Sacramento Relaxes Parking Requirements to Stimulate Development

With an eye towards stimulating infill commercial development and high-density housing development catering to an emerging segment of residents less interested in owning cars, Sacramento's City Council approved a "sweeping set" of new parking rules this month. "This is a monumental shift in how we approach parking requirements on development projects," said Sacramento City Manager John Shirey. "We need to eliminate the unnecessary roadblocks that sometimes stifle projects."

The changes are being applauded by "builders, lower-income housing advocates, as well as pedestrian and transit advocates."

However, says Bizjak,  "[t]he parking changes come with a risk, especially in parts of downtown and midtown where street parking is often hard to find. It means there will be more people, but not many more parking spots."