Public records library › 26-555 › 01_07_2026_nspencer@ci.moscow.id.us_RE_ Duplex Code Amendment CC.pptx.pdf

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# 01_07_2026_nspencer@ci.moscow.id.us_RE_ Duplex Code Amendment CC.pptx.pdf
- path: 01_07_2026_nspencer@ci.moscow.id.us_RE_ Duplex Code Amendment CC.pptx.pdf
- type: PDF
- pages/slides/sheets: 34
- extraction method: text layer
- unreadable pages: 22, 23, 25, 29, 30, 32
## Page 1
Sent: 
7/1/2026 5:08:40 PM
From: 
Nichoel Baird Spencer <nspencer@ci.moscow.id.us
To: 
"Michael Ray" 
Cc: 
Bcc: 
Importance: Normal
Subject:
RE: Duplex Code Amendment CC.pptx
Attachments:Duplex Code Amendment CC NBS.pptx 
Here are my thoughts and changes
 
From: Michael Ray <mray@ci.moscow.id.us> 
Sent: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 3:55 PM
To: Nichoel Baird Spencer <nspencer@ci.moscow.id.us>
Subject: Duplex Code Amendment CC.pptx
 
Nichoel, I added slide 5 and 15. Can you please review and see if that is what you and Bill are looking for?
Thanks,
Mike

## Page 2
Ordinance Amending Moscow City Code 
Title 4, Chapters 1, 3, 4, and 6 
Regarding Single-Family Dwellings, Two-
Family Dwellings, and Bed and 
Breakfast Inns
Administrative Committee
June 22, 2026

## Page 3
Background
• The City of Moscow Community Development 
Department has observed the evolution of building plans 
being submitted for two-family dwellings which 
increasingly have multi-family elements
• Recent building permit applications and construction 
plans have been submitted for structures represented as 
two-family dwellings, but which are designed to function 
as and be leased as multi-family dwellings
• Structures are being represented as two-family dwellings 
to avoid health, safety, and welfare standards (ADA, life-
safety, off-street parking, and other Federal, State, and 
local building standards) that apply to multi-family 
dwellings

## Page 4
Background
• Multi-family dwellings (3 or more dwellings)
▫Fire alarm and suppression systems
▫ADA accessible units with accessible site 
amenities
▫Off-street parking and common open space
• Two-family dwellings
▫No fire alarm or suppression system requirements
▫Not subject to ADA requirements
▫Have a much lower parking requirement and no 
ADA parking is required

## Page 5
Building Codes
• State of Idaho requires municipalities to adopt 
the building codes that are adopted by the state
▫2018 International Building Code
Covers multi-family and commercial buildings
Municipalities may adopt stricter standards
▫2018 International Residential Code
Covers single- and two-family dwellings
Municipalities are permitted to adopt stricter 
standards only in certain chapters
Currently fire sprinkler systems and/or fire alarm 
systems are not required and municipalities are not 
allowed to require them

## Page 6
Existing Definitions
• Dwelling Unit - A building or portion thereof providing 
complete housekeeping facilities for one family
• Family Definition
▫There shall be no more than one “family” per dwelling unit
▫Not more than four unrelated individuals living together as 
a single housekeeping unit
▫“Living together as a single housekeeping unit” shall mean 
where all occupants of the dwelling unit enjoy a common 
right to use the entire dwelling, despite informal 
arrangements among members to designate certain areas as 
individual sleeping spaces, and where such persons share 
household living arrangements, including, but not limited 
to, rental or mortgage payments, utility payments, 
groceries, chores, maintenance of the premises, and 
common sanitary, living, and cooking supplies and/or 
facilities.

## Page 7
Living Room
Dining
Kitchen
Office
Garage
Garage
Office
Dining
Kitchen
Living Room
Entry
Entry
First Floor – Typical Duplex

## Page 8
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bath
Bath
Hall
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bath
Bath
Hall
Second Floor – Typical Duplex
Shared 
Laundry 
Shared 
bathrooms

## Page 9
Bedroom
Bedroom
Living
Living
Dining
Dining
Kitchen
Kitchen
Basement
First Floor
Entry
Entry
Bath
Bath
Bath
Bath
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
• Evolving Duplex 
Kitchen Sinks, Cabinets & 
Refrigerators in Bedrooms
Single access from Stairs- 
No Hallways

## Page 10
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Second Floor
Third Floor
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
Bath
Bath
Bath
Bath
Single access from Stairs- 
No Hallways
Kitchen Sinks, Cabinets & 
Refrigerators in Bedrooms

## Page 11
Bedroom
Bedroom
Fourth Floor
Bath
Bath
Stair-
well
Stair-
well

## Page 12
Fourth Floor
Bath
Bath
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
Living
Bedroom
Kitchen
Bedroom
Living
Kitchen

## Page 13
Parking Requirements
• Two-family
▫2 spaces plus 1 for every bedroom in excess of 4 
bedrooms
▫4 parking spaces required
• Multi-family 
▫1.25 spaces per studio or 1-bedroom apartment
▫13 spaces required

## Page 14
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bath
Bath
Bath
Bath
Entry
Entry
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bath
Bath
Bath
Bath
Stairwell
Stairwell
Stair-
well
Stair-
well
First Floor
Second Floor

## Page 15
Bedroom
Bedroom
Bath
Bath
Kitchen
Kitchen
Stairwell
Stairwell
Third Floor

## Page 16
Proposed Amendments
• The recent building permit plans submitted as 
two-family dwellings were determined to be 
multi-family dwellings based upon existing City 
Code
• After review of permits issued over the past 2 
years it was determined that clarification of the 
existing code was needed to further address the 
intent of the definitions.

## Page 17
Definitions
• 17. Bedroom.  A room within an apartment unit other 
than a living room, kitchen, bathroom, eating area or 
utility room which may be used for sleeping purposes. A 
room other than a living room, kitchen, or bathroom 
containing an egress window and a minimum of seventy 
(70) square feet of floor area with no horizontal 
dimension less than 7 feet. Sinks, final or rough-in 
plumbing, or other plumbing features that could be 
reasonably expected to permit or allow for the 
installation of a sink, shall not be permitted within any 
bedroom. All bedrooms shall be accessed from common 
areas within the dwelling such as a living room or 
kitchen and shall not be designed in a manner which 
would allow independent occupancy unless otherwise 
permitted by this code.

## Page 18
Definitions
• 46. Dwelling, Single Family.  A detached building or 
manufactured home containing one (1) kitchen designed for, 
and occupied exclusively by, one (1) family. A second kitchen 
may be permitted with a recorded deed restriction, so long as 
the property is used as a single-family dwelling only with no 
physical separation established to separate living quarters 
within the dwelling which would allow the structure to be 
used and occupied by two families living independently of 
each other. The classification “single family dwelling” shall 
include any home in which eight (8) or fewer unrelated 
mentally and/or physically handicapped or elderly persons 
reside; and which is supervised.  Resident staff, if employed, 
need not be related to each other or to any of the mentally or 
physically handicapped or elderly persons residing in the 
home.  No more than two (2) such staff shall reside in the 
dwelling at any one (1) time.

## Page 19
Definitions
• 51. Dwelling Unit.  A building or portion thereof 
providing complete housekeeping facilities for 
one (1) family. Housekeeping facilities provide 
permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, 
cooking, and sanitation, and shall be limited to 
one (1) kitchen and two (2) washer and dryer 
sets per dwelling unit unless otherwise 
permitted by this Code. The term "dwelling" 
shall not be deemed to include motel, hotel, 
tourist home, bed and breakfast inn, or boarding 
house.

## Page 20
Definitions (P&Z)
• 76. Kitchen.  Any rooms used or intended or 
designed to be used for cooking and/or 
preparation of food. That portion of a dwelling 
unit devoted to the preparation or cooking of 
food for the purpose of consumption by 
residents of the dwelling unit. Any food 
preparation area with cooking facilities (i.e., 
stove, oven, hot plate, and/or microwave oven, 
refrigerator, or sink) or with a natural gas stub 
or supply or a 220-volt electrical outlet/wiring is 
a kitchen for purposes of this Code.

## Page 21
Definitions (Council)
• 76. Kitchen.  Any rooms used or intended or 
designed to be used for cooking and/or 
preparation of food. That portion of a dwelling 
unit devoted to the preparation or cooking of 
food for the purpose of consumption by 
residents of the dwelling unit. For the purposes 
of this Code a kitchen is a food preparation area 
containing cabinetry and/or countertops, a sink, 
and one or more of the following: a refrigerator, 
cooking device, dishwasher, a natural gas stub or 
supply, or a 220-volt electrical outlet/wiring

## Page 22
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## Page 23
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## Page 24
Definitions
• 61. Functional Open Space.  Land within a 
development which is permanently reserved as open 
space, free from permanent structures, useful for 
recreational or social use by the residents of the 
development, or others; such space shall not include 
streets, roadways or parking areas. Such space shall 
be located on the ground level and may be provided 
via a private yard, deck, or patio area. Functional 
open space shall not include parking areas and the 
smallest dimension of such open space shall not be 
less than fifteen feet (15’).

## Page 25
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## Page 26
Design requirements for parking lots
d.
Parking lots and spaces shall be designed such that their use will not 
require backing movements or other maneuvering within a street right of 
way.  Parking spaces provided for single family and two (2) family 
dwellings are exempt from this requirement, unless the street being 
accessed is a designated arterial street or there is more than one (1) 
detached single-family dwelling or two (2) family dwelling upon a single 
lot.  The continuation, alteration, expansion, relocation, re-construction, 
or replacement of a single or a two (2) family dwelling, for which the 
parking requires backing or maneuvering within a designated arterial 
street right-of-way, shall be allowed where such situation existed prior to 
May 1, 2003, notwithstanding the nonconformity regulations of this 
Zoning Code.  Additional parking required as a result of the expansion, 
alteration, reconstruction, or re-placement of any such two (2) family 
dwelling shall meet the parking design standards required at the time of 
the building permit application.  Where backing movements are 
proposed within an alley right-of-way, a sidewalk with a minimum width 
of three feet (3’) shall be provided adjacent to the parking lot between the 
parking lot and the use served by the parking lot.

## Page 27
Design requirements for parking lots
e.
Parking lots and spaces shall be designed such that a vehicle shall 
not be required to cross another parking space to gain access to a 
required parking space (tandem configuration) except for parking 
spaces serving single-family, two (2) family, twinhome, and 
townhouse dwellings. Parking serving more than one (1) detached 
single-family dwelling or two (2) family dwelling upon a single lot 
shall not be permitted to be tandem, except as provided below. 
Tandem parking may be allowed for multi-family dwellings or 
more than one (1) detached single-family dwelling or two (2) 
family dwelling upon a single lot under the following conditions:
i.
The purpose of the parking design is to provide enclosed garages for 
the multi-family dwelling resident use;
ii.
The tandem parking spaces (the parking space within the garage and in 
front of the garage) are assigned and furnished for use by the 
occupants of a single-family dwelling unit without separate, additional 
compensation; and
iii.
No more than fifty percent (50%) of the required parking may be 
provided in a tandem configuration.

## Page 28
Off-Street Parking Schedule
Parking spaces required for designated uses in all zoning districts, except 
within Section 4-6-5(E)(4) below, are established as follows:
1.
Compact Spaces:  An allowance of thirty five percent (35%) of the total 
number of spaces required may be identified and used as compact car 
spaces.  These spaces shall be conveniently located and provided with 
adequate signage.
2.
Fractional Requirements:  Fractional requirements shall require one (1) 
space.    
3.
Area Calculation:  Except as otherwise indicated, area measurements are 
given in gross floor area.  Restroom facilities and areas used for storage 
may be excluded from the floor area calculation.
4.
Bedroom Calculation: Any separate room which meets the definition of 
bedroom, which could legally be used as a bedroom, regardless of 
whether such room is labeled as a den, study, office, or similar, shall be 
counted as a bedroom for the purposes of parking calculation. Rooms 
that meet the definition of a bedroom which are separated by a narrow 
corridor that could allow for the separation of the areas into individual 
bedrooms shall each be counted as a bedroom for the purposes of 
parking calculation. 
5.
Specific Zone Exemptions:  The following zoning districts have off-street 
parking requirements specific to each respective zone and are not 
required to meet Section 4-6-5(E)(6) below; however, all other provisions 
of Section 4-6-5 shall apply. 
a.
Central Business (CB) Zoning District:  Off-street parking is not required within 
the CB Zoning District.

## Page 29
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## Page 30
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## Page 31
Building Permit Review
• Reviewed 111 normal single family, two family, 
twinhome, and townhouse plans from 2024-
2025
▫Reviewed plans using proposed changes
Parking requirements 
Sinks in bedrooms
Washer and dryer sets
▫All plans reviewed were compliant with proposed 
changes

## Page 32
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## Page 33
HB 583 – Short-term Rentals
• State Code amended to prohibit a city or county from 
imposing different restrictions or obligations on short-
term rentals than are imposed on single-family dwellings

## Page 34
Recommendation
• Planning and Zoning Commission conducted a 
public hearing on the proposed ordinance on 
May 13, 2026, and unanimously recommended 
approval to City Council
• Recommend forwarding the proposed ordinance 
for public hearing at the Council's upcoming 
July 6, 2026, meeting