Parking

New parking recommendations released

by David Alpert   •   June 4, 2008 6:00 pm

Office of Planning has released an updated version of their recommended new zoning regulations for parking.

Here are my comments on the previous draft. The most notable change is that OP got rid of the "buffer zone" rule, which would have required all new multi-family residential buildings to provide parking if they were near a low- to moderate-density residential zone. As I argued graphically, that rule would have meant parking minimums for every multi-family building, from a small two-family townhouse to the biggest apartment development.

We shouldn't be forcing people to devote space to parking—if it's needed, a developer will want to build it; if it's not needed, requiring it is destructive. In low density residential areas, curb space isn't particularly scarce, and in high density residential areas, we should be encouraging walking to stores and taking transit to work. Copious free parking defeats that.

The new draft still does not define transit-oriented districts (which are exempt from the few remaining parking requirements) or maximum parking limits, which will apply in some form to higher density residential areas (such as the West End or Mass. Ave), most commercial districts, industrial districts, and the aforementioned as-yet-undefined TOD areas.

The bike parking rules are still as good as ever, requiring both Class A (locked bike rooms) and Class B (outdoor racks) for most developments over a certain size. Councilmember Wells wants to increase the parking requirements slightly from what's listed here.

There's a Zoning Commission hearing coming up in July. We can get these rules through, but will need solid public support both submitting written comments and giving oral testimony at the hearing.

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.