Developers built about two living units for every parking space, says DPD and SDOT

Here’s a look at this week’s Capitol Hill-centric highlights from the City Council’s chambers:

• Parking recommendations: Last week, we told you of outgoing transportation chair Tom Rasmussen’s call to reconsider the city’s rules around requiring — or really, not requiring — parking as part of new development in areas well-served by transit. This week, DPD and SDOT have delivered a report on revamping the city’s rules. But the mayor is setting a slightly more urbanist tone than his legislative cousin. “Seattle is experiencing tremendous growth as our economy continues to expand and add tens of thousands of new jobs. It is our challenge to do more to ensure Seattle is affordable and livable for current and future residents,” Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement on the new report (PDF). “To do this, we can’t rely on the parking strategies of the 1950’s. Instead, we must pursue innovative policies that will give residents more transportation choices and smartly manage our current parking supply. The report includes a set of recommendations for you to chew on:
  • Require bus passes for new residential developments in center city neighborhoods and other areas frequently served by transit, along with car share memberships, bike share memberships, or similar services.
  • Remove City code barriers and promote shared parking of underutilized parking spaces.
  • Update City code to include improved bike parking for more types of new development and promote guidance for placing bike share stations on private property.
  • Review residential parking conditions and the Restricted Parking Zone program to identify demand management strategies in growing neighborhoods.
  • Promote garage designs that facilitate sharing parking among different buildings in a neighborhood.  This would include providing guidance for optimal access, layout and security.
  • Promote transportation options and ensure that our neighborhoods continue to be well served by transit.
  

  Also… parking is expensive

  More interesting might be findings including:

  • In areas where parking is not required, about 3/4 of new developments provide parking (average is 0.55 spaces per dwelling unit), that is, 167 out of 219 projects permitted since 2012. Only about 12% of the 19,000 housing units have been built without parking.
  • Development with reduced or no parking is clustering in areas with frequent transit service including Capitol Hill and other neighborhoods such as University District and Ballard.
  • Additional bus service funded by voters through Proposition 1 will provide better frequency, reliability, and will relieve peak hour crowding in buses along key transit corridors
  • Best practices used in other jurisdictions include: low or no parking minimums in urban neighborhoods; space for car share services; development regulations requiring transit passes for residents and employees; and on-street parking management strategies such as pricing and time limits.
  • Parking apps directing people toward parking (E-Park), on-street valets, and coordinated public/private efforts (downtownseattleparking.com) offer promise in matching customers and visitors with affordable off-street parking options in Downtown. This approach could be expanded to other neighborhoods.
• Family leave for city workers: The full City Council Monday approved legislation to make paid parental leave benefits available to city employees. The approved legislation makes four weeks of paid family leave available. “Paid parental leave for both women and men is a critical tool in fighting the gender pay gap,” Council member Jean Godden said. “Retention of female employees and their mobility into higher paying positions can be improved when paid parental leave is encouraged for both men and women, narrowing the gender pay gap. This is the right thing to do and makes Seattle a national leader for families and for women.” The policy can be utilized by parents “who provide foster care, choose adoption, or for a live birth,” according to a statement from the Council.

• Juice boxes and baby cakes from @CupcakeRoyale. Jean Godden hosting party in her office to celebrate Parental Leave! pic.twitter.com/104NXrfQbE

  — Seattle City Council (@SeattleCouncil) April 13, 2015

• Grants and bikes and bike grants: Tuesday morning’s transportation committee will tackle some important housekeeping — and an update on Seattle’s progress in building more and better bike infrastructure. First, the committee will be considering the authorization of a roster of federal grants requiring local matches including downtown and “City Center” protected bike lanes and electrification of the 48 bus route from 23rd Ave S:
  Later in the session, SDOT director Scott Kubly will turn his attention to updating the committee on the 2015-2019 Bicycle Master Plan Implementation Plan (PDF). It includes some numbers on what has already been accomplished and some of the work coming in the next five years.