Sustainable Sites Credit 4.4

Alternative Transportation
Parking Capacity

Intent

Reduce pollution and land development impacts from single occupancy vehicle use.

Requirements

Option 1 - Non-Residential

Size parking capacity to not exceed minimum local zoning requirements, AND, provide preferred parking for carpools or vanpools for 5% of the total provided parking spaces.

OR

Option 2 - Non-Residential

For projects that provide parking for less than 5% of FTE building occupants:

Provide preferred parking for carpools or vanpools, marked as such, for 5% of total provided parking spaces.

OR

Option 3 - Residential

Size parking capacity to not exceed minimum local zoning requirements, AND, provide infrastructure and support programs to facilitate shared vehicle usage such as carpool drop-off areas, designated parking for vanpools, or car-share services, ride boards, and shuttle services to mass transit.

OR 

Option 4 - ALL

Provide no new parking.

"Preferred parking" refers to the parking spots that are closest to the main entrance of the project (exclusive of space designated for handicapped) or parking passes provided at a discounted price.

When parking minimums are not defined by relevant local zoning requirements, or when there are no local zoning requirements, either:

A) Meet the requirements of Portland, Oregon, Zoning Code: Title 33, Chapter 33.266 (Parking and Loading)

OR, if this standard is not appropriate for the building type,

B) Install 25% less parking than the building type's average listed in the Institute of Transportation Engineers' Parking Generation study, 3rd Edition.

Potential Technologies & Strategies

Minimize parking lot/garage size. Consider sharing parking facilities with adjacent buildings. Consider alternatives that will limit the use of single occupancy vehicles.

For us, only option 3 could work. This suits the project and provides motivation to expand ride sharing amenities for residents. We envision a carpool, vanpool porte cochere where people can get in and out of vehicles under cover of a roof with an indoor waiting area with views to the drop-off lane and a ride sharing board. Perhaps the innovative gesture here is to encourage the integration of the able-bodied residents with those requiring assistance and get people who are not disabled to use ride sharing too. The ride sharing could include scheduling DART pick-ups for the disabled and dedicated zipcar spots and incentives for other residents to share rides. A privacy decision will need to be made to include or exclude neighbors in a zip car spot.