2008 Parking Study Final Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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27 3333 Parking Exempt ZoneParking Exempt ZoneParking Exempt ZoneParking Exempt Zone 3.13.13.13.1 Introduction and KeIntroduction and KeIntroduction and KeIntroduction and Key Pointsy Pointsy Pointsy Points The section assesses the existing downtown Parking Exempt Zone (PEZ), and makes recommendations for revising this policy to better meet current and future needs. · The market is generally providing parking for developments within the PEZ at a similar level to the City’s requirements for areas outside the PEZ. · The PEZ is not currently causing any problems. Recent developments have been able to lease existing parking spaces in order to meet market needs (including financiers’ requirements). However, the City is concerned that once these existing spaces are all in use, it may be harder for the market to provide spaces for new developments. · Practice varies widely in other cities – there is no one standard or ‘correct’ system. · The City should replace the PEZ with the following system: o Set minimum parking standards, with the developer having the option of paying a fee in lieu of parking. The City would use in-lieu fees to provide a combination of parking and/or support for alternative modes of travel. o Incentivize employer participation in travel demand management (TDM) programs. o Expand permit parking and create parking benefit districts as needed. 3.23.23.23.2 BackgroundBackgroundBackgroundBackground The City of Charlottesville adopted the PEZ in 1976 to take advantage of publicly available, shared parking and provide an incentive for urban redevelopment. The PEZ covers the majority of downtown, and also extends further north along McIntire Road and west along Main Street (Figure 3.1). The PEZ benefits developers by avoiding the costs associated with the construction of parking and by allowing greater use of valuable downtown land that can instead be developed for a higher use than parking. The PEZ also benefits the City by encouraging the development of a tight fabric of pedestrian-oriented buildings and open spaces that give vibrancy to downtown Charlottesville and draw in a large number of residents and visitors. However, most recent developments in downtown have provided off-street parking. This has led to the question of whether the PEZ is still appropriate or useful, and whether there are better ways to achieve the original goals. There is sound logic in allowing developers to use the market to determine how many parking spaces should be provided. Minimum parking requirements often result in too many parking spaces, which is costly to a developer and disrupts the urban fabric of a downtown. However, a balance must be found that ensures that a developer is not simply burdening the City with providing parking to support a private development, and that parking and traffic do not spill over from the private development into surrounding residential neighborhood streets. As Charlottesville’s success has spurred continual development, including a recent trend toward residential development, the demands for public parking have increased, putting pressure on downtown parking supplies and on neighborhood streets immediately surrounding downtown.