Standing Mobility Subcommittee
Planning Memorandum: Parking Maximums Page 1 of 5 November 19, 2025 Attachment 1
PARKING MAXIMUM CASE STUDIES
Note, the population and population densities are listed with each case study to provide a scaled comparison to Culver City, which has a population of 39,883 and a population density of 7,977 people per square mile (people/mi²).
1. Santa Monica, CA
• Population: 91,105
• Population Density: 10,976 people/mi²
• Parking Max. Adoption: June 2015, amended 2023
• Strategy Applied: Tiered parking maximum with separate standards for the Downtown Community Plan (DCP) and citywide standards
Santa Monica uses a two -tier parking maximum system outlined in Table 9.28.060 of its municipal code. Within the Downtown Community Plan (DCP) area, stricter maximums promote pedestrian-oriented development. Outside the DCP, minimum parking requirements act as maximums, which may be exceeded by up to two spaces or 5%, whichever is greater.
Developers seeking to exceed these limits must obtain a Conditional Use Permit, subject to specific findings.
2. Pasadena, CA
• Population: 138,699
• Population Density: 6,030 people/mi²
• Parking Max. Adoption: 2009
• Strategy Applied: Maximums are 100% of the minimums for non-residential uses within 1/4 mile of TODs and in the Central District
Figure 1. Santa Monica Downtown Community Plan Area
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
Planning Memorandum: Parking Maximums Page 2 of 5 November 19, 2025 The City of Pasadena establishes parking maximums equal to 100% of the minimum requirement for non-residential uses within the Central District and within ¼ mile of Transit - Oriented Development (TOD) areas near light-rail stations. Although TOD areas are exempt from parking requirements under Assembly Bill 2097, any parking provided must comply with these maximums . Developers may receive ministerial approval for up to 50% additional parking beyond the set limit.
3. San Diego, CA
• Population: 1.4 million
• Population Density: 4,245 people/mi²
• Parking Max. Adoption: 2022
• Strategy Applied: Parking maximums apply to multi -family developments in Downtown coupled with “dynamic pricing” meters for on-street parking in the downtown stadium area
San Diego sets a maximum of 1 parking space per unit for downtown multi -family developments. Exceeding this limit is allowed if all of the following conditions are met:
i. The building’s floor area ratio (FAR) is at least 80% of the maximum allowed; ii. At least 20% of all parking spaces have electric vehicle charging stations; iii. At least four transportation amenities are provided; and iv. Any parking spaces above the 1-per-unit limit are located in an underground garage.
San Diego also implemented a dynamic pricing model for on-street parking meters, adjusting rates during peak hours in downtown and near Petco Park. Studied for a year by Fehr & Peers, Figure 2. Pasadena TODs and Central District
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
Planning Memorandum: Parking Maximums Page 3 of 5 November 19, 2025 this system complements parking maximums by promoting turnover and encouraging greater use of public transit.1
4. East Palo Alto, CA
• Population: 30,034
• Population Density: 12,013 people/mi²
• Parking Max. Adoption: December 2024
• Strategy Applied: Parking maximums applied to all land uses within a Specific Plan area
In December 2024, East Palo Alto adopted the Ravenswood -4 Corners Business District Specific Plan, covering 207 acres of former agricultural and light industrial land now supporting retail, multifamily housing, light industrial, and public uses. Per the Specific Plan, parking maximums are determined per 1,000 square feet of a given land use. It provides an example of parking maximums within an area with larger parcels targeted for redevelopment, similar to the Hayden Tract Specific Plan.
5. Hartford, CT
• Population: 121,054
• Population Density: 6,966 people/mi²
• Parking Max. Adoption: December 2017
• Strategy Applied: Parking maximums are 100% of the parking minimums to encourage redevelopment of excessive surface parking lots
1 InsideSanDiego. (2025, June 2). City Council Approves Comprehensive Update to Parking Regulations. https://www.insidesandiego.org/city-council-approves-comprehensive-update-parking-regulations.
Figure 3. Ravenswood-4 Corners Specific Plan
Area
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
Planning Memorandum: Parking Maximums Page 4 of 5 November 19, 2025 In 2016, Hartford, Connecticut became the first U.S. city to eliminate parking minimums citywide, followed by citywide parking maximums in December 2017. This was a direct response to a number of population declines between the 1960s and the early 2000s, as the local workforce moved to surrounding suburbs and small towns. 2 As daily car commuting increased, Hartford’s downtown saw widespread demolition of buildings for surface parking.
By 2000, roughly 33% of the city’s land was dedicated to parking lots,3 costing the City to lose approximately $50 million annually in potential tax revenue.4
In 2017, Hartford replaced parking minimums with maximums to promote pedestrian - and transit-oriented infill development. There are certain exceptions for car dealerships, stadiums, other assembly related uses.5 Despite these reforms, about 22% of Hartford remains surface parking. Strong Towns advises that parking reform should be paired with tax incentives to make active land uses more financially attractive than parking lots.6
2 Gould, C. (2022, December 5). CNU: Much of its downtown gone, Hartford leads the way to parking reform. https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2022/12/05/much-its-downtown-gone-hartford-leads-way-parking-reform. 3 Broderick, T. (2025, August 26). CT Mirror. “Parking reform is getting the job done in Hartford. CT.” https://ctmirror.org/2025/08/26/parking-reform-is-getting-the-job-done-in-hartford/. 4 Streetsblog USA. (2017, December 13). Hartford Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide. https://usa.streetsblog.org/2017/12/13/hartford-eliminates-parking-minimums-citywide. 5 City of Hartford, CT. (2018) Zoning Regulations Section 7.2.2 (B). https://perma.cc/6Z62-B9W8. 6 Jones, S. (2023, August 23). Strong Towns Archive. https://archive.strongtowns.org/journal/2023/8/23/removing-parking- minimums-is-just-the-start.
Figure 4. Land occupied by surface parking
(shown in red) in Hartford, CT (2009).
Standing Mobility Subcommittee
Planning Memorandum: Parking Maximums Page 5 of 5 November 19, 2025
6. Boston, MA
• Population: 673,458
• Population Density: 13,480 people/mi²
• Parking Max. Adoption: October 2021
• Strategy Applied: Maximums apply to projects over 50,000 sq. ft. in the Downtown, South End, and Back Bay districts
Boston presents a more nuanced approach to parking maximums. In 2015, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s Perfect Fit Parking study found that about 30% of required spaces were underused. To improve efficiency and support redevelopment, the city later eliminated parking minimums citywide and set parking maximums for projects over 50,000 square feet in key areas such as Downtown, the South End, and Back Bay.
The City then developed a Parking Maximum Calculator allowing developers input project details – such as use, size, transit access, and demand management measures. Using demographic and livability data like walk scores and proximity to jobs and amenities, the tool generates project-specific parking maximums based on approved rates.7
7 Milneil, C. (2021, October 13). Streetsblog Massachusetts. “Boston Establishes New Limits on Parking in Large Developments”. https://mass.streetsblog.org/2021/10/13/boston-establishes-maximum-parking-rules-for-large-developments.
Figure 5. Boston Parking Maximum Scores based on proximity to transit facilities, grocery stores, jobs, and walkability.