Council votes to eliminate off-street parking requirements

City Council voted Thursday to eliminate requirements for minimum amounts of off-street parking on new construction projects, marking a shift in the city’s push to increase the amount of housing stock while decreasing development costs. The amendments to the city’s building code passed 8-2, with Council members Alison Alter and Mackenzie Kelly voting against.

The amendments, which were called for in a May resolution, were supported by staff with the finding that reducing or eliminating parking space requirements on new development projects will promote more efficient land use and reduce the tendency to make all trips using a motor vehicle instead of via public transit, bicycle or walking.

The amendments make no changes to requirements for parking spaces for those with disabilities, with staff meeting with multiple stakeholder groups for the disabled to study the potential impacts.

Economic analysis of off-street parking on building projects shows that in surface parking lots each space costs $5,000 to $10,000 for developers. In parking structures the cost jumps to $20,000 to $60,000 per space depending on the type of structure and number of spaces provided.

An impact paper from the Housing and Planning Department forecasts the changes “will allow home builders to build less parking where appropriate and use more of a property for housing units or other land uses required in residential projects, such as onsite detention ponds.” The same paper finds that market-rate, income-restricted, and naturally occurring affordable housing units would all face lower costs and be easier to build with no minimum parking requirements.

During a public hearing prior to the Council vote, most speakers expressed support for the amendments.

“Austin is changing, and this is good, and it is a healthy thing for a large city. We are a dynamic city that is home to many forward-looking industries, institutions and individuals and this reform to the Land Development Code helps align our city rules with the spirit of Austin,” said Daniel Kavelman, a member of the Urban Transportation Commission, which voted last month in support of the changes. “With this change, we can allow development that welcomes newcomers, respects our environment, and most importantly, allows people to develop their own land as they see fit. It will allow more homes to be built, allow more commercial activity, and allow more Austinites to travel around the city by whichever mode they desire and can afford.”

Part of the focus of UTC’s recommendation was special attention paid to requiring spaces for bicycles in new building projects as a way to encourage the mode shift away from motorized vehicles. Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis was successful in amending the ordinance language to include special direction on spaces for bicycles.

While saying she agreed with the intent to adjust parking requirements, Council Member Alison Alter said the proposed changes were too aggressive.

“Although I think that our existing parking requirements do need reform, and there are many scenarios where I would relax or eliminate parking requirements, this universal elimination of requirements is a step beyond what I consider to be prudent,” she said. “I’m concerned that there will be unintended consequences and scenarios that create real problems for navigating areas where residential uses abut commercial uses, particularly in areas that have older, narrow streets. I appreciate that we are updating our code and updates are needed, but I would prefer we take time to have a more granular approach.”

In a statement released after the vote, Council Member Zo Qadri celebrated the elimination of parking requirements.

“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,” he said. “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.”

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