipment capable of supplying current at 208/240 volts, either by electric-vehicle supply equipment that directly serves the parking space or by adjacent electric-vehicle supply equipment capable of serving multiple parking spaces simultaneously.
Automatic Load Management Systems (ALMS). A system designed to manage electrical load across one or more EV-Ready parking spaces.
(Ord. 7367 §1, 2023).
16.100.020 Electric vehicle parking standards
A. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Off-street parking spaces shall be provided and designed according to the standards of adopted building codes and OMC 16.100.020(B).
B. Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure shall be provided for new buildings, surface parking lots, and parking garages or for those that are improved by an amount equal to or greater than 50 percent of the assessed value of the building or structure, as follows:
1. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure shall be provided according to Table 16.100A. Where a building contains more than one occupancy, the electric vehicle charging infrastructure percentages of Table 16.100A shall be applied to the number of parking spaces provided for each occupancy.
a. For uses that are exempt from parking requirements in Chapter 18.38 OMC, such as residential projects located within the boundaries of the area shown in OMC Figure 38-2, the provisions in Table 16.100A shall apply when parking for an exempt use is provided.
b. Table 16.100A provides the minimum number of EV-Capable, EV-Ready, and EVSE Parking Spaces required. Developers and property owners are encouraged to provide a greater number of parking spaces that are EV-Ready and EVSE.
c. Owners of existing developments are encouraged to provide EV charging facilities and infrastructure voluntarily. Such efforts are not subject to the provisions in Table 16.100A until substantial improvements are made that trigger such improvements.
d. Developers and property owners are encouraged to provide EV-Ready parking spaces that terminate at a receptacle when in private garages.
2. Electrical room(s) and/or dedicated electrical equipment shall be sized to accommodate the standards of OMC 16.100.020. The electrical service and the electrical system, including any on-site distribution transformer(s), shall have sufficient capacity to simultaneously charge all EVs at all required EV-Capable, EV-Ready, and EVSE parking spaces at a minimum of 40-amperes each.
a. Automatic Load Management System (ALMS) may be used to adjust the maximum electrical capacity required for the EV-Ready and EV-Capable parking spaces. The ALMS must be designed to allocate charging capacity among multiple future EV Charging Stations at a minimum of 16 amperes per EV charger.
3. Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is not required if any of the following conditions are met:
a. There is no public utility or commercial power supply.
b. Dwelling units without on-site parking.
c. Heavy Duty Vehicle and Fleet parking areas are not subject to the standards of OMC 16.100.020 if such parking areas are separate and distinct from employee and visitor parking areas.
|
Building Code Occupancy |
Number of EVSE Parking Spaces |
Number of EV-Ready Parking Spaces |
Number of EV-Capable Parking Spaces |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Group A, B, E, F, H, I, M, and S occupancies (nonresidential buildings) |
|||
|
|
10% of total parking spaces |
10% of total parking spaces |
10% of total parking spaces |
|
Group R occupancies |
|||
|
Buildings that do not contain more than two dwelling units |
Not required |
One for each dwelling1 |
Not required |
|
Dwelling units with private garages |
Not required |
One for each dwelling |
Not required |
|
All other Group R occupancies |
10% of total parking spaces |
25% of total parking spaces |
65% of total parking spaces |
1 A charger in a private garage for each dwelling also meets this requirement (the two rows in this table overlap, but you only need one total charger per dwelling).
4. When calculating the number of required EV-Capable, EV-Ready or EVSE parking spaces, any fraction or portion of an EV-Capable, EV-Ready or EVSE parking space required shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
5. An EVSE parking space required by this section shall not count as an EV-Ready or EV-Capable parking space for the purposes of meeting the electric vehicle parking standards of this section. An EV-Ready parking space shall not count as an EV-Capable parking space for the purposes of meeting the electric vehicle parking standards of this section. Each additional EVSE parking space installed beyond the minimum requirements of this section may count as one EV-Ready or EV-Capable parking space. Each additional EV-Ready parking space installed beyond the minimum requirements of this section may count as one EV-Capable parking space.
6. Ten percent of the accessible parking spaces, rounded to the next whole number, shall be EVSE parking spaces and 10 percent shall be EV-Ready parking spaces. There shall be at least one accessible space for each type of EV charging system. The EV charging infrastructure may also serve adjacent parking spaces not designated as accessible parking. A maximum of 10 percent of the accessible parking spaces, rounded to the next whole number, are allowed to be included in the total number of electric vehicle parking spaces required under the currently adopted state building code. All other aspects of accessibility and routes of travel shall meet accessibility standards.
7. Where EV-Ready and EV-Capable exterior on-grade surface parking spaces are located more than four feet from a building, raceways shall be extended to a pull box or stub in the vicinity of the designated space and shall be protected from vehicles by a curb or other device.
8. Applicants may use Automatic Load Management System (ALMS) assumptions in calculating the number of minimum 208/240-volt dedicated branch circuits needed to support EV-Ready and EV-Capable parking spaces required by this section. Where it is installed to fulfill the requirements of Table 16.100A, the maximum number of EVSE that may be connected to the same electrical circuit in the building is as shown in Table 16.100B.
9. Nothing in OMC 16.100.020(B)(1) shall be construed to modify the number of off-street motor vehicle parking spaces required for specific uses, as set forth in chapter 18.38 OMC Table 38.01 or elsewhere in Title 18 OMC.
10. All EVSE parking spaces shall have designated signage and pavement markings per RCW 46.08.185. Contact information for the charging station operator shall be posted on the charging station equipment in order to report malfunctions or other issues.
11. All EV charging infrastructure shall be installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70). For EV-Ready parking spaces, the branch circuit shall be identified as "Electric Vehicle Ready" in the service panel or subpanel directory, and the termination location shall be marked as "Electric Vehicle Ready".
|
Minimum Circuit Breaker Rating (AMPS) |
Maximum Number of EVSE Per Circuit |
|---|---|
|
20 |
1 |
|
30 |
2 |
|
40 |
4 |
|
50 |
5 |
|
60 |
6 |
|
70 |
7 |
|
80 |
8 |
|
90 |
10 |
|
100 |
11 |
|
125 |
14 |
|
150 |
17 |
C. Reductions
1. The Building Official may, after consultation with the electricity provider, reduce the requirements of this OMC 16.100.020 where there is substantial evidence that the added electrical load that can be attributed to meeting the requirements will:
a. Alter the local utility infrastructure design requirements on the utility side of the legal point of service, so as to require on-property power transformation; or
b. Require the utility to provide an upgrade to an existing residential electrical service.
2. In cases where the provisions of OMC 16.100.020(C)(1) have been met, the maximum quantity of EV charging infrastructure required to be installed shall be reduced to the maximum service size that would not require the changes to transformation or electrical service in OMC 16.100.020(C)(1).
a. The Building Official may first reduce the required level of EV infrastructure at EV-Capable parking spaces from 40-amp to 20-amp circuits. If necessary, the Building Official may also then reduce the number of required EV-Capable parking spaces or otherwise reduce the level of EV infrastructure at EV-Capable parking spaces.
b. Reductions shall not exceed the minimum electric vehicle parking requirements of the currently adopted state building code.
3. The Building Official may reduce the requirements of OMC 16.100.020 for Group R occupancies with more than two dwelling units, when 50% or more of the housing units are Affordable Housing (as defined in OMC 18.02.180). Reductions for affordable housing should prioritize the ability to accommodate future EVSE parking, while reducing upfront costs.
a. The Building Official may first reduce the requirement to provide the electrical service and the electrical system necessary to charge all EV-Capable parking spaces.
b. When 100% of the housing units are Affordable Housing (as defined in OMC 18.02.180), the Building Official may also then reduce the number of required EV-Capable parking spaces.
c. If a reduction for affordable housing is provided, the electrical room(s) and/or dedicated electrical equipment shall be sized to accommodate the standards of OMC 16.100.020.
d. Reductions for EV-Capable parking spaces shall not exceed the minimum electric vehicle parking requirements of the currently adopted state building code.
4. The Building Official may reduce the requirements of OMC 16.100.020 for new construction of Group A and Group E occupancies, when:
a. The number of parking spaces provided does not exceed the standard minimum parking requirements in OMC 18.38.100; and
b. The cost to achieve the electric vehicle parking standards of this section would increase the total project costs by more than 10 percent.
5. In cases where the provisions in OMC 16.100.020(C)(4) have been met, Group A and Group E occupancies shall comply with one of the following, whichever is greater:
a. The provisions of Table 16.100A shall apply only to designated employee parking spaces.
b. Five percent of the total parking spaces shall be EVSE Parking Spaces, five percent shall be EV-Ready Parking Spaces, and five percent shall be EV-Capable parking spaces.
6. The Building Official may exempt or modify EV parking requirements for retrofits or tenant improvement projects of Group A or Group E occupancies that do not qualify as a substantial improvement or modify parking areas.
7. The Building Official may establish the procedures and documentation required for a reduction.
(Ord. 7367 §1, 2023).
Code revisor’s note: Ord. 7367 adds these provisions as Chapter 16.90. This chapter has been editorially renumbered as Chapter 16.100 to avoid conflict with existing provisions.