This week the Austin’s Pedestrian Advisory Council voted unanimously to endorse eliminating parking requirements from the Austin Code across the board. I’ve been pushing for this for over two years and almost ran for mayor myself last year with this as my top issue.
This news comes in the same week NASA confirms we have had a straight flush of ever warming record breaking years. We finally have the opportunity to make Austin the green walk-able city it only THINKS it is. I only hope the action is not too little to late.
It has an official stamp of approval but it is not set yet. We must work to ensure our progress does not reverse.
It is indeed welcome news that the Pedestrian Advisory Council (PAC) joined FAN in calling not just for “reducing”, but eliminating, minimum parking requirements across the board.
I would urge advocates for this policy to stay firm and not compromise with themselves. I have already seen some advocates call for eliminating minimum parking requirements within a certain distance of transit stops or corridors without mentioning that the correct and moral policy is to eliminate them citywide.
I recognize that these advocates are trying navigate the political landscape and make realistic progress. However, they are undermining the principled argument for eliminating minimum parking requirements.
Jason Furman and others in the Obama administration called for eliminating miminum parking requirements in the White House Housing Development Toolkit. The toolkit, while it gives examples of mere reductions in parking requirements, contains an entire section under the heading “Eliminate off-street parking requirements”.
We have had enough of “Austin bargains”. Adopting a policy on which economists and genuine progressives agree should not be considered extreme or politically unrealistic. We should continue pushing for complete elimination of minimum parking requirements. Thank you for your leadership on this issue, @montunos.