Minimum parking requirements could be eliminated in some new Vancouver developments
CTV
Vancouver council is set to consider scrapping minimum parking requirements for new developments in some parts of the city.
Vancouver council is set to consider scrapping minimum parking requirements for new developments in some parts of the city.
Benefits of the move would include reduced emissions and getting more units of housing built quicker and at a reduced cost, according to a staff report that will be presented next week.
The proposal would eliminate requirements in the West End and the Broadway Plan area, two parts of the city staff say are well poised to handle the change, in part, because of an "oversupply" of existing off-street parking, the walkability of the communities, and a "highly-regulated" system for on-street parking.
"The elimination of minimum vehicle parking requirements can lower the cost of construction and enhance development viability, particularly for rental projects and projects on smaller or more challenging sites," the report says.
"With the improved development economics, there may be opportunities to secure additional development contributions to deliver the necessary infrastructure and amenities to support growth."
"Minimum off-street parking requirements in the parking by-law have historically been in place to ensure that all the vehicles associated with each building can park on that property and do not rely on street parking," the report notes.
In 2019, the report notes, the requirement was lifted in the downtown core. Since then Edmonton and Toronto have eliminated it city-wide, as have U.S. cities like New York, Portland and Austin.