Thread by @ncoxbarrett

First public engagement meeting for Parking reform has started! Thanks to the many supporters who have logged on to advocate for this reform!

They pose 3 questions to the attendees:

1) What do you think about the amount of parking Dallas?
2) Does parking availability determine your choice of destination?
3) What's more important to you? (walkability, transit options, parking etc.)

Disappointing, no talk of tradeoffs!

First comment! She lives 6 minute walk from DART station, but she takes her car everywhere. Says opponents think we should make decisions based on status quo, but disagrees and we should plan for the city we WANT to have. We can always adjust later.

Wow good comment!

Second comment! Says most comments in public engagement overrepresented by white wealthy homeowners (fact check: true) and encourages staff and leaders to think about those who cannot be present for comment. Thinks evidence is clear in favor of parking reform (fact check: true!)

Third comment! So many reasons to support parking reform (PREACH), from economic to equity, but wants to talk about the ENVIRONMENT. Cites CECAP goals to hit many of which depend on PARKING REFORM. Tree canopy, runoff, heat island, etc...costly parking requirements are bad!

3rd comment continued: Combustion engines create ground-level ozone and also reminds us all that Dallas does meet air quality requirements (note: yuck! love to get cancer and lung disease for no good reason!)

4th comment! He supports removing costly parking requirements. Says he doesn't think city should regulate parking but regulate parking spillover. Says as a builder and designer it hampers his ability to deliver a good project.

Lovin' these comments so far, but I see plenty of known parking requirement fans in the list of attendees so we'll how the momentum continues!

5th comment! Supports removing parking requirements! Spent a lot of time reviewing parking lots that were mostly under-utilized. He also brings up the parking death spiral that delta credits create and ruins old buildings (I wrote a blog about this!)

He continues with an example of delta credits and I pity the spanish language translator who has to put this into Spanish!

Comment 6: Complains about people parking on the grass at Lawnview park and wants to increase parking requirements for parks.

Note: I'm not sure if parks even have parking requirements now. Parking on the grass is already illegal. This is an enforcement issue :(

Comment 6 continues: Says Dallasites want bicycle infrastructure (true) and feels unsafe cycling.

Note: I'm going to put this as a...support?

Comment 7: Supports parking reform, also suggests allowing on-street parking on large streets at night to discourage street racing. Says we should be requiring bicycle parking, not car parking.

Comment 8: Lives in Vickery Park and worries about removal of parking requirements causing spillover parking into their neighborhood.

Note: Legitimate concern! Luckily we have tools already to address this!

Comment 8 continued: Wants to support better transit but thinks we're too spread out for that to be possible.

Note: A better future is possible, don't let our sad built environment get you down!

Comment 8 continued: Says she understands this to be a removal of all parking (note: incorrect, this is removal of parking REQUIREMENTS, not a ban on parking).

I have to get off now for kid bedtimes, but the next comment favor parking reform too!