A NEW law has eliminated certain parking requirements which could cause major headaches for drivers.
Drivers are worried that the updated parking rules could limit the number of spots available.
The proposed North Carolina legislation would no longer mandate a minimum number of off-street parking.
Off-street parking refers to designated areas where drivers can leave their vehicles like garages and lots that are purposefully built away from public streets.
According to a draft of the legislation, this section of the bill is proposed to go into effect on July 1, 2025.
This is part of an ongoing initiative to reduce the city’s dependence on cars.
Lawmakers also hope that this bill will promote affordable housing in Charlotte by keeping construction costs low and avoiding parking lots that don’t get utilized.
Proponents of the bill also include Catawba Riverkeeper, a nonprofit aimed at preserving the Catawba-Wateree River Basin by reducing stormwater runoff.
“Stormwater runoff from land use changes is the single largest source of pollution into the river,” according to the Catawba Riverkeeper website.
“When it rains, the rain carries litter, oil, fertilizers, bacteria, and sediment (dirt) into our storm drains and creeks. These pollutants impact the health of our streams and coves.”
North Carolina farmers, entrepreneurs, and environmental activists are all for the bill’s passing.
“This is an affordable housing issue, farmland preservation issue, sprawl issue — there’s a lot of components to it,” said Ryan Carter, the policy director at Catawba Riverkeeper.
The bill also moves to ban the future purchase and import of certain pavement sealants that are harmful to the community and the environment.
The bill specifies that sealants containing coal tar, coal tar pitch volatiles, and other dangerous substances would be illegal to buy.
Some lawmakers have sponsored the legislation while others are more skeptical.
“Why have all this wasted space?” questioned Representative Mark Brody, a Republican congressman sponsoring the bill.
Are you covered by law to park on a public street?
Parking on a public street is generally legal, even in front of someone's house, experts say.
Unless the home is in an HOA subdivision, an apartment complex with assigned spaces, or there are posted laws against parking during certain days or hours, it is not illegal to park a vehicle in front of someone’s home on a public street.
“Generally speaking, an individual citizen does not ‘own’ or have any ongoing exclusive right to use a parking space on a public street,” wrote Nolo Legal.
“These spaces are open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.”
Most states do have rules against vehicles being parked in the same spot for 72 hours, or blocking fire hydrants, driveways, and sidewalks, as a parked vehicle in those spaces presents a safety hazard.
Others have pointed out that the city’s transit system is not capable of supporting residents who will pivot away from driving.
A 2024 Axios report found that Raleigh, North Carolina has the most daily per capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) with 38.1, but Charlotte was a close-second at 35.5.
Although the city has encouraged its residents to take public transportation and reduce their reliance on cars, Charolotte still has a long way to go.
Lawmakers and residents are also concerned that this bill would force drivers to look for roadside parking, disrupting residential neighborhoods.
This could mean drivers would be circling the Charlotte’s streets trying to find a spot.
Lawmakers are set to review the bill within the coming weeks.
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