PITTSBURGH, PA (March 9, 2020) New legislation from Mayor William Peduto will ease parking requirements in densely built city neighborhoods, which will increase pedestrian safety and lessen reliance on automobiles.
The legislation changes city Zoning Code rules for single-family attached dwellings (rowhouses) that currently require them to have parking spaces. The requirement currently forces housing developers and homeowners to make curb cuts into sidewalks to provide parking, which makes walking more cumbersome for pedestrians.
“This change will enhance what makes many of our historic neighborhoods so special, and it will encourage more people to walk, help people using baby carriages and wheelchairs to navigate sidewalks, and help residents get to know their city and their neighbors by foot,” Mayor Peduto said.
Additionally, the change is expected to boost housing affordability by not requiring parking pads and garages to be constructed for new homes; secure the historic nature of older city neighborhoods like Lawrenceville, the Mexican War Streets and the South Side; and help reduce carbon emissions by not requiring spaces for gas-powered vehicles.
The “removal of minimum parking requirements for development of single-family attached dwellings furthers the City’s goals of improving pedestrian safety, enhancing neighborhood walkability, and promoting non-vehicular mobility” the legislation states.
The Zoning Code currently requires all Single Unit Attached residences to have at least one off-street parking space per unit. The Mayor’s legislation, which is being introduced to City Council tomorrow, would change that requirement to zero.
The change is in line with development goals shared by the Departments of City Planning and Mobility and Infrastructure.
