Removing Barriers to the Housing we need and want
We need housing fast. So multi-unit low-rise infill housing needs to move quickly through city hall, getting a building permit and then shovel in the ground. All barriers must be removed, leaving only a quick permit process.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PARKING
Intensification and parking are a complicated companions.​
Municipalities will require proactive parking strategies to stimulate infill development at scale, and in balance with landscaping and stormwater management.
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There are a lot of older neighbourhoods that could benefit from BuildignIN with low-rise multi-unit infill that provides housing for a diversity of households. But most of these neighbourhoods are car-dependent, without amenities and public transit. So developers depend on parking to make these projects viable, but there is just not enough space for infill housing and parked cars on our small neighbourhood properties. A "catct-22"
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The tax uplift that comes with infill could change all of that, funding investments in transit and infrastructure for biking and walking, allowing neighbourhoods to transition into walkable an complete communities, where some households would be happy to live without a car. But until the infill is constructed, these investments aren't affordable and just don't make sense. So, in the mean time, we need neighbourhood parking.
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As we plan for neighbourhood parking it's important to be smart, find solutions that are context appropriate, and keep hard surfaces to a minimum. This leaves space for trees, landscaping and stormwater management.
Street Permit Parking
Option 1:
In many neighbourhoods, street permit parking is the best solution to meet the parking needs of infill housing with out adding more pavement.
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Many neighbourhood streets are well suited to street parking on one side, allowing space for pedestrians on the other. In areas with lot widths of 40 sq.ft. or wider, there is typically enough street parking to support infill developments for 20 years of growth.
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It's important that existing residents use their existing on-site parking, so a permit systems is needed to ensure existing on-site paving is fully used.
To manage winter conditions municipalities can consider several options: alternating parking sides, designating municipal lots for overnight parking and snow removal, and/or notifying residents about plowing schedules.
Option 2:
Neighbourhood Parking Lots
Small parking lots are present in neighbourhoods across Canada, often as longstanding legal non-conforming uses. New neighbourhood parking lots are generally prohibited.
Permitting new parking lots creates opportunities for developers who own multiple properties' within a neigghbourhood. Some properties would be developed as multi-unit homes, close to a property used by residents for parking. Over time, these parking lots could be redeveloped into additional housing, transitioning away from parking use.
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It's important that neighbourhood parking lots are well-integrated into the community, so zoning regulations should require wood board fencing at side lot lines and tree planting front and back. Additionally, parking areas should be surfaced with gravel or permeable paving.
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Neighbouhood parking lots are a good choice in neighbourhoods where properties' and/or streets are too narrow for street permit parking.
