Dallas Council Approves Needed Parking Code Reform
The Dallas City Council on May 14 approved Dallas BA supported amendments that address the issue of over parking through a reduction in parking minimums in the city’s off-street parking and loading code.
For multifamily development, there is a tiered parking ratio. Projects with 200 dwelling units or more will be required to provide one parking space per unit, whereas developments of 21 to 1999 dwelling units require ½ space per dwelling unit. Tiered guest parking will be 10% for developments with 150 units or more, and 15% for those with 21 to 149 units. Developments with 20 dwelling units and less do not face a required minimum.
For buildings that are within ½ mile of light rail or streetcar stations, there is no parking minimum for any use.
Dallas faces the challenge of supplying attainable housing. The ordinance passed on May 14 offers the potential to lower development and construction costs, by allowing residential development, in particular, multifamily, the ability to design the product with parking ratios based more on what is needed for the project. Which in turn could increase housing supply and address overall affordability in housing.
While the ordinance comes with alternative method options such as bicycle racks and rideshare spots, they are mostly items that are already used in the market.
During the public hearing before Council, Dallas BA pointed out that this ordinance does not mean there will not be parking spaces, the ordinance just avoids excessive ratios in design. To be desirable to tenants and, consequently, remain economically viable, multifamily housing will still look to provide available parking spaces.
The process that resulted in the new ordinance began in October of 2019. While some feel the ordinance does not go far enough to free up parking requirements, it has been pointed out by members of the City Council that the ordinance can be seen as a living document that can be adjusted as needed for the best of the city.