Alexandria Parking Standards Task Force recommends reduced parking requirements

Alexandria is in the process of changing its parking requirements (for cars) and the task force recently presented its recommendations to the planning board. The bicycle parking requirements aren't changing, so this intersects with biking in really three ways.

First, there's recognition that increased biking in Alexandria has reduced the need for off-street parking. In fact, their survey of parking considered the presence of a Capital Bikeshare station, the walkscore and bikescore as relevant metrics. The recommendations note that when the original minimums when in place in the 1950s and 60s:

transit options such as WMATA Metro, DASH, and Capital Bikeshare were not yet available, most people traveled by car, and the new parking requirements were intended to ensure there wouldbe plenty of parking available at any location accessible by car.

Second, in a "war on cars" sort of way, oodles of free, required parking subsidizes driving in a way that likely drives down biking numbers. 

Third, they presented to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Council before finishing up their final recommendations. 

Their recommendations include parking maximums, lower minimums and maximums in "enhanced transit areas", and more shared parking. It also allows for the conversion of excess spaces.

The special use permit process would allow for conditions to be added to require conversion of the spaces to other public uses (e.g.; public parking, bike parking, storage space, etc.) if they become underutilized and other contributions as appropriate to offset any negative impact of additional parking. 

Comments

[darren]

these new standards were adopted by city council this past weekend

[Crickey]

Generally speaking, the government should only impose requirements if there is a concern that the market would fail to provide a necessary function. That was never true with parking, but it became an inviolable rule that every new development had to provide parking in amounts that would meet or exceed the highest conceivable demand. The predictable result was oversupply, which hampered any ability to charge for parking and thereby created yet another hidden subsidy to drivers.

[ACyclistInThePortCIty]

The new standards passed by 6-1, Mayor Silberberg casting the only no vote.