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There's an easy way to force everyone -- developers, the Office of Planning, etc. -- to be when honest when it comes to the appropriate level of off-street parking for dense residential or mixed-use development. While some developers want to build more off-street parking than may be necessary because they feel that's what new residents want, others seek to build less than zoning minimums, because off-street, particularly underground, parking is expensive.

OP and DDOT argue that if you build more off-stree parking, more people will drive, and less parking is needed in proximity to transit.

Existing residents fear that less off-street parking from more development will just mean more and more motorists competing for scarce on-street parking and allow developers to shift their parking costs on to public space.

So, what to do? In Arlington, to get permission to build less parking than minimums in transit-oriented zones, the developer has to covenant that the new project will not be eligible for the residential parking permit program. This has also been a provision in some PUD zoning orders in D.C. This way, the developer is forced to build a realistic amount of off-street parking, transit use is encouraged and the the added parking burden on adjacent streets is lessened (and a frequent issue in opposition to in-fill development is addressed).

And finally, raise the fees to obtain an RPP sticker, or at least have progressively rising fees for multiple cars registered to the same household address.

by Bob on Apr 6, 2011 11:26 am • link • report