Parking countdown #10: Row houses aren't obsolete after all

Parking

Parking countdown #10: Row houses aren't obsolete after all

by David Alpert • July 18, 2008 12:02 pm

July 31 is a very important hearing. The Zoning Commission will be hearing public comment about DC's proposed off-street parking reforms. As I've written before, these are vital changes to modernize our 1958 zoning code which required each new development to build large amounts of parking, pushing a suburban pattern of development over the existing historic urban one.

We need as many people as possible to submit comments and/or testify. Opponents of reform are aggressively fighting this; we need to stand up for progressive urban policies. And this is one of the most important opportunities. The new zoning rules may last another 50 years.

The hearing is Thursday, July 31, 6:30 pm at 441 4th ~~Avenue~~ St (One Judiciary Square). Show up at the beginning to sign up to speak. You can also submit written comments. To make it easy, you can post written comments as comments in this thread, or email them to me.

I'm going to write about one different reason why we should reform our parking zoning code each day until the hearing. Today's reason: the people who wrote the zoning rules were totally wrong about the future. They thought that row house living was a dead form, and if cities didn't lower their density and become more like suburbs quickly, they would die. In reality, suburbanizing the cities contributed to their decay, but today, row houses are more popular than ever and we're extremely glad 1965's planners didn't get more of their way.

Here's an excerpt from the zoning report:

Please stand up for parking policy that promotes row houses. Leave your comments for the Zoning Commission here and testify on the 31st!

8 comments

Tags: DC, parking minimums, zoning update

Parking countdown #1: More parking means more traffic (Jul 31, 2008)
Parking countdown #5: Minimums deter good projects (Jul 25, 2008)
Parking countdown #7: On-street management solves "spillover" (Jul 23, 2008)
Parking countdown #6: Parking minimums undermine neighborhood retail (Jul 24, 2008)
Parking countdown #2: This is what a neighborhood without minimums looks like (Jul 30, 2008)

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

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Do comments from Arlington residents help at all? My guess is no.

by Michael on Jul 18, 2008 12:46 pm • link • report

I don't think Arlington residents can comment. (But definitely comment on/testify for accessory dwellings!)

by David Alpert on Jul 18, 2008 12:48 pm • link • report

The address of the hearing you refer to at the top of your post doesn't exist--there is no fourth avenue in DC. Try 4th Street.

by nope on Jul 19, 2008 1:59 pm • link • report

Whoops. I keep doing that for some reason.

by David Alpert on Jul 19, 2008 3:23 pm • link • report

Opponents say removing "minimum parking hasn't been tested so how can it be best practice." You make a great case in your testimony saying we don't need to know how removing minimums has succeeded in Portland/SanFran/etc. We have a perfect test case in our historic districts, built before the car dominated planning. They are some of the most successful urban places.

by Louise Brodnitz on Jul 19, 2008 9:37 pm • link • report

I live in Southwest DC and definitely do not want to see more parking made available. I'd much rather see expansion of the Circulator buses which run fronm Southwest to the convention Center and the one from Georgetown to Union Station. It would make more sense to have new office construction build whatever parking spaces they require for their workers outside the city and run shuttle buses to and from the building or to metro stations. The feds right now run an extensive shuttle service between their buildings in and out of the city and to and from metro stations. The parking spaces in those buildings would be better use for other purposes and since they are absolutely restricted to Federal use because of security they can't be used for any other public space. I realize the Feds can do whatever they please however the City should at least suggest some changes.

by Dan Maceda on Jul 20, 2008 10:04 am • link • report

Note to David A.: this is not meant to be included in the hearing comments; meant as information for GGW readers.

Richard Layman has an articulate response in DCWatch to last weeks criticism of plans to make streets safer for pedestrians. Laymans comments are apropos to the new parking zoning proposal.

http://www.dcwatch.com/themail/2008/08-07-20.htm#layman

by Bianchi on Jul 21, 2008 9:20 am • link • report

Bottom Line - Motorcycle/Scooter parking needs to be fixed and promoted for DC. I've been riding 8+ years to work with a vehicle that is lower emissions than a Hybrid vehicle and gets better gas mileage (i get around 60MPG). Motorcycles/Scooters take less room than parking cars if the parkiing is setup correctly for it.

Other motorcycle riders I am 100% sure feel the same as I do because we are constantly getting petty tickets for parking our motorcycles/scooters. It is absolutely ridiculous and 99% of the scooters/motorcycles are used for commuting or business purposes (deliveries).

I would definetly like to discuss this further with anyone that has the authority to make any decisions on parking in DC. My work number is 202-626-5586 or you can email me.

Thanks

Evan

by Evan Weathersbee on Aug 12, 2008 4:21 pm • link • report