The nonprofit group Strong Towns has raised concerns about the impact of mandatory parking minimums on urban safety and community development. In their e-book 'Stuck in Park: How Mandatory Parking Minimums Hurt American Cities,' the organization discusses the implications of urban school parking policies and broader urban planning issues.
Charles Marohn, the author of one of the articles in the e-book, critiques his local school district's plan to add parking for school staff, which would involve paving over playgrounds and potentially using eminent domain to acquire residential properties. Marohn argues that applying suburban design standards to urban neighborhoods, mainly to separate uses and increase traffic flow, can be disastrous due to the high number of pedestrians. Furthermore, additional parking would only be useful for a brief period each day, leaving vast unused spaces that contribute to urban blight during evenings, weekends, and summer months.
Marohn's article emphasizes that unused parking lots have become common in urban areas due to changes in shopping, dining, and working patterns. According to Strong Towns, many cities have recognized the negative impact of parking mandates and subsidies on families, business owners, and developers. As a result, over 1,400 U.S. cities have made changes to their parking policies, as documented in the organization's Parking Reform Map.
In Haltom City, Texas, parking mandates present a significant obstacle to the redevelopment of older properties. Joe Palmer, Communications Director for the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA), suggests that the city create overlay districts to eliminate parking minimums along the main corridors in the south and central areas of Haltom City. Palmer believes this change could encourage developers and small business owners to invest in older properties, revitalizing declining neighborhoods.
Palmer argues that eliminating parking mandates is just one of several strategies the Haltom City Council should consider to reverse the trend of business decline. The city's outdated and restrictive use matrix has deterred new business development and growth, particularly affecting small businesses and the automotive industry. A revitalization plan for the southern and central parts of Haltom City is critical to preventing further degradation and potential increases in crime and blight.
Overall, the advocacy from Strong Towns and HUBA highlights the importance of re-evaluating urban parking policies to enhance safety, promote economic growth, and create more livable urban environments. These changes are essential for fostering a vibrant business community, alleviating the tax burden on residents, and improving the overall quality of life in urban areas.
