Parking Studies
Parking is an essential component of land development and must strike a balance between too much supply, which is wasteful of land and resources, and too little, which can compromise otherwise safe access and efficient circulation characteristics. Parking studies typically assess the utilization of the parking supply based on the relevant land uses, often resulting in a decrease (but in some cases, an increase) in the required parking from the applicable zoning by-law. Proxy sites, those existing sites similar in nature to proposed developments, are selected then surveyed for their ‘real’ parking utilization rates during peak demand periods. Next, they are extrapolated to match the proposed development characteristics (considering such variables as gross floor area, types of businesses, regional locations, etc.). Increasingly, opportunities for shared parking are being explored to ensure the most efficient use of land and resources.
