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MOBILITY - ACTION ITEM: (1) Receipt and Discussion of Presentation on Parking Maximums and Case Studies; and (2) Direction to Staff.
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Meeting Date: November 19, 2025
Contact: Gabriel Barreras, Senior Planner
Emily Stadnicki, Current Planning Manager
Planning and Development Department
Phone: (310) 253-5776
(310) 253-5727
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No [ ]
Public Notification: E-Mail via GovDelivery (11/13/2025): Meetings and Agendas - Mobility, Traffic & Parking Subcommittee; Notify Me - Construction, Street Maintenance and Closures; Stay Informed - Bicycle & Pedestrian / Culver CityBus / Construction, Street Maintenance and Closures
Department Approval: Mark E. Muenzer, Planning & Development Director (11/13/2025)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Mobility Subcommittee (1) receive and discuss a presentation on parking maximums and case studies from other cities; and (2) provide direction to staff as appropriate.
BACKGROUND
On June 12, 2025, the Standing Mobility Subcommittee received a presentation from Planning and Development staff on parking maximums, building on prior research conducted in 2022-2023. Subcommittee Members asked staff to conduct further research on parking maximum strategies used in other cities, that include the following:
• Parking maximums based on former parking minimums;
• Apply tiered maximums within specific districts, corridors, or near major transit stops; and
• Combine maximums with alternative strategies, such as on-street parking pricing.
DISCUSSION
What Are Parking Maximums
Parking maximums set an upper limit on parking spaces in new developments to promote sustainable growth and efficient land use. Unlike traditional minimum parking requirements, which often overlook changing travel patterns and mobility technologies, parking maximums help prevent excessive parking supply. This approach supports reduced automobile dependence, encourages multimodal transportation, and fosters pedestrian-oriented development. Parking maximums can be applied Citywide, within targeted districts or corridors, or tailored to specific project types, sizes, or zoning designations.
Data and Research Limitations
In 2015, 9 U.S. cities had some form of parking maximums; by 2025, the number of cities with parking maximums has grown to 96. Because most parking maximum policies were adopted within the past decade, data on their long-term effectiveness remains limited. Evaluation has also been affected by broader factors-such as the COVID-19 pandemic, high interest rates, supply chain challenges, and tariff policies-that have constrained development activity.
Goals and Intended Benefits
Key goals and benefits of parking maximums include but are not limited to:
• Reducing Development Costs - Capping parking requirements lowers construction expenses and increases design flexibility.
• Encouraging Productive Land Use - Reallocating land from parking to housing, commercial, or other uses generates greater economic value and tax revenue.
• Promoting Walkable, Active Streets - Limiting parking areas and curb cuts fosters pedestrian-oriented, safe, and vibrant frontages.
• Mitigating Traffic Congestion - Preventing parking oversupply helps limit vehicle trips and supports a greater variety of transit and mobility options.
• Lowering Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Parking maximums support lower greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution by reducing vehicle dependence.
• Enhancing Sustainability - Smaller parking areas reduce impervious surfaces, mitigating stormwater runoff and urban heat island effects.
Policy Considerations
While parking maximums offer many benefits, there are also several challenges:
• Stakeholder Resistance - Businesses and residents may have concerns about reduced parking access.
• Policy Nexus and Alignment - Parking maximums should align with land use goals, state law, and economic policies, using flexible, data-driven methods that allow maximums to adjust over time.
• Potential for Spillover Parking - Parking maximums may result in spillover effects within adjacent neighborhoods or streets. Parallel policies may be required to mitigate impacts such as district parking permits, shared parking arrangements, or dynamic pricing.
• Transit and Mobility Investments - Parking maximums can be further supported with investments in public transit to improve service frequency, route connectivity, and infrastructure, often requiring regional and state coordination and funding, though that funding is likely limited.
• Market and Financing Concerns - Developers and lenders may hesitate to support projects with reduced parking due to marketability and financing concerns tied to typical parking expectations.
Relatedly, in 2022, the LA County Department of Regional Planning hired a consultant to update parking standards to encourage housing production, the analysis found:
“Parking maximums can present challenges with obtaining financing on certain projects, especially if the maximum parking ratio is significantly lower than what a lender desires to finance. Imposing parking maximums may not promote the County’s goal of increasing housing production, and is therefore, not recommended at this time.”
Parking Maximum Case Studies
See Attachment 1 for case studies from various cities that have adopted parking maximums. The selected cities were included for their distinctive approaches to implementing parking maximums. Together, these examples illustrate a range of strategies, scales, and outcomes that can inform local policy considerations.
Alternative Parking Policies
In addition to the case studies, several related policies can enhance or replace parking maximums. Examples include:
1. Regulatory waivers and relief - Allow case-by-case exceptions for projects demonstrating justified parking demand, adding flexibility while promoting community benefits.
2. Shared or joint-use parking - Encourage agreements between uses with different peak periods (e.g., offices and restaurants) to reduce total parking needs.
3. Transferable Parking Entitlements (TPEs) - Enable projects to sell or transfer unused parking rights within a district to projects with higher or lower parking needs, improving area-wide efficiency and flexibility.
4. Incentivize efficient land use through the installation of parking lifts - Incentivize the use of mechanical lifts through fee reductions or permit expediting to increase capacity within smaller footprints, freeing land for active or revenue-generating uses.
Conclusion
Approaches to parking maximums vary widely-some cities apply them Citywide, while others target specific districts, land uses, or project types. Given the diversity and evolving nature of these policies, the City would likely need to first define its key objectives, such as reducing parking supply and vehicle trips, supporting infill development, and/or promoting transit use. Clear policy priorities will guide the appropriate scale and structure of any future parking maximums, ensuring they align with local conditions and advance the City’s broader mobility, land use, and sustainability goals.
ATTACHMENTS
2025-11-19-ATT-Mobility-Parking Maximum Case Studies