Parking

The high cost of free

"But where will everyone park?" is often one of the first criticisms leveled at any new proposed development. The question is understandable - Louisvillians are, by and large, obliged to commute by car. However, a quick look at any shopping center or even some of the many surface lots downtown will reveal that much parking is unused most of the time.

However, even when they are unused, parking lots continue to have an impact - they worsen the urban heat island, direct polluted runoff into local waterways, and break up the continuity of otherwise walkable neighborhoods. These downsides are well-known, but in many cases developers' hands are tied, as the land development code includes very detailed parking minimums for every conceivable type of business.

Louisville has made strides recently in reducing (though not abolishing) these parking minimums. Even better, recent changes in the state legislature mean that the city might soon be able to consider land value in assessing property taxes - meaning that these underutilized lots could soon be put to better use.