San Francisco is keeping up with its reputation as capitol of the land of the nutters. The mayor has vetoed an ordinance that would restrict the number of parking spaces that could be built by developers and limit the height of garages to one story. He then reintroduced the same bill but with a minor change that allowed developers to build garages up to three stories high, and limit driveways on Market Street to those approved by the planning commission. The purpose of all this is to limit parking in SF (as if they have enough now) and thus force people on to public transportation. SIGH
These people didn’t attend the smart parking conference in San Jose last week. Its only 30 minutes down the road from SF. They would have heard Don Shoup talk of solving congestion and parking problems by simply charging market rates for on street parking, allowing developers to do whatever they want, and sending the money collected onstreet back into the neighborhoods for new sidewalks, street improvements, and the like.
The city would have more money, people would rethink their two cars as they would have to pay to park them, and all would be right with the world. Of course first the city would have to give up the parking revenue and second it would have to let the free market work.
Dan Zack at Redwood city is doing it. The council there had the courage to let their parking pros run the parking. SF simply has no clue and will continue to have a parking mess.
JVH
