City of Minnetonka Parking Reform Proposal

Abstract

This project was completed as part of the 2012-2013 Resilient Communities Project (rcp.umn.edu) partnership with the City of Minnetonka. The City of Minnetonka was interested in assessing its parking regulations and identifying potential best practices for improving parking regulation and design. Minnetonka project lead and city planner Susan Thomas worked with students in PA 8202: Networks and Places, to develop a set of parking policy recommendations. Based on their research, the students recommended simplifying parking requirements; reducing minimum parking regulations; creating a development impact fee for parking that exceeds a prescribed ratio; providing incentives for structured parking; lowering parking requirements for locations with alternative transportation options; encouraging shared parking; allowing for off-site parking; improving pedestrian amenities within parking areas; zoning for additional mixed-use development; encouraging infill development or alternative uses on excessive existing surface parking; and providing incentives for use of permeable pavers. The students' final report and presentation are available.