Austin to remove parking requirements

This morning, the Austin City Council voted 10-1 to direct city staff to prepare an ordinance that will remove parking requirements for off-street motor parking in Austin. The resolution, offered by Council Member Zo Qadri, notes that “parking requirements can have unintended consequences, such as developments providing more parking than is necessary, encouraging the use of single-occupancy vehicles, contributing to traffic congestion, air pollution, and flooding, and discouraging the development of more affordable housing” and “can limit the amount of available land for development, leading to reduced density and more urban sprawl, exacerbating traffic congestion and environmental issues; and eliminating parking requirements can promote more walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, increase access to public transit, and reduce the cost of housing.”

I spoke in favor of the measure before the city council this morning. Once the council gives final approval of the ordinance, likely later this year, Austin will become the second largest city in the country to take such actions.