Map of area within the Special Downtown Brooklyn District where revised parking requirements will apply. Credit: DCP.
Proposal to revise residential and public parking rules faces scrutiny on its ability to encourage affordable housing. On November 26, 2012, the City Council’s Zoning & Franchises Subcommittee held a hearing to examine a proposal to amend the parking requirements for the Special Downtown Brooklyn District. The main goal of the proposal, submitted by the Department of City Planning (DCP), is the reduction of required parking sites within the District. The proposal attempts to more accurately reflect car ownership and usage in an area known for its density and rich transit access. Vehicle owners account for 22 percent of the District’s total residents, compared to 45 percent in other areas citywide. Additionally, parking space usage in the District is substantially higher during the daytime than on evenings and weekends. The District is generally bounded by Tillary Street to the north, Atlantic Avenue to the south, Clinton Street to the west, and Ashland Place to the east. Portions of State Street and Atlantic Avenue are excluded from the proposal. The DCP concluded that existing residential parking is underutilized. DCP argues that requirements to provide residential parking places unnecessary costs on developers, with each space costing approximately $50,000.
