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News

A new way to look at costly parking mandates

November 22, 2021 By Jane Wilberding Leave a Comment

In 2015, Strong Towns led a landmark campaign in the fight to end costly parking mandates by developing a crowdsourced map of cities that have eliminated minimum parking requirements. Circulating far and wide, this map has been an emblem in illustrating where cities have made progress to prioritize people over cars, and inspires other communities to do the same. 

The increasing number of entries reminds us that not all parking reform policies are created equal. Some cities have eliminated minimum requirements for all land uses citywide (a gold standard!), while others have reduced minimums along a 500-foot historic corridor, and still others have eliminated minimums for a specific land use within a CBD. Understanding the wide variation keeps us honest about the movements’ progress and reveals opportunities for continued advancement. With this in mind, we are excited to announce that this map is getting a facelift. 

PRN saw an opportunity to strengthen the map by conveying distinctions between the type of policy, identifying the land uses affected, and illustrating the geography it applies to. For the past year, we have worked alongside StrongTowns to capture the juicy details within the zoning codes of the 200 entries submitted since the map’s inception. We’ve reimagined and crystallized the nuances within this unique dataset. Knowledge IS power—by sharing what policies communities adopted (and direct links to ordinances and codes), we’re hoping to empower others to better understand good parking reform and apply it to their own communities.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  1. When it comes to parking codes, multifaceted is the norm and simplicity is the exception. The simplest way to integrate parking reform in a zoning code is to declare that “there are no provisions that establish a minimum number of off-street parking spaces for development for all land uses” or to state that all minimum requirements will be converted to maximums. This is easy to implement, clear for readers to understand, and a tremendous advancement in making your city more livable. But more often, communities address a variety of use cases through writing many complex provisions.

    For example, a zoning code may include provisions to eliminate minimums in a central business district for all land uses…another provision to eliminate requirements for just commercial land uses along a specific corridor…another provision to be eligible to reduce residential requirements in another area…another provision to reduce a percentage of parking requirements if additional bicycle parking is included on site…another provision about maximums along pedestrian-oriented or transit-oriented land uses…you get the picture. While these provisions are an important step to accomplish parking reform, high levels of intricacy can create confusion for incoming developments, make it more technically challenging for staff to make adjustments, and limit growth. As the success of citywide parking reforms continue to increase, we hope the number of provisions will continue to decrease.
  1. A large number of cities eliminated minimum requirements for a small portion of their communities. Of the 200 examined codes, approximately 20% have abolished or reduced parking mandates citywide. The remainder have eliminated parking requirements in specific areas such as a downtown, main street, or historic district. In fact, several codes limited parking reforms to two to four blocks within a downtown or commercial district, as seen below. Eliminating minimum parking requirements is progress no matter which way you cut it, but limiting it to such an insignificant area also limits the positive impacts of these policies.
  1. Parking reform heavily leans toward commercial land uses. More often than not, parking requirements for commercial land uses are the first to go. Nearly every map entry eliminates mandates for commercial/retail development, facilitating walkable downtowns and commercial districts, but residential reform is just as important and has much more conservative parking ratios. Parking requirements for residential land uses are typically reserved for individuals and remain vacant for large portions of the day. Tackling residential parking requirements remains a major opportunity in the parking reform movement. 
  2. Parking maximums are not uncommon. Parking maximums (a required cap on the total number of parking spaces constructed) have been a polarizing reform strategy in recent years due to concerns surrounding developer push-back and vehicle access limitations. But with 45 code entries–many of which arein communities with under 50,000 people–they seem to be less controversial than anticipated. One of the many benefits of having a crowdsourced map is that communities adopting bold and progressive reforms can share their accomplishments, encourage others to do the same, and create a cycle of parking reform throughout the country. But don’t take our word for it, check out the map!

WHAT’S NEW WITH THE MAP

The updated map features colors indicating the geography (or scope) that each parking reform policy applies to. While the ideal policy would be to eliminate costly parking mandates citywide, many communities only have this provision for specific land uses and/or specific geographies. Accordingly, citywide policies have been marked in red to reflect their importance.

The drop-down menu on the left hand side of the map allows users to filter new categories regarding key reform information. In addition to the ‘scope of reform’ featured in the legend/colors, ‘policy change’ allows users to disseminate just how many cities have implemented parking maximums, eliminated minimums, or simply reduce existing requirements. The ‘affected land use’ filter allows users to view which land uses reform policies apply to. Finally, the population slider on the bottom of the drop-down, alters the population size on the map. Users can easily search for cities that have eliminated minimum parking requirements in transit-oriented areas, or cities that have eliminated parking mandates for residential land uses in the City center. You might notice some overlap and/or inconsistencies in the policy change or the affected land uses, and that is because many codes apply different reform policies to different areas of their communities, which is captured in full on the ‘detailed information and citations’ page.

Perhaps the most exciting difference in this map is that users can view the word-for-word zoning code language adopted by each of the communities on the map. Anytime you find yourself wondering what exactly the flagship zoning code looked like in Buffalo NY that eliminated minimum parking requirements citywide, then look no further. We have also provided links to the municipal codes so viewers have the option to scroll through it themselves. Are you wondering why your city isn’t on the map? Got a reform you would like to share? Please fill out this form to get on the map! Or feel free to reach out with other questions or comments at map@parkingreform.org.

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Filed Under: Announcements, News, Research

Parking Reform News

June 21, 2021 By Tony Jordan Leave a Comment

Two weeks worth of news in this post! Enjoy!

You can support this podcast and a parking reform movement. Join the network or donate today.

Philadelphia KOs Parking Tax Cut

Great news from the City of Brotherly Love. A proposed parking tax cut has been abandoned after a great opposition campaign lead by local reformers.

Three Great Opinions

  • PRN member Ike Brannon Says D.C.’s cheap parking permits are the Achilles’ heel of the Comprehensive Plan
  • Claudia Hanson Thiem: Boulder, CO’s Long-awaited parking reforms fall short
  • Austin Wu: What if Iowa City devoted less space to parking cars, more for housing people?

Parking Meters & Performance Pricing

  • Gas-powered sports cars, SUVs face higher street parking fees under Vancouver’s anti-pollution proposal
  • Cycling advocate (and PRN member) believes downtown Penticton, BC paid parking has its purpose and its benefits
  • Penticton, BC downtown pay parking evolving after feedback
  • Naples, FL confirms results of less visitor parking on the beach
  • Parking rates in Wilkes-Barre, PA are going to be reduced: “We’re changing it back to $1 an hour. If we get 80 percent utilization is much better than 30 percent utilization at $2 an hour,” said Mayor George Brown.
  • Milwaukee takes serious hit in parking revenue during pandemic
  • Record Year Expected For Myrtle Beach Parking Revenue

Costly Parking Mandates

  • Death by parking: How minimum parking requirements are a drag on Dallas
  • PRN member Nathaniel Barrett’s latest twitter thread on Dallas reforms.
  • AB 1401 Ensures CA’s Investments in Housing and Transit Go Further
  • Getting Started: Both Minneapolis and St. Paul are considering parking reform
  • San Diego Parking Reforms Work for Climate and Small Biz
  • Would you trade less parking for lower housing costs? California plan seeks to do just that
  • What Happened When Buffalo Changed Its Parking Rules

Street Eats and Open Streets

  • Who Gets the Streets Now? by PRN member Henry Grabar
  • Most readers would give up parking in Boston. Here’s why.
  • How New York, London and Paris Can Become ‘Car-Free Megacities’
  • Miami programs target uses of curb space other than parking
  • Rome’s Pandemic Recovery Sparks a Fight Between Cafes and Cars
  • Copenhagen removes parking spaces in city centre trial

Cities Building More Parking Garages

  • Bozeman plans to address downtown parking, transportation issues
  • Jefferson City, MO parking talks continue
  • City Abruptly Closes Downtown Rochester Parking Ramp
  • Vancouver, BC It’s a Green City — Except for All the Parking
  • Funding for Wynn Hospital Parking Garage Called into Question
  • Jersey City Adopts Plan to Bring Mixed-Use Parking Facility to Central Avenue

Odds and Ends

  • Cornwall parking space sells for record-breaking sum as G7 summit lures buyers
  • Paying a premium for parking in Bullhead City, AZ
  • It’s City vs. Delivery Vans, and the Vans Are Winning
  • Why data sharing and parking enforcement are key to the EV revolution

You can support this podcast and a parking reform movement. Join the network or donate today.

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Filed Under: News

Parking Reform News

June 7, 2021 By Tony Jordan Leave a Comment

Parking Over Preschool in Portland

Portland, OR’s largest preschool is getting evicted over a parking squabble. It’s not the city requiring parking, this time, but the school’s landlord, a church, that wants to see cars parking instead of kids playing.

Dallas Keeps Moving Toward Reforms

Another meeting of the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee in Dallas, TX takes them a step closer to a recommendation to eliminating costly parking mandates. We hear this could make it before City Council by the end of the summer!

More news about parking minimums

  • Raleigh may drop parking requirements for new development
  • Many San Diego businesses would no longer have to provide parking under policy proposal
  • Less, not more, is the key to Kingston’s ‘progressive’ parking plan

Philadelphia’s Parking Tax Cut

The Philadelphia Inquirer has come out against a proposed parking tax cut. Philly’s Urbanist PAC, 5th Square, is organizing more opposition.

Charlottesville Says No To New Garage

If you follow NYT Opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie you probably know that Charlottesville has been considering a multi-million dollar parking garage. Opponents of the plan carried the day and the city will build a new surface lot instead. Surface lots are just apartment buildings waiting to happen, structured parking is a 30 year commitment to more cars in your city.

New Tools for Reformers

The Urban Land Institute has put together a neat searchable dataset of parking reforms in the USA. It’s a nice companion to the Parking Reform Atlas.

And a recent report from UCLA’s Adam Millard-Ball analyzed the high cost of wide residential streets. There is an accompanying website with a map and loads of charts and examples, check it out!

City News

  • Seattle on-street parking rates increase in June; see what areas are affected
  • Upper Cheyenne Canon parking lot receives major facelift
  • Months-long battle over $50 parking ticket ends up costing Brookfield thousands
  • Hong Kong Parking Spot Goes for $1.3 Million, Shattering World Record Amid Space Shortage

You can support this podcast and a parking reform movement. Join the network or donate today.

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Filed Under: News

Parking Reform News

June 1, 2021 By Tony Jordan Leave a Comment

Connecticut Passes State Level Reforms

Last week Connecticut passed a suite of state level reforms championed by DesegregateCT, to reform zoning laws. Check out PRN member and DesegregateCT founder Sara Bronin’s riveting and informative livetweet thread of the Senate hearing for many details. You can follow that up with analysis from Sightline Institute’s (and also a PRN member) Michael Andersen on what this might mean for other efforts around the country.

More mandatory parking requirements news

  • Fairmont, West Virginia, City Council passes four ordinances to improve building, development
  • Richmond, VA councilman wants to strike rules governing parking requirements for new developments; panel agrees to study
  • ‘Home In Tacoma’ Advances with Recommendation to Eliminate Single-Family Zoning

Everything is Five (Canadian) Dollars in Penticton

One should never expect much from local coverage of parking rate increases and merchants are notorious for blaming parking for their troubles, but it sure is strange how it seems people only drive to downtown Penticton, BC for $5 purchases.

More curb management

  • Major Changes To Parking In Downtown St. Cloud, MN Begin Next Week
  • Sign of times as parking prices in downtown Jacksonville increase but signage called ‘misleading’
  • Popular Ontario tourist destination imposing big fines to avoid huge influx of visitors

How Much is That Curb Outside Your Window?

Another interesting research paper from UC Santa Cruz’s Adam Millard-Ball explores The Width and Value of Residential Streets.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • No handicapped parking outside houses in La Crosse, an unwritten rule

Parking 101

  • The Perils of Central Planning for Parking by Donald Shoup

COVID Recovery

  • The intersection of parking and housing
  • Loop Alliance April report shows a continued, alarming rise in downtown parking levels
  • Philadelphia needs to manage the return of the car as the pandemic subsides

Street Seats and Open Streets

  • More Dining Spots Mean Fewer Parking Spots, And San Diego Seems Fine With That
  • Polarizing parklets: How SF thinks about public space could forever change
  • From parking to parks: San Diego preps for pedestrian-friendly makeover of downtown’s E Street
  • Restaurant owners welcome Baker legislation extending outdoor dining in MA
  • This is what New York City streets would look like with 25% less space for cars
  • NYC gave up 8,550 parking spots for al fresco dining amid COVID

Parking and Mass Transit

  • CO: Gov. Polis signs law giving RTD flexibility to reduce bus and train fares, charge for parking in lots
  • The Former CATS Chief Talks Transit Plan Mistakes in Charlotte, NC

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Parking Reform News

May 24, 2021 By Tony Jordan Leave a Comment

In case you missed it: Tackling Parking Reform In Hawai’i

We hosted a very informative online session featuring Kathleen Rooney from Honolulu. Kathleen gave some great tips for parking reformers, shared some eye-opening information about Honolulu’s climate action goals, and answered a lot of questions. Professor Donald Shoup makes several appearances. You can watch the recording here.

Dallas Holds Hearing on Reforms

The Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee in Dallas, TX held a pair of hearings to get public comment on potential parking reforms. Parking Reform Network member Nathaniel Barrett delivered a pair of twitter threads (meeting one | meeting two) summarizing some of the commentary.

Chicago Meters Montrose Harbor

Chicago turned on parking meters at a popular running destination last week. The meters are part of a 92 meter expansion covering 750 parking stalls in the city which may raise millions in revenue. Not everyone was happy about it, but claims that it would make the park less accessible didn’t win the day.

Odds and Ends

  • UCLA’s Michael Manville explains How Parking Destroys Cities
  • Sidewalk Labs launches Pebble, a sensor that uses real-time data to manage city parking
  • ADU report: Implementing the Backyard Revolution
  • This beautiful suburban neighborhood in Hamburg, Germany is missing one thing: The cars

Affordable Housing

  • Boston City Council Considers Eliminating Parking Requirements for Affordable Housing Developments
  • Parking Requirements Are Not a Useful Bargaining Chip for Increasing Affordable Housing

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • New Jersey beaches pay everyone, but parking keeps outsiders away
  • Cancer patients often charged exorbitant fees for parking
  • I-Team discovers Metro employees in Arlington, VA parking for free with invalid disabled parking placards

City News

  • Downtown Spokane parking rates to be set based on occupancy
  • Spokane City Council votes to change downtown meter parking prices

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