In a city where a curbside space can feel like found treasure, St. Petersburg officials are weighing whether to drop mandatory parking requirements for new projects along Central Avenue. The proposal is part of a broader push to make buses and walking the default for more trips, especially near the SunRunner bus rapid transit line. Planners argue that easing parking rules could cut development costs and make it easier to build housing near transit, while critics worry those cars will simply spill into nearby neighborhoods.
What City Council Is Considering
City staff have drafted an ordinance that would allow developers in the Central Avenue corridor to skip minimum off-street parking and instead apply for waivers, with the goal of boosting transit ridership. As reported by the Tampa Bay Times, the measure applies to properties along the corridor and is scheduled for City Council consideration this month. Councilmembers have already received staff briefings and public comment as they weigh whether to move the change forward.
SunRunner And Transit-Oriented Zoning
The idea did not come out of nowhere. Planning around the SunRunner bus rapid transit corridor has long pointed toward fewer parking mandates so development more closely reflects transit access. Local reporting and city planning documents note that the SunRunner Rising study and related zoning packages have already opened the door to parking reductions and waivers in station areas and overlay districts. As detailed by the St. Pete Catalyst, target-employment overlays near certain stations already allow reduced parking and offer options that support adaptive reuse without forcing construction of new surface lots.
Supporters' Case And City Language
Supporters argue that letting the market decide how much parking a project needs will lower costs and nudge more people to walk, bike or ride the bus. City planners have pointed to parking waivers as a tool to encourage adaptive reuse of warehouses and older buildings, instead of requiring owners to add expensive new lots. Councilmember Gina Driscoll has described the approach as "transit-oriented development; it's not car-oriented development," according to the St. Pete Catalyst. City language indicates any new flexibility on parking would be paired with design standards, incentives and other tools aimed at maintaining neighborhood character.
Neighborhood Concerns And Parking Permits
Some neighbors and business owners see a different picture, warning that fewer required spaces for new buildings could push cars into nearby residential streets and already busy commercial strips. In response, the city is looking at possible updates to its Residential Parking Permit program, including a Neighborhood Resident Only Parking Area (NROPA) option along with petition and study thresholds, as one way to manage spillover if it materializes. Community materials and neighborhood groups have laid out the draft ordinance and the steps a community would need to take to seek permit protections. A community guide from CONA St. Pete outlines the proposed Residential Parking Permit changes.
The Cost Of Parking
Behind the policy debate sits a simple financial reality: parking, especially in structured garages or underground facilities, is costly to build, and those expenses typically get passed along to renters and buyers. Planning analyses and academic work often put the construction cost of a single garage space in the tens of thousands of dollars, a price tag that advocates say inflates housing costs and can sideline smaller developers. Research summaries show typical per-space costs ranging from about $20,000 to $50,000 depending on the type of garage and its location, a statistic city planners cite when they review parking mandates. The Victoria Transport Policy Institute offers a compiled overview of those estimates.
What Happens Next
City Council members are expected to continue debating the proposal and could move the new waiver language toward a vote in the coming weeks as part of a wider SunRunner-related zoning package. Backers hope the shift will open the door to more homes and storefronts near transit, while opponents want clear neighborhood protections in place before any parking rules are relaxed. For more on the early stages of the proposal and staff presentations, see coverage from the Tampa Bay Times and the St. Pete Catalyst.
