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.

1 minute read

April 7, 2025, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Downtown Billings, Montana with mountains in background.

jzehnder / Adobe Stock

A proposed Montana state bill would limit how much parking cities can require for new residential developments, reports Eric Dietrich in the Montana Free Press, only allowing cities to mandate one parking space per housing unit. “It would also ban parking requirements entirely for existing buildings undergoing renovations, licensed child care facilities and projects with housing units smaller than 1,200 square feet.”

The measure, which passed the state House and is headed to the Senate, is designed to reduce the cost of housing construction and housing costs. “Limiting urban parking requirements was named last year as a possible housing affordability strategy by Gov. Greg Gianforte’s housing task force, which wrote at the time that surface parking stalls typically add $5,000 apiece to development costs.”

Critics of the bill say Montana cities don’t have the public transit networks that make parking reform possible in other places. “Emma Bode, a Bozeman city commissioner, also argued the bill would undermine an existing Bozeman program that relaxes the city parking requirements for developers who commit to offering below-market-rate rents.”

Monday, March 31, 2025 in Montana Free Press

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

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.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

People sitting and walking in plaza in front of historic Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners

How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

March 28, 2025 - Emily McCoy

Rendering of proposed greenway design for downtown San Diego street.

San Diego Swaps Parking Lane for Kid-Friendly Mini Park

The block-long greenway will feature interactive play equipment and landscaping.

15 minutes ago - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Oil well on hilltop in Los Angeles with city neighborhoods in background.

Tracking the Invisible: Methane Leaks From LA’s Neighborhood Oil Sites

Environmental advocates are using infrared technology to monitor and document methane leaks from neighborhood oil sites, filling regulatory gaps and pushing for stronger protections to safeguard community health and the climate.

1 hour ago - LAist

Downtown Billings, Montana with mountains in background.

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.

3 hours ago - Montana Free Press