AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin City Council has voted to eliminate parking mandates from the land development code.
On Thursday, the council voted to remove minimum parking mandates for new developments, both residential and commercial. The elimination was first proposed by Councilmember Zohaib "Zo" Qadri (District 9) in May.
“A city like Austin that has adopted progressive mobility, affordability, and climate goals should not be in the business of requiring an arbitrary amount of car storage in every new development,” Qadri said Thursday. “As we continue to make historic investments in transit, bike lanes, urban trails, and sidewalks, we are creating a new mobility paradigm that will let the market and individuals decide what transportation options are best for each new project, while also ensuring that those developments remain accessible to people with disabilities.”
According to a release from Qadri's office, the cost of providing surface parking, like a parking lot, can reach up to $10,000 per space while structured parking, like a parking garage, can approach $60,000 per space.
The release also stated that recent studies show parking reforms in other cities like Seattle and Buffalo have led to new housing opportunities.
“Austin should become a walkable, 10-minute city. By eliminating parking requirements, we can encourage housing construction, reduce development costs, and bring Austin closer to a more connected, people-centered city,” Councilmember said Vanessa Fuentes (District 2), an original co-sponsor of the May resolution.
The release from Qadri's office also stated that while drafting the code amendments, Austin Transportation and Public Works Department (TPW) staff worked with Americans Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT) of Texas to ensure that the accessible space requirements are maintained and strengthened where appropriate.
“We know that for most single-family infill projects, parking is still a big selling point, but a market-based approach is the way to right-size what is needed to reduce barriers to small business growth and larger housing projects,” said Councilmember Leslie Pool (District 7), another original co-sponsor of the May resolution. “I’m also very grateful for the role ADAPT played here to guarantee access to parking for people with physical disabilities."
Back in 2019, the council adopted the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan. It set a goal of reducing the share of citywide communities by single-occupant vehicles to 50% by 2039.
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