Here we go– the powers that be in Fairfax, VA are considering raising the requirement for parking for single family homes and townhouses. the requirement now is 2 for every single family home and 2.3 for every townhome. They want to raise it to three for single family homes and 2.7 for townhouses. Read about it here.
Lets get this straight — The city has a goal of reducing driving but is increasing the number of parking spaces required. That means that the price of homes and condos will go up as developers have to build ever larger parking facilities. Even if people don’t want them. So if you are a walker or a bike rider, you must still pay for a garage you will never use. If you only have one or two cars, you must buy a garage that is more than you need.
It also means that the folks in Fairfax who drive will be subsidized in their parking by people who don’t.
Don’t get me wrong, I like a good garage as much as the next guy, but come on, why tax non drivers for them. Makes not an ounce of sense to me. If someone has three cars, they should find a way to park em or get rid of them. Its not the responsibility of the city, state, developer, or whomever to take care of them.
And if the developer decides he wants to sell houses to folks who own a fleet, that should be his decision, not the local planning commission.
Shoupistas unite
J
