We are Proposing Responsive Parking for Lexington. Nationally, traditional parking regulations have produced eight parking spaces for each car, meaning for every vehicle owned, seven spaces sit vacant throughout the city. These spaces cost money to create and maintain. Who bears those costs? Ultimately, they are passed on to the consumer who may or may not be even using the spaces. Lexington deserves a responsive parking system that does not require more parking to be built and maintained than is needed, but that does address the health and safety of its users. Missing the Mark with Current Regulations • Our regulations are based on factors that the City can control (building size, bedroom count, dining seats, etc), but that do not actually have an impact on parking demand. • Factors outside of the City’s control actually DO impact parking demand (business popularity, market demographics, location, etc.) • Nearly every city in the U.S. uses the same resource for determining parking minimums based on the same flawed factors, and Lexington is no different.
Shifting the Focus from Parking to People • Urban planning is based on providing regulations that address the health, safety, and welfare of the city’s residents. • The responsive parking proposal moves away from arbitrarily regulating the number of spaces and focuses on addressing safety through site design standards for parking lots. • Nationally and locally pedestrian deaths are on the rise. Defined site design standards: • Include human-scaled elements • Reduce vehicle speeds • Create predictable circulation for vehicles and pedestrians
• The responsive parking proposal corrects this and provides choice for parking providers.
• Provide marked and illuminated pedestrian paths and crosswalks
• The standards also support the environment by: • Mitigating urban stormwater issues • Improving our urban forest Under current regulations, 2 restaurants of similar size have the same parking requirements - even when one is used mainly for drive-through and the other for dine-in.
• Reducing the urban heat island effect
The Cycle of Sprawl • By requiring more parking than needed, Lexington regulations are contributing to costly development patterns • The 2018 Comprehensive Plan, Imagine Lexington, specifically discourages sprawling development and overparking, but our regulations actively require it.
Victoria Transport Policy Institute, “Evaluating Transportation Land Use Impacts”
The Bottom Line of Our Responsive Parking Proposal:
1
No longer regulates the number of parking spaces required for development
2
Focuses on parking lot design that enhances health, safety, and welfare of the community
Lexington needs
Parking Regulations that respond to...
Pedestrians The City of Lexington is rethinking our parking regulations to respond directly to the needs of our community. To address these needs, the Division of Planning is changing the way we think about how and why we regulate parking. The proposed changes will serve the community in a multitude of ways, providing:
Did you know? More efficient management of parking can provide the space and cost-savings for high quality pedestrian infrastructure.
1
PUBLIC SAFETY
Improved site design of parking lots includes pedestrian-scaled elements such as safe, visible, and accessible walkways and lighting.
2
EQUITABLE ACCESS
3
Lots designed with higher standards place priority on pedestrians via sidewalks, speed tables, crosswalks etc.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Everyone pays for unnecessary parking, whether they use it or not. By making the parking system more efficient, we reduce development costs that are often shifted to tenants and patrons. In addition, safe and welldesigned lots increase commercial and residential interest in particular areas which has a direct impact on the local economy.
Regulations that inform proper parking lot placement and orientation prioritize direct access for pedestrians to the building entrance.
4
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Right-sized and well-screened parking places a focus on design that screens the parking from the street or corridors, creating a more welcoming and pleasing environment for all users.
5
DESIRABLE COMMUNITY
Our parking reform aims to improve the safety of every person that encounters a parking lot, providing clear standards designed to prioritize pedestrians over parked cars.
Parking lots should be usable and accessible for all users, including cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists.
Right-sized parking areas lead to more efficient land use and a reduction in paved surfaces. As a result, the environmental issues tied to parking lots, such as excessive, polluted stormwater runoff and urban heat-island impacts, are mitigated.
Adding greater flexibility to parking regulations is a pillar of smart growth for any community. It makes possible the goal to provide context-sensitive infill that features a mix of uses desirable for both residents and visitors. It also creates opportunities for greater housing affordability.
Read Lexington’s Responsive Parking proposal... imaginelexington.com/rethinkparking
Lexington needs
Parking Regulations that respond to...
Cyclists The City of Lexington is rethinking our parking regulations to respond directly to the needs of our community. To address these needs, the Division of Planning is changing the way we think about how and why we regulate parking. The proposed changes will serve the community in a multitude of ways, providing:
1
PUBLIC SAFETY
Our parking reform aims to improve the safety of every person that encounters a parking lot, providing clear standards designed to prioritize pedestrians over parked cars.
Did you know?
Well-designed bicycle parking legitimizes cycling as a transportation mode by providing convenient parking equal to cars. More efficient management of parking can provide the space and cost-savings for high quality bicycle infrastructure. Designated bicycle parking keeps sidewalks clear for pedestrians and prevents damage to trees and street furniture often used for bicycle parking when racks are not present.
2
EQUITABLE ACCESS
3
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Everyone pays for unnecessary parking, whether they use it or not. By making the parking system more efficient, we reduce development costs that are often shifted to tenants and patrons. In addition, safe and welldesigned lots increase commercial and residential interest in particular areas which has a direct impact on the local economy.
4
Bicycle parking designed for the intended use provides the appropriate security and surveillance to prevent parked bicycles from theft and vandalism.
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
5
Right-sized and well-screened parking places a focus on design that screens the parking from the street or corridors, creating a more welcoming and pleasing environment for all users.
DESIRABLE COMMUNITY
Parking lots should be usable and accessible for all users, including cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists.
Right-sized parking areas lead to more efficient land use and a reduction in paved surfaces. As a result, the environmental issues tied to parking lots, such as excessive, polluted stormwater runoff and urban heat-island impacts, are mitigated.
Adding greater flexibility to parking regulations is a pillar of smart growth for any community. It makes possible the goal to provide context-sensitive infill that features a mix of uses desirable for both residents and visitors. It also creates opportunities for greater housing affordability.
Read Lexington’s Responsive Parking proposal... imaginelexington.com/rethinkparking
Lexington needs
Parking Regulations that respond to...
Businesses The City of Lexington is rethinking our parking regulations to respond directly to the needs of our community. To address these needs, the Division of Planning is changing the way we think about how and why we regulate parking. The proposed changes will serve the community in a multitude of ways, providing:
1
PUBLIC SAFETY
2
EQUITABLE ACCESS
3
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Our parking reform aims to improve the safety of every person that encounters a parking lot, providing clear standards designed to prioritize pedestrians over parked cars.
Parking lots should be usable and accessible for all users, including cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists.
Everyone pays for unnecessary parking, whether they use it or not. By making the parking system more efficient, we reduce development costs that are often shifted to tenants and patrons. In addition, safe and welldesigned lots increase commercial and residential interest in particular areas which has a direct impact on the local economy.
4
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
5
DESIRABLE COMMUNITY
Right-sized parking areas lead to more efficient land use and a reduction in paved surfaces. As a result, the environmental issues tied to parking lots, such as excessive, polluted stormwater runoff and urban heat-island impacts, are mitigated.
Adding greater flexibility to parking regulations is a pillar of smart growth for any community. It makes possible the goal to provide context-sensitive infill that features a mix of uses desirable for both residents and visitors. It also creates opportunities for greater housing affordability.
Did you know? High-quality pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure is good for business, providing access for more patrons. Right-sized parking emphasizes good urban design and often allows for more buildable area.
Well-designed lots with adequate landscaping are more inviting and have a positive impact on overall experience, acting as the first and last impressions of a user’s trip. More efficient management of parking can generate the space and the cost-savings to invest in other areas of the business. Too much parking can limit the creative use of both potential commercial and residential space; rather, flexible parking removes these limitations.
Read Lexington’s Responsive Parking proposal... imaginelexington.com/rethinkparking
Lexington needs
Parking Regulations that respond to the...
Environment The City of Lexington is rethinking our parking regulations to respond directly to the needs of our community. To address these needs, the Division of Planning is changing the way we think about how and why we regulate parking. The proposed changes will serve the community in a multitude of ways, providing:
1
PUBLIC SAFETY
2
EQUITABLE ACCESS
3
ECONOMIC GROWTH
4
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
5
DESIRABLE COMMUNITY
Our parking reform aims to improve the safety of every person that encounters a parking lot, providing clear standards designed to prioritize pedestrians over parked cars.
Parking lots should be usable and accessible for all users, including cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists.
Everyone pays for unnecessary parking, whether they use it or not. By making the parking system more efficient, we reduce development costs that are often shifted to tenants and patrons. In addition, safe and welldesigned lots increase commercial and residential interest in particular areas which has a direct impact on the local economy.
Right-sized parking areas lead to more efficient land use and a reduction in paved surfaces. As a result, the environmental issues tied to parking lots, such as excessive, polluted stormwater runoff and urban heat-island impacts, are mitigated.
Adding greater flexibility to parking regulations is a pillar of smart growth for any community. It makes possible the goal to provide context-sensitive infill that features a mix of uses desirable for both residents and visitors. It also creates opportunities for greater housing affordability.
Did you know?
Excessive parking means unnecessary impervious surfaces, which generates more stormwater runoff and water pollution. Temperatures in surface parking lots can be 20-40 degrees higher than surrounding areas, thus contributing to the urban heat island effect. Overparking is unsustainable, has a cumulative impact on the environment, and can consume a large amount of land. Providing right-sized and welllandscaped parking shades adjacent buildings and parking lots, lowering buildings carbon footprint and off-setting the heat island effect. Enhanced landscaping standards for parking lots improves the growth and longevity of trees and shrubs, helping to offset heat island and stormwater impacts.
Read Lexington’s Responsive Parking proposal... imaginelexington.com/rethinkparking
Lexington needs
Parking Regulations that respond to...
Neighborhoods The City of Lexington is rethinking our parking regulations to respond directly to the needs of our community. To address these needs, the Division of Planning is changing the way we think about how and why we regulate parking. The proposed changes will serve the community in a multitude of ways, providing:
1
PUBLIC SAFETY
Our parking reform aims to improve the safety of every person that encounters a parking lot, providing clear standards designed to prioritize pedestrians over parked cars.
2
EQUITABLE ACCESS
3
ECONOMIC GROWTH
4
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
5
DESIRABLE COMMUNITY
Parking lots should be usable and accessible for all users, including cyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists.
Everyone pays for unnecessary parking, whether they use it or not. By making the parking system more efficient, we reduce development costs that are often shifted to tenants and patrons. In addition, safe and welldesigned lots increase commercial and residential interest in particular areas which has a direct impact on the local economy.
Right-sized parking areas lead to more efficient land use and a reduction in paved surfaces. As a result, the environmental issues tied to parking lots, such as excessive, polluted stormwater runoff and urban heat-island impacts, are mitigated.
Adding greater flexibility to parking regulations is a pillar of smart growth for any community. It makes possible the goal to provide context-sensitive infill that features a mix of uses desirable for both residents and visitors. It also creates opportunities for greater housing affordability.
Did you know? On average, about 17% of the cost of rent is attributed to provided parking. This is due to the average high cost of building and maintaining a parking space: • $5,000/surface space
• $25,000+/above ground space • $35,000+/below ground space Flexible parking allows for a more efficient use of space, providing more area for housing and open space for people rather than cars. Multi-modal development promotes more creative and attractive layouts for residential, commercial, and mixed use areas. Right-sized and well-screened parking places a focus on design that screens the parking from the street or corridors, creating a more welcoming and pleasing environment for all users.
Read Lexington’s Responsive Parking proposal... imaginelexington.com/rethinkparking