Quote:
Originally Posted by UrbanLibertine
I'm reading the new Downtown FAR bonus Ordinance and they're amending Section 17-8-0904-D-3 (Parking in 'D' Districts) of the zoning code to state that, "Underground parking is strongly encouraged for superior building design that eliminates blank walls at street level for an improved pedestrian experience."
Bye, bye hideous facades of parking podiums??
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The zoning code has strongly encouraged underground parking for many years. These new changes actually weaken the city's position against parking podiums.
Currently, developers get a FAR bonus for building underground parking in the downtown area. Even with that incentive, very few developers actually build underground due to the sheer cost and the time it adds to a construction schedule.
After the new zoning revisions, the city will eliminate the incentive. That little tidbit you're reading is just a platitude. City planners will still push for underground parking in the planned development process when they have the leverage to do so (i.e. almost never) but now they don't have a carrot to wave in front of developers.