The Onion takes parking requirements to their logical conclusion.
Satire publication The Onion takes aim at America’s often ridiculous parking requirements by imagining a new zoning law in famously car-centric Houston that requires ten parking spots for every new parking spot.
The fake article includes a fake quote from the Houston mayor: “For too long we’ve stood by and watched as historic parts of our beautiful city stood in the way of more and more parking spaces.”
The fictional zoning amendment highlights an all-too real problem: the vast amounts of prime urban real estate in U.S. cities dedicated to car parking. Houston is estimated to have as many as 30 parking spots per resident.
FULL STORY: New Houston Law Requires 10 Parking Spaces For Every Parking Space
Montana Bill Promotes Parking Reform
A bill before the Montana state senate would bar cities from requiring more than one parking spot per new housing unit.
Denver Could Eliminate Parking Requirements
The city could remove parking mandates citywide to reduce the cost of housing construction and ease permitting for new projects.
Parking Reform Yields New Housing
As more cities eliminate or reduce their minimum parking requirements, the impact on housing supply is coming into focus.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
The city council will send a letter to Caltrans urging the agency to reconsider a plan to expand the 101 through the city of San Mateo.
A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
Houston Mayor Promises Dedicated Austin Street Bike Lane After Public Backlash
Although the one-way bike lane won’t be protected by physical barriers, the proposal is an improvement over the mayor’s initial plan to only include sharrows on the Austin Street project.
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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
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Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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