Citywide Parking Requirement Reform Passes in Seattle

The U.S. city with the best recent history of convincing commuters to ditch the auto commute is taking further steps to make the city a little less car-centric.

1 minute read

April 3, 2018, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


On-Street Parking

TS Photographer / Shutterstock

"Seattle council members on Monday approved changes to the parking code that they hope will ultimately tackle their carbon-free, pedestrian-and-bike-friendly, affordable vision for the city," reports Hayat Norimine.

Specifically, the city's new parking ordinance, "expands areas that fall under the definition of 'frequent transit service,' reduces the parking minimum for affordable housing projects, increases requirements for bicycle parking, allows underused private parking lots to be open to the public, and separates parking fees from rental leases."

Support for the new parking ordinance focused on the potential benefit to housing costs, not the potential environmental benefits of less driving.

A previous article by Norimine provides more explanation and background on the changes to Seattle's parking requirements.

Monday, April 2, 2018 in SeattleMet

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

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

People walking up and down stairs in New York City subway station.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving

Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

April 18 - Scientific American

White public transit bus with bike on front bike rack in Nashville, Tennessee.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan

Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

April 18 - Bloomberg CityLab

An engineer controlling a quality of water ,aerated activated sludge tank at a waste water treatment plant.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding

The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.

April 18 - Smart Cities Dive