Hi, Al. On Fri, Jan 18, 2002 at 06:46:21PM -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Many (maybe all) parts of University City could use more off-street parking > and more well-maintained open space
One of the fundamental points of Saidel's tax reform plan is that taxing land instead of development on that land encourages land to be used as effectively as possible. Parking lots proliferate in our city precisely because they represent a tax break--they are encouraged because they reduce taxes, and, as they become more numerous, they represent blight. If the market values parking, it will pay for it, without requiring subsidy in the form of tax breaks. I'm sure you will agree with me on that, Al, since you sometimes quote the Cato Institute... A question I have to ask, too, in the context of needing more parking, is, "how much?" I hear people say we need more parking, but I don't sense an idea of what our neighborhood would look like with an ideal amount of parking. Do we want a space for everyone? We'd have to raze every other block to get it, or else build a number of large high-rise lots a la 40th and Walnut. More parking will attract more cars, so the equilibrium point is not "the number of spaces needed by those who have cars now." If we add 1000 spaces in UC, it will feel roomy for a year or so, and then enough people will bring in cars that it will feel just as congested. And then we'll be talking about congestion on the streets from all those new cars... The property you mentioned at 4423 Pine is a case in point. It burned and 128 families (according to zoning, don't know if it was full) moved out. For a couple months, parking was easy. Then it filled in from neighboring blocks. Then 4417 reopened. Parking felt crowded, then it evened out as some people decided to get rid of cars or leave them elsewhere. Then they opened the parking lot at 4423, and, in principle, 20-30 people who were parking on the street moved to the lot, but the effect was barely felt, and not for long. The capacity - congestion relationship with parking tends to favor a relatively fixed congestion level. -- Jeff Jeff Abrahamson <http://www.purple.com/jeff/> The Big Book of Misunderstanding, now in bookstores and on the web: <http://www.misunderstanding.net/buystuff.html> ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. Archive is at <http://www.mail-archive.com/>.
