Birmingham passes South’s first initiative to remove parking space mandates

Today, the city of Birmingham removed a mandate that required all new businesses to provide a minimum of parking spaces. 

Birmingham is the first major city in the South to pass such a policy, joining 70 other cities.

The council passed the new ordinance 6-0, with Councilor Valerie Abbott abstaining.

A more walkable, bikeable and transit-friendly city

 “Current parking standards required an overabundance of parking spaces and this has had detrimental effects on our City and its residents. Birmingham is now on track to be more walkable, bikeable and transit accessible. This means a better city for all of us.”

Mayor Randall Woodfin

According to a news release from the Mayor’s Office, the initiative does not eliminate parking for new businesses. 

From the release:

This initiative does not mean that parking spaces will be totally eliminated for new businesses. This simply gives businesses flexibility in their approach to supporting their customer’s needs. And, the American Disability Act requirements for parking will remain the same.

The administration said the removal of the parking mandates will produce the following benefits:

• Lowers the cost of housing production
• Encourages the development of more affordable and workforce housing for residents
• Reduces the amount of paved spaces and its heating effects on the environment 

Local conservation groups, including the Southern Environmental Law Center, backed the measure because it will decrease air pollution.

Statement from city council president

Darrell O’Quinn—President of the City Council and a strong advocate for public transit and a more walkable and bikeable city—sent Bham Now a statement about today’s action.

“The changes made to the zoning code today are a component of a larger strategy to alter future development of our built environment. For the past several decades, the City has mandated the subsidization of private automobile ownership by requiring that private entities construct facilities to accommodate those vehicles. 

This contributed to the decline of our once exemplary public transportation system and has resulted in a modern-day Birmingham where, according to the Brookings Institute, car ownership makes a person 100 times more likely to be able to thrive. It has also made illegal the type of development that comes to mind when we think of examples of livable walkable communities. That mandate ended today.”

Darrell O’Quinn, President of Birmingham City Council

What do you think of the new parking ordinances? Tell us on Instagram by tagging us at @bhamnow!