It's an idea that has already had some success in Philadelphia: give developers a tax abatement on projects that achieve some desired end, in this case fewer surface parking lots.
Several city leaders in Spokane, Washington want to do something about downtown's overabundance of parking lots. Their idea, Nicholad Deschais writes, is simple: "offer developers a 10-year break from taxes on any project they build on what is now a surface parking lot. It could be a residential tower or an office building. It could even be a parking garage."
We've seen something similar in Philadelphia recently. But the Washington legislation is still "far from assured. Its path is complex, and even if it does become law, it's unclear if it will stoke development at all." If passed, the bill would apply to Washington cities with populations between 150,000 and 250,000, bringing Tacoma and Vancouver (WA) into the fold.
In another piece on Spokane's plan in Streetsblog USA, Angie Schmitt writes, "In the very center of Spokane, right at the core of downtown, there are few surface parking lots — it's mainly garages that would be unaffected by the tax abatement. But [Andrew Rolwes, public policy and parking manager for Downtown Spokane Partnership] told Streetsblog USA the policy could be transformative for the 'next tier out from the downtown core.'"
FULL STORY: Getting There: City floats plan to phase parking lots out of downtown
Spokane Could Eliminate Parking Minimums Near Transit
A Washington state proposal to reduce parking minimums failed in the state legislature earlier this year.
Opinion: Cities Must Take Action on Blighted Downtown Parking Lots
Surface parking lots take up as much as a third of downtown land in some cities, dragging down tax revenue and redevelopment prospects.
Des Moines Plans to Repurpose Downtown Parking Lots
City officials want to encourage the redevelopment of underused surface parking lots.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research