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"Should the City of Berkeley change parking requirements for new housing projects to promote "green development" and produce more housing?"

That's the question the city of Berkeley is asking community members to answer in a survey about possible changes being considered to parking requirements for new housing developments. The survey can only be accessed through Sunday, November 29.

The current regulations in the city generally call for one parking space for each unit, but the survey includes various proposed changes that are being considered by the City Council at its meeting on Tuesday.

The proposals include eliminating parking requirements for certain types of housing,removing parking requirements in certain areas, such as ones in close proximity to BART stations, placing a cap on the number of allowed parking spaces for new developments, and requiring transit passes for residents and secure bicycle parking in larger new developments.

City officials say the current mandates increase the costs of housing construction and can take up space that could be otherwise dedicated to additional housing units. No data to support assertions about the outcome of the various proposals is provided.

The survey can be found at https://www.opentownhall.com/portals/257/Issue_9871 .

CONTACT: Justin Horner jhorner@cityofberkeley.info