View the letter to the City Plan Commission, February 12, 2025
Dear members of the City Plan Commission:
Thank you for your thoughtful discussion of off-street parking requirements in Dallas and the current ordinance proposal. As architects, the first step in a site plan is to resolve and design around the required minimum parking ratios. Parking requirements often exceed the projects needs, limit the potential use of the site, and can greatly increase the cost of a project.
AIA Dallas supports context-sensitive urban design strategies, and we believe the latest motion by Commissioner Tip Housewright, FAIA addresses the differences in Dallas’ diverse zoning and land use. We support the motion and believe it will open new opportunities for historic preservation and reuse, transit-oriented development, and urban design across the city.
In 2021, AIA Dallas hosted the late Dr. Donald Shoup, FAICP for an insightful discussion about the potential for parking reform in Dallas. At the time, Shoup expressed surprise at how complicated and antiquated Dallas’ parking codes were. He advocated strongly for simplifying our code and removing minimum parking ratios. City Plan Commission is now offering a reasonable path forward for Dallas in line with these goals.
Thank you for considering the off-street parking reform code amendment. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if we or our members can provide additional information.
Sincerely,
Mattia Flabiano, AIA
Board President
Zaida Basora, FAIA
Executive Director