The city is one of the first in the nation to completely eliminate parking mandates citywide.
In a move that goes beyond other efforts to reduce parking minimums in select parts of cities, St. Paul, Minnesota has entirely eliminated minimum off-street parking requirements, reports Frederick Melo. "St. Paul officials hope that tossing out parking mandates will open the door to new housing and businesses while moving the city closer to its goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled by 40 percent by the year 2040, and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050."
Developers can still provide off-street parking as they see fit, but zoning rules would no longer require certain numbers of spaces for different types of businesses. "Large developments will be required to offer users transit cards, traffic calming or other alternatives."
However, "[c]ritics have called lifting parking requirements burdensome and impractical, especially in areas with limited or no public transit. There’s also been some concern that the city might lose leverage in negotiations with developers over other public benefits attached to new real estate projects, such as installing bike racks."
With the construction of one parking spot costing anywhere from $5,000 for surface parking to upwards of $50,000 for structure parking, advocates call eliminating parking minimums "a free-market approach that opponents of government regulation should embrace."
FULL STORY: St. Paul eliminates parking minimums
Where 2024 Presidential Candidates Stand on 12 Issues Important to Urban Planners
Whether you’re yet undecided or have already cast your early vote, here is a roundup of the key positions of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on important urban planning policies.
Commentary: New Bill Holds Key to Solving US Housing Crisis. We Just Have to Pass It.
Two bills currently moving through Congress could make mass production of prefabricated, affordable housing possible on a large scale.
Amtrak Expanding Service in California’s Central Valley
Amtrak is planning a major expansion to the passenger rail lines connecting the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
Denver Slaughterhouse Measure Reveals Impacts of Meat Industry
Voters did not approve a measure that would have closed a slaughterhouse that is key to the nation’s lamb production.
Chicago Transit Increasing Rail Service to Pre-Pandemic Levels
The Chicago Transit Authority is close to returning both rail and bus service to pre-pandemic schedules, with some adjustments for new travel demand.
Baltimore Traffic Suffering From Absence of Key Bridge
The loss of a key route to the Port of Baltimore is causing major delays and long detours on alternate routes.
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.
University of Southern California
City of Meridian
University of Calgary
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
Detroit Regional Partnership
San Joaquin LAFCo
City of South Portland