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BOA talks parking requirements

Posted on April 26, 2012April 25, 2012 by Susan Dickson

By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer

CARRBORO – Considering several measures that could impact future developers, the Carrboro Board of Aldermen on Tuesday looked at parking requirements for both bicycles and cars.

The board postponed a decision on bike-parking requirements for developments, but members indicated they would likely support requirements. The measure stems from a September 2011 recommendation by the town Transportation Advisory Board that Carrboro establish bike-parking guidelines for new developments and existing projects undergoing major modifications. Included in the guidelines are required amounts of parking for different types of developments. For instance, for a school, one bike parking space is required for every 10 students.
Board members said they would like to include in the ordinance that certain types of bike parking – wave, comb and toast designs – be prohibited in new projects.

Town transportation planner Jeff Brubaker said other designs, like the A, inverted U and post-and-loop racks, were preferred.

“There’s a lot of consensus amongst people who work in this field that they provide a little more security,” he said. “The older racks are more susceptible to cutters and things like that.”

Board members also said they would like to require that bicycle parking be at least 50 percent covered. The board will revisit the ordinance at a later meeting.
Also on Tuesday, the board approved a measure amending the town’s ordinance regarding compact car parking such that parking areas with 10 or more spaces can include up to 40 percent compact car spaces. Previously, the ordinance permitted parking areas to include up to 40 percent subcompact car spaces, with the remainder designated exclusively for compact, mid-size and large cars. Under the changes, the remainder of the spaces would be open to any car.

The approved changes also include adjusting the parking space size for compact cars from 7.5 by 16.5 feet to 8 by 15 feet, for an overall reduction of 3.5 square feet.

Board member Sammy Slade questioned why the town wouldn’t require parking lots to include 40 percent compact spaces instead of just providing the option.
However, board member Jacquie Gist said she didn’t believe it was fair to require that.

“I think eventually people will buy smaller cars when they can afford to, but I don’t want to play this ‘you’re not even welcome here because you can’t afford the kind of car that we think you should be driving,’” she said.

Board members said they would like to revisit the issue and possibly consider requiring a certain amount of compact spaces up to 40 percent.

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