Washington State has enacted landmark parking reform legislation that eliminates uniform parking mandates, shifting decisions to property owners and developers instead of government requirements. The Parking Reform and Modernization Act (SB 5184) represents a fundamental policy shift that emerged from reframing parking regulations not as zoning technicalities but as potential obstacles to building homes, businesses, and essential community services.
The reform movement gained traction by asking practical questions about when parking requirements make sense rather than simply where they might apply. Advocates questioned whether a take-out restaurant should need the same parking spaces as a dine-in establishment, whether parking rules should prevent daycare centers from opening, or whether outdated mandates should inflate development costs to the point where affordable housing becomes impossible to build. This approach attracted support from homeowners, small business owners, housing advocates, and ultimately bipartisan government leaders who recognized the economic consequences of rigid parking requirements.
Further details about SB 5184 can be found in the Strong Towns article, Washington Just Rewrote the Rules on Parking — Here's Why It Worked, as well as on the Washington State Legislature SB 5184 - 2025-26 webpage.
The Washington example offers a potential model for cities like Haltom City, Texas, where members of the Haltom United Business Alliance have identified parking mandates as significant barriers to revitalization, particularly in south and central inner-city areas experiencing decline. For nearly five years, the alliance has advocated for reform, noting that private investors and developers interested in vacant commercial properties often encounter unrealistic parking requirements that halt potential projects.
HUBA has proposed creating targeted "overlay" districts along major corridors like Denton Highway, Carson, NE 28th Street, and Belknap where numerous older buildings sit vacant. The organization points to successful examples in cities like Houston that have implemented similar approaches and experienced subsequent renovation and growth. Another suggestion involves following Austin's model of eliminating mandatory off-street parking requirements regardless of actual business needs.
Parking reform advocates emphasize that such changes don't eliminate parking but rather limit what governments can require, allowing market forces and practical considerations to determine appropriate parking solutions. As noted in the Strong Towns analysis, "For communities struggling with housing shortages, inflated development costs, or underused land, Washington's approach offers a clear example of what's possible—not just in policy, but in political strategy, too."
Resources for understanding parking reform are available through organizations like the Parking Reform Network, which provides sample legislation, activism guides, and tracking of reform activities nationwide. The network's Parking Mandates Map documents ongoing parking reform efforts across the country, offering communities considering similar changes valuable data and precedents.
The implications of Washington's successful reform extend beyond parking policy to demonstrate how reframing regulatory discussions around practical outcomes rather than technical compliance can build broad coalitions for change. For cities facing housing affordability challenges, business stagnation, or underutilized urban spaces, parking reform represents a tangible starting point for addressing multiple interconnected economic issues through regulatory modernization.
