Posted: May 26, 2023
By: Editorial Team
The Columbus (Ohio) City Council approved an EV-ready parking ordinance to enable equitable, affordable, and convenient access to electric vehicle charging stations for all residents.
It requires new parking lots and parking structures to provide certain levels of EV readiness and it further supports electric vehicle adoption, improves air quality, and helps achieve the city’s climate goals.
This ordinance goes into effect January 1, 2024. But what does it really mean for your business and commercial construction projects?
Timeline
Now that this ordinance has been passed into law, it is with Columbus’ Department of Building and Zoning Services (BZS) to review the communication needed to contractors and property owners, as well as to establish enforcement procedures.
PLEASE NOTE: This section will be updated with relevant documentation as it becomes available.
2022
- July 27: Ordinance passed by Columbus City Council & signed by the mayor.
2023
- June 8: BZS sends requirements and enforcement proposal to the Building Services Review Committee (BSRC), an industry advisory group, for review.
- July 7: BSRC comments due back.
- July 14 – August 11: Public comment period (draft circulated with registered contractors in Columbus and put out for public comment).
- Sept. 1: Final requirements & enforcement procedures sent out to all registered contractors in Columbus.
2024
- Jan. 1: Ordinance goes into effect (details below).
2028
- Jan. 1: Additional requirements go into effect (details below ).
EV Readiness Levels
EV-ready parking is a best practice that ensures newly constructed parking spaces are equipped with, or can easily and affordably be converted to, EV charging stations. It requires that a certain percentage of newly constructed parking spaces include electrical infrastructure at the time of construction.
- EV Capable: provide dedicated conduit from the planned location of a breaker or subpanel expansion to the EV-capable parking spaces.
- EV Ready: provide dedicated electrical panel capacity, conduit, and wiring installed with termination at an outlet to the EV-ready parking space.
- EV Installed: provide dedicated panel capacity, conduit, and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) installed.
EV Parking Minimum Requirements
Effective January 1, 2024
| Building Category | Building Types Include | Minimum # Spaces* | EV Capable | EV Ready | EVSE Installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 2, or 3 dwelling units | Single-, two-, and three-unit dwellings (R-rural, LRR, RRR, RR, SR, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-2F, or R-4 Zoning Code Districts, including those in Special Parking Districts) | N/A | N/A | One EV Ready outlet per dwelling unit | N/A |
| 4 or more dwelling units | Market-rate multi-unit residential buildings (AR-12, ARLD, AR-1, AR-2, AR-3, and AR-4 Zoning Code Districts) including those in Special Parking Districts; standalone surface lots and parking structures, including those in Special Parking Districts | N/A | 20% | N/A | 2% |
| Office and workplace | Administrative offices, corporate offices, financial offices, educational facilities, etc. (C-2 Zoning Code District), including those in Special Parking Districts; medical offices and healthcare facilities; standalone surface lots and parking structures, including those in Special Parking Districts | 50 | 20% | N/A | 2% |
| Retail/Commercial (0 – 99,999 sf) | Retail, grocery, restaurants, etc. (C-1, C-3, C-4, and C-5 Zoning Code Districts) | 50 | 10% | N/A | 1% |
| Retail/Commercial (100,000 sf or greater) | Retail, grocery, restaurants, etc. (C-1, C-3, C-4, and C-5 Zoning Code Districts) | N/A | 15% | N/A | 1% |
| Affordable multi-unit residential housing | Multi-unit residential housing where 50% or more of the units have income and/or rent restrictions that are monitored by a government agency | N/A | 15%** | N/A | 2%** |
| City of Columbus parking | All off-street parking constructed, owned, or operated by the City of Columbus (excluding garages built for use by third parties) | N/A | 35%** | N/A | 15%** |
Requirements effective January 1, 2028
| Building Category | Building Types Include | Minimum # Spaces* | EV Capable | EV Ready | EVSE Installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 2, or 3 dwelling units | Single-, two-, and three-unit dwellings (R-rural, LRR, RRR, RR, SR, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-2F, or R-4 Zoning Code Districts, including those in Special Parking Districts) | N/A | N/A | One EV Ready outlet per dwelling unit | N/A |
| 4 or more dwelling units | Market-rate multi-unit residential buildings (AR-12, ARLD, AR-1, AR-2, AR-3, and AR-4 Zoning Code Districts) including those in Special Parking Districts; standalone surface lots and parking structures, including those in Special Parking Districts | N/A | 20% | N/A | 5% |
| Office and workplace | Administrative offices, corporate offices, financial offices, educational facilities, etc. (C-2 Zoning Code District), including those in Special Parking Districts; medical offices and healthcare facilities; standalone surface lots and parking structures, including those in Special Parking Districts | 50 | 20% | N/A | 5% |
| Retail/Commercial (0 – 99,999 sf) | Retail, grocery, restaurants, etc. (C-1, C-3, C-4, and C-5 Zoning Code Districts) | 50 | 10% | N/A | 1% |
| Retail/Commercial (100,000 sf or greater) | Retail, grocery, restaurants, etc. (C-1, C-3, C-4, and C-5 Zoning Code Districts) | N/A | 15% | N/A | 2% |
| Affordable multi-unit residential housing | Multi-unit residential housing where 50% or more of the units have income and/or rent restrictions that are monitored by a government agency | N/A | 15%** | N/A | 5%** |
| City of Columbus parking | All off-street parking constructed, owned, or operated by the City of Columbus (excluding garages built for use by third parties) | N/A | 35%** | N/A | 15%** |
* Projects with less than the stated number of parking spaces shall be exempt from the EV Capable, EV Ready, and EVSE Installed requirements.
** EVSE installation subject to availability of specific city funding to cover the purchase and installation costs for compliance.
Other requirements:
- EVSE must be mounted on the wall or on a structure adjacent to the EV parking space.
- No charging devices may be placed within the dimensions of a space.
- When cords and connectors are not in use, retraction devices or locations for storage shall be located sufficiently above the pedestrian surface and the parking lot as to reduce conflicts with pedestrians and vehicle maneuvering (SemaConnect’s EV chargers have cord retraction built in).
- A minimum of one (1) EVSE installed space must be located adjacent to an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility designated space to provide access to the charging station.
EV Chargers for Any Need
From residential to commercial to fleet, Loeb Electric is a one-stop shop for all your EVSE and electrical distribution equipment needs. Looking for EV chargers for a National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) project? Or for DC fast chargers (DCFC) for a commercial location with a nationwide footprint? We’ve got you covered for that, too.
Residential
Designed for use at home, the Series 4 provides safe, flexible charging for EV drivers. In stock at Loeb!
Commercial
The Series 8/8+ has flexible amperage, the option for payment collection, and is ideal for commercial use.
Fleet
The Series 7/7+ has flexible amperage options and is ideal for multi-family and commercial use.
EV Charging Partner for Your Success
To complete these large electric vehicle charging projects, you’ll need a trusted partner by your side. Ideally, this partner will support EV charging equipment procurement, infrastructure planning, and project management to your budget and timeline—whether it’s one location or thousands.
At Loeb Electric, we can do all that and more. For more information, contact us online or call us at 800.686.6351.
Speak with lighting & electrical distribution experts today.
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