Parking Minimums

A bill to reduce parking minimums for residential or mixed-use developments that include affordable units passed a key Senate committee. AB 744 amends the state's density bonus law, itself controversial, that incentivizes building affordable housing.

July 16, 2015 - Streetsblog California

As parking reform takes to multi-family housing, the detached single family home has largely escaped discussion. Should it? Seattle (of course) is taking the lead. Also, is all of Minneapolis ready to eliminate parking minimums along transit lines?

July 14, 2015 - Streetsblog Network

Minneapolis took a large leap forward last week by approving a plan that would reduce parking requirements for transit-adjacent developments in a huge swath of the city—not just downtown.

July 13, 2015 - Minneapolis Star Tribune

A newly approved ordinance in San Francisco will allow new flexibility for the city parking regulations, relaxing parking restrictions in multiple situations that apply all over the city.

April 29, 2015 - SF.Streetsblog

In the most recent iteration of the annual event, social media users around the country submitted images of empty parking lots in front of retail centers on the busiest shopping day of the year.

December 2, 2014 - Strong Towns

Notoriously car dependent Miami will consider a zoning code amendment exempting small multi-family developments within a quarter mile of transit corridors from parking minimums.

October 27, 2014 - Miami Herald

A new database from the Oakland-based Transform group maps and tracks unused parking spaces in multifamily housing developments.

October 18, 2014 - Streetsblog LA

Washington D.C.'s long deliberated and closely watched zoning code update is moving forward, and supporters of progressive land use regulations have reason to be encouraged.

October 14, 2014 - Greater Greater Washington

A recently adopted ordinance allows developers to build significantly fewer parking spaces for projects in proximity to transit stations. Developers have already responded to the advantages offered by the reduced requirements.

September 11, 2014 - The Architect's Newspaper

In which parking minimums figure heavily in a polemic regarding the nature of cool.

August 30, 2014 - Guardian Cities

Writing for Smart Growth America, Neha Bhatt provides a survey of innovative parking regulation and management strategies in cities around the country.

August 26, 2014 - Smart Growth America

Philadelphia's Mayor Michael Nutter has set a policy goal of becoming the "Greenest City in America," but the city's lack of progress in reducing automobile use is a troubling obstacle to such a lofty goal.

July 7, 2014 - Next City

None of the original team that began working on Washington D.C.'s zoning code update are still working on the project. Much has changed in the six years that have expired.

June 28, 2014 - Greater Greater Washington

Vancouver’s Transportation 2040 plan allowed for the easing of parking minimums for residential developments in parts of the city, and now city planners are beginning to explore where and how condos can be built without parking.

March 21, 2014 - The Province

Parking lots across the U.S. are designed to accommodate the crowds of cars participating in the busiest shopping day of the year. By asking his readers to capture images of underutilized lots last Friday, Chuck Marohn set out to expose the fallacy.

December 2, 2013 - Strong Towns

Recognizing the obstacle to redevelopment and livability presented by its outdated parking requirements, Cincinnati leaders have reduced parking minimums in the central business district and historic Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, reports Randy Simes.

August 27, 2013 - Cincinnati Business Courier

This 16-minute radio interview of Forbes writer Micheline Maynard and Cornell urban planning professor Michael Manville explores how and why to redesign cities to make them less auto-dependent to match reduced driving.

August 1, 2013 - Here & Now

For Alan Durning, curb-parking territoriality is the root cause of many of America's urban ills, from housing affordability to economic vitality. He describes the circumstances that've led to the current state of affairs and introduces the way out.

July 21, 2013 - Grist

Opponents to a proposal to eliminate parking minimums in certain areas of D.C. have been heard. In order to smooth approval of the city's massive zoning overhaul, planners will reduce minimums in some areas rather than eliminate them.

July 15, 2013 - The Washington Post

Fewer cars on the road, less driving, why not fewer parking spots? Cities like D.C., L.A., Denver, Philadelphia are responding by reducing or eliminating parking minimums, while Portland, which had already eliminated them, are bringing them back.

July 10, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal