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Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

danrodricks.com

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Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#381

Post by earthling8118 »

coldpie wrote: post #47
wtp1saac wrote: post #4

Strong Towns has called a good amount of attention to the mandatory parking requirements in many cities (and shockingly, many downtowns). Thankfully, it seems a fair number of cities are removing such restrictions, but hopefully it becomes more widespread. In general I hope the US can urbanize, the older I get the more I realize it’s not really enjoyable living in this country. I don’t think I want hyper dense, but h…

> having more places to walk, bike, and explore that aren’t just cookie-cutter boilerplate-esque suburbs and freeways would be really nice. We're at a critical juncture here in the Twin Cities. The state DOT needs to re-build the interstate that cuts right through the entire metro area (I-94) for the first time since it was first built 50 years ago. There is a serious proposal to remove the interstate entirely and re…

I find it interesting to see the words "twin cities" referred to here as if we all know what that is. I can see that this is referring to Minneapolis as per the link, but without that we would be left to guess.

Here's a list of many twin cities https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_cities

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#382

Post by earthling8118 »

tekknik wrote: post #359
JoshTriplett wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Which seemingly, would have prevented the malls from collapsing. I don't think nearby residence areas would have prevented malls from collapsing. Online shopping made them largely obsolete as a place to actually shop , with many going bankrupt and others hanging on by a thread. Then a global pandemic cut some of the remaining threads.

> Online shopping made them largely obsolete Eh, after some lost packages, dealing with USPS for claims, wanting to touch the product before purchasing, and easier returns, I find myself returning to brick and mortar lately.

Seems that you're in the extreme minority in this one. I find that most items that are in brick in mortar stores are just junk, and I can have a wider selection online. Generally I don't return things because I was selective before purchasing. I've never had a lost package but I'm pretty convinced that I'd get a free replacement. Returns are simple.

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#383

Post by earthling8118 »

ajsnigrutin wrote: post #343
Moldoteck wrote: post #315

Earlier quoted context omitted.

in this case maybe amsterdam style will suit better your usecase? you take a 5-10 min electric bike(maybe even cargo type) trip to a discount store, you put everything in bags/cargo space and return home. Or Swiss style: discount stores usually are placed close to trams, you buy your stuff and just take a tram to your home(and since usually those have ded lanes, it's damn fast). You may be concerned about capacity(ma…

But why? I have a car, I just drive to a shopping center with enough parking and do my business there. Why would i go out of my way to use a bike, in rain and cold or heat and sun to go to a shopping center without parking? The malls know this, that's why they have parking, usually underground.

Why? It's because you're making other people pay a large part of the cost for your convenience. We aren't going to tolerate it forever.

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#384

Post by earthling8118 »

ajsnigrutin wrote: post #344
maxglute wrote: post #328

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IMO modifying life style for chronic car owners is nonstarter. Simple / fair incentivize is to make it justifiably expensive. Reduce street parking / op lots. If stores want car customers, they need to build parking infra onsite, either above or below grade. Expensive car elevators if they have to. Charge premium for parking costs. If they try to pass on cost to all customers instead of just drivers, then their price…

There is no 'street parking' next to shopping centers/malls, it's all organized parking lots (usually underground, below the shopping center). What kind of a shopping center requires you to park on the street? I live in a relatively small city with a pedestrian zone "historic center", and all of the larger...ish shopping centers are outside the city center, and larger stores are on the 'edge' of the city. Both the st…

Why would I want to drive somewhere just to shop? I don't care about rain. If it is absolutely pouring I don't need to to out. I don't feel the need to live entirely disconnected from nature.

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#385

Post by nerdbert »

earthling8118 wrote: post #379
shiroiuma wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a valid comment. Many times, when the US makes "cycling infrastructure" (scare-quotes intended), it's just awful: painted lines on a busy, dangerous road, or at best a path immediately parallel to such a monstrosity. Little wonder people don't want to ride a bike next to a bunch of giant SUVs speeding at 75mph. And it is true the weather in many US cities tends to be less mild than in Amsterdam, but that can…

I am vehemently on the side against cars, but I will wholeheartedly refute that our summer weather can be worked around with clothing. It's far too hot and humid for that to do anything.

When I lived in a hot American city, the saving grace was that at both office jobs there was a shower available. After breakfast I'd stuff my work clothes in a backpack, bike to work in shorts, take a quick shower, and arrive at my desk the most clean and refreshed person in the department.

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#386

Post by NoPedantsThanks »

bluGill wrote: post #320
NoPedantsThanks wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is that the removal of parking requirements typically doesn't address the parking-lot scenario depicted here. It's often a developer handout that results in a degraded standard of living for existing residents in the neighborhood around a new development. Let's say a developer builds a bigger, taller building than what was there previously and adds residents. If they're not required to include sufficient…

A few developers will do that. However people who need to drive will soon catch on that parking is hard in those buildings and so they will go elsewhere. This is a self correcting problem if you let it run its course.

[dead]

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#387

Post by fennecbutt »

earthling8118 wrote: post #381
coldpie wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> having more places to walk, bike, and explore that aren’t just cookie-cutter boilerplate-esque suburbs and freeways would be really nice. We're at a critical juncture here in the Twin Cities. The state DOT needs to re-build the interstate that cuts right through the entire metro area (I-94) for the first time since it was first built 50 years ago. There is a serious proposal to remove the interstate entirely and re…

I find it interesting to see the words "twin cities" referred to here as if we all know what that is. I can see that this is referring to Minneapolis as per the link, but without that we would be left to guess. Here's a list of many twin cities https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_cities

Tbf I thought it was common knowledge. My home town's sister city is Mishima; I've been there.

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#388

Post by nradov »

alexanderchr wrote: post #373
nradov wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So then the city has to issue parking passes plus guest passes, and then actually enforce them. Seems totally impractical for all but the densest cities.

Sure there's some administration but it can be mostly handled digitally nowadays. I've seen it work in many cities that are not particularly dense by European standards. The enforcement are handled by the same people that do normal parking enforcement. They scan the plates, see if there's a valid permit/ticket and write a ticket otherwise.

Which "people" do normal parking enforcement? Most cities do zero parking enforcement in residential neighborhoods unless someone specifically complains.

Re: Tear up unused parking lots, plant trees

#389

Post by nradov »

Ekaros wrote: post #247
nradov wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where do guests park when they come to visit?

They don't. It so simple. Or they walk or bike whole distance. I think after we have fixed the car parking, we really should start looking into those bikes and ban them from street parking.

That comment is so ridiculously out of touch. Most of my guests are coming from outside of biking distance.
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