D.C. mayoral candidates are making big promises about easing parking restrictions on Sunday in response to reports that churches are fleeing the capital for locations in Maryland due to difficulties with parking.
At a recent candidate forum at a church in Washington D.C., mayoral hopefuls responded to ongoing issues with churches leaving the city with a nearly uniform policy: easing parking restrictions for Sunday churchgoers. Will Sommer reports the candidate’s statements:
“Former State Department official Reta Jo Lewis revealed that there's a 'war on churches' afoot in the District. 'How it started was parking,' Lewis said.”
“Vincent Orange agreed with Lewis that there was a 'war on parking,' citing his own church's successful effort to get an exemption from the M Street bike lane. 'If it was up to me, I would relax parking on Sunday,' Orange said.”
“Tommy Wells' smart growth ways would suggest that he'd be the least likely candidate to go to bat for free parking. But Wells went the farthest of all, promising to create a cabinet-level position in his administration to cover church issues like parking.”
“Muriel Bowser got in on the parking too, saying that there's no reason government shouldn't be able to help churches find spots for their parishioners all seven days of the week.”
FULL STORY: Mayoral Candidates Offer Ministers More Influence and More Parking
Conflict in Philadelphia Over Church Parking in Bike Lanes
A long-standing policy allows parking in front of churches and synagogues but leaves cars blocking bike lanes, and cyclists want the practice to end.
Watch: How to Remove Thousands of Parking Spaces
What the city of Amsterdam will gain by removing cars from on-street parking space.
Walk, Bike, Transit Advocates Lose Sunday Parking Vote
Despite a grassroots campaign to retain Sunday parking meter charges it only approved two years ago, the San Francisco MTA agreed with Mayor Ed Lee to drop the charges, hoping that voters would approve two transit funding measures in November.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
