Council Agenda: Easing Parking Requirements for Housing Units

Albany city staff is asking the City Council to establish a working group to find alternatives to the city's voter-mandated requirement that each new residential unit provide two parking spaces.

The requirement, adopted by Albany voters as Measure D in 1978, discourages development of new housing units, including affordable housing, and poses potential conflict with the city's Climate Action Plan goal of promoting pedestrian friendly, transit-oriented development, according to a staff report prepared for Monday's City Council meeting.

The staff report recommends that the council "approve establishment of a working group of members of the Traffic and Safety Commission, Planning and Zoning Commission, and Sustainability Committee to prepare pros and cons, by May 2014, of placing a measure of the ballot to amend voter approved residential parking standards."

The city has taken heat for falling behind on deadlines to revise affordable housing policies. A lawsuit filed Oct. 2 accuses the city of breaking state law over Albany's delay in updating the Housing Element of its General Plan. The suit cited the people living in tents and makeshift shelters at the Albany Bulb as a result of the city's alleged failure.

The report also says describes the "sustainability impact," saying, "As indicated in the Climate Action Plan, modernization of parking standards would be expected to reduce vehicle ownership, and encourage alternative modes of travel such as biking and transit. Policies to reduce vehicle miles traveled is a key component of reaching the City’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas production." 

The council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.

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