Around the country, cities are throwing out their own parking requirements, hoping to end up with less parking – and more affordable housing, better transit, and walkable neighborhoods.

The city council in Austin, Texas recently proposed something that could seem like political Kryptonite: getting rid of parking minimums.

Those are the rules that dictate how much off-street parking developers must provide — as in, a certain number of spaces for every apartment and business.

Around the country, cities are throwing out their own parking requirements – hoping to end up with less parking, more affordable housing, better transit, and walkable neighborhoods.

  • wildginger
    114·
    6 months ago

    Does it increase walkability? Or does it just force residents to walk? Because those are not the same.

    • helenslunch@feddit.nl
      42·
      6 months ago

      They’re not the same but it can be both.

      They can also choose to cycle, use public transit, or the fun new micromobility machines that are becoming ever-more-popular in urban areas.

      • wildginger
        74·
        6 months ago

        But if there is no infrastructure to accomodate not driving, you havent made anything more walkable. Just less traversable.

        Walkability isnt when cars are harder to use so you have to walk, its when a space is designed to make walking convenient. This doesnt seem to be doing anything but making one type of transport harder to use. Without making other options better, its just going to build resentment in people for losing a formerly preferred transport and being forced to use currently worse transport instead.

        • helenslunch@feddit.nl
          71·
          6 months ago

          But if there is no infrastructure to accomodate not driving, you havent made anything more walkable

          These are not immediate fixes. It’s part of a master plan that yes, includes improving other infrastructure

            • helenslunch@feddit.nl
              31·
              6 months ago

              But ditching parking minimums was.

              No. It wasn’t.

              Lol, jam tomorrow.

              If you want to advocate for perpetuating infrastructure that damages the climate, decreases affordability and makes things more difficult for everyone, you go on ahead. But don’t pretend it’s about diversity. I’ll continue advocating for putting one foot in front of the other.