Reducing Auto Dependence in Charlotte

[kermit]

Can't believe this thread didn't already exist.

I'll start it with what may be the smallest possible positive policy change for parking in Southend and Uptown. Reducing parking subsidies is long overdue.

I do feel like many of Southend's businesses are successful BECAUSE of the lack of parking and the land use that the lack of parking enables.

 

Edited March 10, 2023 by kermit

[KJHburg]

Actually I think Uptown should be free on Saturdays due to its still recovering status from Covid.  Southend boomed all the way through and there is such limited street parking uptown anyway it should be free on weekends to drive visitor traffic.  Southend of course needs no help.  

[kermit]

Here we are, right in the middle of the pack in terms of how much downtown land is devoted to parking:

Seems like low-hanging fruit for economic development.

Seattle, Denver and Portland are the interesting outliers here I think.

https://parkingreform.org/resources/parking-lot-map/ (I am not vouching for the accuracy of the data, this is just a 'oooh, cool graphic' situation)

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by kermit

[tozmervo]

Saying that Arlington TX even has a downtown feels very generous. 

[videtur quam contuor]

Jacksonville does not register which is a sick burn.

[15895]

On 3/10/2023 at 6:53 PM, KJHburg said:

Actually I think Uptown should be free on Saturdays due to its still recovering status from Covid.  Southend boomed all the way through and there is such limited street parking uptown anyway it should be free on weekends to drive visitor traffic.  Southend of course needs no help.  

Agreed. Uptown would probably benefit from free parking on weekends than not. I don’t see any upside for uptown to charge for parking and only downside. Excluding night life,  Uptown already lacks much outside of events & some museums (which I’d imagine families would prefer to drive to discovery place). Tryon Street doesn’t have much to offer on weekends. A few on each side  (discovery, on one end, Mint etc on the other) 

The train comes every 20 minutes… A frequency of which people should be paid to use it or make it free on weekends…  buses are a little hard for users who aren’t regular but even those are probably worse frequencies. What’s the point of discouraging auto-use with horrible frequencies on a light rail that doesn’t adequately serve much of the city/county - not to mention metropolitan area - what’s the point in discouraging motorist? It doesn’t make mobility or mass transit better. It just makes being uptown more of a hassle. 

SouthEnd on the other hand could marginally benefit. People will still park there. I rather just do away with on street parking in certain areas altogether in SouthEnd. Though I don’t think SouthEnd would face any adverse impacts from less parking or being inconvenient because it is more of a destination for locals, weekend activities, daily errands etc. People will still come. And it will be better with less cars. 

I say that as a person who thinks vehicles are generally dumb. That homes with big yards in cities should be so expensive that only certain people can afford it (because if you live in a city, we shouldn’t be building homes over hundreds of sq. Miles with big yards and excessive space.) I think sprawling suburbs, one should expect it to be traffic chokes on 1 lane roads, small little feeders with constant traffic as big single family neighborhoods poor out onto a near country road). You shouldn’t expect parks and stuff to be close. You want a big house - big yards, you gotta drive further to get what you need. 

And with that. I still say. IMO, Parking should be free uptown on the weekends. It is what it is.  If you want driving to be inconvenient to uptown… make uptown worth going to for more people. Look at light rail during game day. So many people take light rail because it’s easier than dealing or finding parking because the volume of people. Want more people on uptown. Appeal to locals, more affordable housing, more schools, more civic stuff, recreation fields. Low income housing, affordable housing, make the city easier to live without car, blue line frequency 10 minute or less all day. 

Make driving inconvenient because people want to be uptown so much it’s not worth driving or that mass transit is just a more convenient option. Otherwise, IMO. It’s just making getting there less attractive. 

Also, I think an auto oriented town center like development would do wonders for uptown like Mosaic District in VA and I imagine the financials would work in uptown. 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/uAnjZBVGsAiCvHFw7?g_st=com.duckduckgo.mobile.ios.OpenAction2

Is it the best urbanity? No. It isn’t. But uptown needs a place like a Birkdale Village but with more national retailers (as opposed to boutique). Uptown needs destinations that appeal to every day Charlotteans on the weekends. Even if it’s more auto-oriented than urbanist purist would like. Lots of Charlotteans would enjoy being uptown with stores they can find at shopping centers around charlotte. If I were a Charlottean and lived off of Arrowood or Plaza or something and uptown had something like Mosaic - I’d definitely go a lot more often. Pottery Barn, Bloomies, Barnes & Nobles, LuLu Lemon, Sephora, restaurants, interactive plazas. That’s appealing to a lot of people. Otherwise, I’d go occasionally during the day just to see “uptown. Skyscrapers - what a cute city-like vibe”. Oh. Add on a brewery uptown should have. Or at least Food Truck Rallies like SouthEnd used to have…

I’m 30. Good income. Millennial. For me. Uptown doesn’t have much that appeals to me other than being a pretty skyline. Food? Not so great. Why would I want to go to Chima’s or Ruth Chris for fun? With friends? It’s not the money/cost - it’s the ambiance, uniqueness of food. I don’t want work happy hour or prom night vibes… When SouthEnd and NoDa have a ton of amazing food places. Yes uptown has some good places but it’s flung around a maze of sterile office buildings and parking decks. Meanwhile. SouthEnd and NoDa are places to explore, get lost in, too many good food options, you can stumble into places. There’s a lot to like as a resident too, especially with Dilworth as a neighbor. 

Ive lived uptown. I know others Do and love it and could completely disagree with me. 
 

But my post is in no disrespect, it’s just my opinion and how I want to see the urban core progress and I don’t think my opinion is better than anyone else’s so xD please don’t tear me apart in a disrespectful way. 

[JRCLT]

Agreed. Uptown would probably benefit from free parking on weekends than not. I don’t see any upside for uptown to charge for parking and only downside.

Didn’t read the whole thing haha, but aren’t most of the parking lots owned by llc that are probably holding it in an opportunity to sell or develop or anything in between? Also having a highly evaluated property as usually is in uptown and have it be “unproductive” land (such as free parking) but still pay property taxes on that seems like a loss on the economic and investment front of outstanding proportions. Especially if the owner holds the land for YEARS and does not explore and execute the options of developing or selling. (levin- *COUGH*). I may be mistaken about this thought or not entirely accurate.

[kermit]

Sounds like there is a federal movement to remove parking minimums nationwide in "transit rich zones". It won't get to a vote but it is instructive that stuff like this is finally starting to percolate at the federal level. I suspect we are not far away from federally mandated affordable housing reforms to zoning.

 

Meanwhile in the Netherlands: The Hague now charges a flat 50 euros to park (regardless of length of stay)

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/06/the-hague-introduces-50-flat-fee-for-parking-to-deter-drivers

Edited May 6, 2023 by kermit

[kermit]

Meme Monday:

 

[Reverie39]

On 3/24/2023 at 4:21 PM, tozmervo said:

Saying that Arlington TX even has a downtown feels very generous. 

Ah. I thought this was Arlington VA and was very confused lol

[kermit]

Atlanta (of all places) will offer $1 million in municipal funds for e-bike rebates for residents. As always, if Atlanta (a much smaller municipal government) can do it, we can too!

I would imagine this would be a very cost effective way to offset GHG emissions which would allow for road expansion under the new FHWA rules (discussed in the CATS planning thread).

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2024/01/08/atlanta-ebike-rebate-program-approved.html

Quote

City of Atlanta residents aged 18 and older will be eligible for the rebates, which will tentatively be available starting in spring 2024 and awarded on a quarterly basis through a lottery system. Recipients will receive a code to use at qualifying bike shops, which will be repaid through the program.

Income-qualified residents will be eligible to receive a $1,500 rebate for a standard e-bike and $2,000 for a cargo e-bike. Rebates for other residents will be set at $500 for a standard e-bike and $1,000 for a cargo e-bike.

...

Boston, Tampa, Florida, and Raleigh, North Carolina, are a few of the major cities to distribute e-bike incentives in recent years. Denver’s $3 million program has put 7,600 e-bikes on the road, reducing the vehicle miles traveled by 165,000 per week and avoiding about 3,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, according to ARC.

 

Edited January 9 by kermit

[kermit]

Atlanta has become quite the capitol of urbanism lately. From the ABJ:

[CLT Development]

On 1/8/2024 at 4:15 PM, kermit said:

Atlanta (of all places) will offer $1 million in municipal funds for e-bike rebates for residents. As always, if Atlanta (a much smaller municipal government) can do it, we can too!

I would imagine this would be a very cost effective way to offset GHG emissions which would allow for road expansion under the new FHWA rules (discussed in the CATS planning thread).

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2024/01/08/atlanta-ebike-rebate-program-approved.html

 

Charlotte had a $300,000 program along Corridors of Opportunity funded by Duke Energy in Partnership with Dream Key Partners

Edited January 10 by CLT Development

[Hushpuppy321]

Buc-EES has been approved in Mebane off I-85 this week.  This can't be good for Charlotte reducing Auto dependence as many will drive from here to there to indulge in the Fanfare once it's open...

Edited January 10 by Hushpuppy321