Austin Ends Parking Minimums

Austin became one of the largest U.S. cities to eliminate parking requirements citywide, reports Audrey McGlinchy for KUT News. Earlier this year, the city council voted in favor of a resolution tasking city staff with removing parking requirements from city code. The revised rules were approved last week.

According to the article, “City rules still require builders to provide parking spots for disabled people, per the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition, special zoning districts within the city would still be under the city’s former parking minimum rules, including neighborhoods like Hyde Park.”

The city hopes the move will help nudge more people toward public transit as well as create more affordable housing. “In Austin, city departments say one parking spot can cost a developer anywhere from $5,000 to $60,000, depending on whether they’re building a surface parking lot or a concrete garage.”