Parking Reform

Apartment buildings under construction with crane.

A Menu of Proposed Housing Policy Reforms

The Mercatus Center published a list of 16 policy recommendations designed to help states clear local obstacles for housing construction.

September 7, 2022 - Mercatus Center

California State Capital

California Makes Planning History, Resets the Housing Status Quo

The California Legislature this week approved a historic package of bills, including a bill that allows affordable housing on commercially zoned properties and another that removes parking requirements near transit.

September 1, 2022 - San Francisco Chronicle

A view over the tops of the historic brick buildings of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Ends Parking Requirements in the City’s West End

The West End neighborhood of Cincinnati is home to 6,000 residents but only one dine-in restaurant.

August 24, 2022 - Cincinnati Business Courier

Cars are blurred as they pass the bright lights of the Michigan Theater at dusk in Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor Votes to Eliminate Parking Minimums

Ann Arbor, Michigan approved changes to the city’s Unified Development Code (UDC) earlier this week that eliminate off-street parking requirements for a variety of development types throughout the city.

August 17, 2022 - The Handbuilt City

Virginia

Richmond Weighing How to End Parking Requirements

A series of town hall meetings will allow the public a chance to give feedback about zoning changes in Richmond, Virginia that would include the end of parking requirements.

August 17, 2022 - WTVR

Parking Sign

Updated: The Perils of Central Planning for Parking

The California State Legislature is once again considering statewide parking reforms. Planetizen dusted off a Donald Shoup op-ed published last year to once again explain the stakes. While the name of the bill has changed, the terms still apply.

July 27, 2022 - Donald Shoup

Downtown Portland

Oregon Makes Historic Parking Reforms. What’s Next?

The state made sweeping reforms that eliminate parking requirements in some jurisdictions, which supporters hope will lead to faster, less expensive construction and the revitalization of vacant properties and underused lots.

July 26, 2022 - Sightline

Parking

L.A. Times Editorial Board Supports Legislation To Eliminate Parking Requirements

The paper of record in Southern California is on the record in support of parking reforms.

July 20, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

YIMBY

What Is a YIMBY?

YIMBY, an acronym standing for "Yes In My Backyard," describes advocates who support housing development as a response to the outcomes of restrictive zoning and planning policies.

June 29, 2022 - James Brasuell

Indian Trail, North Carolina

Four ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ Zoning Reforms

An excerpt from the latest book on zoning argues for four approaches to reform that can immediately improve land use regulation in the United States.

June 26, 2022 - M. Nolan Gray

Cruise Ships

California Coastal Commission Nixes Parking Reforms Intended to Spur ADUs in San Diego

Environmental causes run into conflict with zoning reforms intended for environmental benefit once again, as the California Coastal Commission requires San Diego to reinstate parking requirements for ADUs.

June 23, 2022 - OB Rag

Bend, Oregon

Oregon to Reform Parking Requirements in 52 Cities

Oregon, the first state to end single-family zoning statewide, is on the cusp of another historic planning reform as the Land Conservation and Development Commission nears approval for new “Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities” rules.

June 6, 2022 - Sightline Institute

Texas Apartment Construction

Updated: Proposed Parking Reforms Spark Controversy in Dallas

An ordinance under consideration by the Dallas City Council would change the parking requirements in the zoning code to allow for more density in exchange for affordable housing.

April 22, 2022 - FOX 4 News

Los Angeles

L.A. Reimagines Parking for New Uses

In famously car-centric Los Angeles, developers and city officials are changing the way they view parking space, opting instead to allocate the space to more effective uses.

February 3, 2022 - Commercial Observer

Seattle Coronavirus

Seattle Times Editorial Board: Time for Pike Place Market to Go Car-Free

It's been more than a century since the Seattle City Council decided to remove farmstands to make space for cars at the Pike Place Market. Public and political opinion is starting to see that decision as a mistake that can be reversed.

December 28, 2021 - The Seattle Times

Dallas, Knox Street

Dallas Exploring Parking Requirement Reform

Dallas relies on a formula introduced in 1965 to determine parking requirements for new developments, but city planners are studying how to update the city's development code for the future.

December 27, 2021 - D Magazine

A man pushes a snow blower to clear the ground of an outdoor parking lot filled with cars.

Toronto City Council Removes Most Minimum Parking Requirements

The parking reform movement has a major new feather in its cap: the Toronto City Council has this week adopted sweeping changes to the parking requirements of the city's zoning bylaws.

December 16, 2021 - Toronto Storeys

Toronto Construction

Toronto Reconsidering its Parking Requirements

Parking reform is reaching new frontiers.

November 29, 2021 - CBC News

Empty Parking

Parking Reform Map Shows Which Cities Have Eliminated Parking Minimums

As part of #BlackFridayParking week, a crowd-sourced map tracks the growth of the parking reform movement in U.S. cities.

November 23, 2021 - Strong Towns Blog

Gaslamp Quarter

San Diego Removes Some Commercial Parking Requirements

After approving parking reforms for swaths of residential areas in the city in 2019, the city of San Diego is expanding the effort to select commercial areas in the city.

November 18, 2021 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

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The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.