7A - Discussion, Parking Requirements

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COMMUNITYGRowTH 'A I N S T I T U T E Peqiiuo,- r 11 x Eyertv in Small Town Planning 1Ak NEW BusiNEss—PARKING STANDARDS Agenda Item:7(a) Background Information: The Planning Commission has directed Staff to look into a new approach to surface parking regulation. Recent applications have validated the prevailing belief that, at least in some instances, the City's Code requires more parking spaces than is either needed or desired. As cities and towns turn to more compact, walkable development patterns, parking standards shrink. The reduction in parking spaces encourages higher density development at a reduced cost, alternative modes of transportation, and reduced impervious surface and related environmental and aesthetic benefits. In recent years there has been a paradigm shift in parking planning. In the past, communities believed that parking should be vast and plentiful. The thought was that an abundance of parking was a good thing. In "Parking Management Strategies, Evaluation and Planning", land use attorney and researcher Todd Litman states, "The old paradigm assumes that parking lots should almost never fill, that parking facility costs should be incorporated into the cost of buildings or subsidized by governments, and that every destination should satisfy its own parking needs." A new paradigm strives to achieve the "optimal" parking supply. According to Litman, "It considers full lots to be acceptable, provided that additional parking is available nearby, and that any spillover problems are addressed." The new paradigm encourages the use of shared parking and "recognizes that transport and land use conditions evolve so parking planning practices need frequent adjustment." From the study,which is included with this report: Table 1 Old and New Parking Para gms Compared Old Parking Paradigm Now Parking Paradigm 'Tarking problem"means inadequate parking There can be many types of parking problems,including din supply- inadequate,or excessive supply,too low or high prices, inaidequate us a informatLol and inefficient many including Abundant parking supply is always desirable, Too much supply is as harmful as too little. Parking should generally be provided free,funded As much as possible,users should pay directly for parking indirectly,through Tents and taxes. facilities. Parking should be available on a first-come basis. Parking should be regulated to favor higher priority uses and en efficiency. Parking requirements should be applied rigidly, Parking requirements should reflect each particular without ocception or variation. situation,and should be applied flexibly. Innovation faces a high burden of proof and should hinowtions should be encouraged,since even unsuccessful only be applied if proven and widely Accepted, experiments often provide useful information. Parking management is a last resort,to be applied Parking management program should be widely applied to only if increasing supply is infeasible. -prevent parking problems. "Transportatioe'nicans driving,Land use Driving is just one type of transport.Dispersed,automobile- dispersion t sproxyl)is acceptable or even desirable. I AMMdeut land use patterns can be undesirable, Source:Litman,Todd"Parking Management Strategies,Evaluation and Planning,"Victoria Transport Policy Institue.November 5,2008. Pequot Lakes Staff Report 7(a)-1 November 19,2009