Here are examples of several parking programs and strategies that cities can adopt to support a reduction or elimination of on-site parking requirements, while still addressing mobility and access needs:
1. Shared Parking Programs
• Description: Allows multiple uses (e.g., office, retail, residential) with different peak hours to share a common pool of parking spaces. • Benefit: Reduces the total number of required spaces by maximizing use of existing capacity.
• Example: A church that is busiest on Sundays could share parking with nearby weekday office buildings.
2. Residential Parking Permit Programs (RPP)
• Description: Limits on-street parking in residential neighborhoods to permit holders (typically residents), preventing spillover parking from nearby commercial or high-density developments.
• Benefit: Manages neighborhood concerns without requiring excess offstreet parking.
3. Public or District Parking Facilities
• Description: Cities can develop public or shared district parking lots or structures that serve multiple properties within a defined area (e.g., downtowns or commercial corridors).
• Benefit: Reduces the need for every individual property to provide on-site parking.
• Example: A city-owned parking garage shared by retail and restaurants.
4. Parking Cash-Out Programs
• Description: Employers offer employees the option to receive cash instead of a subsidized parking space.
• Benefit: Encourages employees to use alternative transportation, reducing demand for on-site parking.
• State Policy: California law (AB 2109) mandates this for certain employers who lease parking.
5. Dynamic Pricing for On-Street Parking
• Description: Implements real-time demand-based pricing for metered parking to keep a few spaces open at all times.
• Benefit: Reduces cruising for parking and ensures more efficient use of existing curb space.
• Example: San Francisco's SFpark program.
6. Unbundled Parking
• Description: Requires that the cost of parking be separated ("unbundled") from the cost of renting or owning a unit.
• Benefit: Gives renters or buyers the option to only pay for parking if they use it, encouraging car-free or car-light lifestyles.
7. Car Share and Bike Share Integration
• Description: Promotes access to mobility without personal vehicle ownership by partnering with car-share and bike-share providers. • Benefit: Reduces the need for households to own multiple cars, thereby reducing parking demand.
8. Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Programs
• Description: Broader strategies that reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles through transit passes, employer shuttles, rideshare incentives, and more.
• Benefit: Can be tied to development approvals to justify reduced parking.
9. Valet and Tandem Parking Programs
• Description: Allows more flexible parking arrangements such as valet services or tandem (stacked) parking to meet reduced parking supply. • Benefit: Maximizes efficiency without requiring more land or structured parking.
10. Park-and-Ride Facilities
• Description: Strategically located lots at transit hubs or freeway exits that serve as transfer points to transit.
• Benefit: Enables regional commuters to access transit without the need for parking near their final destination.