Based on crowdsourced data from across the country, this updated map shows which municipalities have eliminated, lowered, or discussed their parking minimum laws.
The folks over at Strong Towns have been vociferous in their opposition to parking minimum laws. Rachel Quendau writes, "The proliferation of parking minimums over the last several decades has resulted in the demolition of beautiful historic buildings and the ruin of productive commercial districts—giving us communities filled with empty asphalt instead of homes and businesses."
Last year, the team wanted to dig deeper. "What if we tried to track parking minimum laws in every city in the nation? We knew they were prevalent and problematic almost everywhere, but we wanted to get an idea of the scale and learn the details of each municipal code." The result: a crowdsourced map of the country showing where parking minimums have been eliminated, lowered, or are under discussion.
In some denser locales, however, cities are subbing in parking garages for lots. Quendau quotes a Pittsburgh contributor to the project: "While the submitter may be correct that parking minimums have been eliminated downtown [...] the city and our urban development organization have actively, quite actively in fact, worked to subsidize tons of structured parking in the downtown zone."
FULL STORY: Our Parking Minimums Map - Updated
A Contemporary Update to the #BlackFridayParking Tradition
For years, Strong Towns readers have been pointing out the vast empty parking lots on the busiest shopping day of the year as evidence of poor land use regulations. Now the #iwishthisparkingwas hashtag imagines a different future.
New App Pays Users to Report Illegally Parked Cars
A Swedish company is leveraging the power of crowdsourcing and the gig economy to enforce parking laws.
Eugene Ends Parking Minimums
In a move that complies with a state law aimed at reducing transportation emissions, Eugene amended its parking rules to eliminate minimum requirements and set maximum parking lot sizes.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
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.
How Transit Architecture Impacts Real and Perceived Safety
More than a third of Americans believe major transit systems are too unsafe to ride. The built environment can change that.
New York Passes Housing Package Focused on New Development and Adaptive Reuse
The FY 2025 budget includes a new tax incentive, funding for affordable housing on state land, and support for adaptive reuse and ADUs.
LA Metro Board Approves New 710 Freeway Plan
The newest plan for the 710 corridor claims it will not displace any residents.
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.
