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In the NoCo
In The NoCo

Cities like Boulder may have too many parking spaces. Here’s why that's a problem

By In The NoCo,
Erin O'Toole
Published September 10, 2024 at 5:30 AM MDT
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Boulder City Council member Ryan Schuchard, a man in a blue checked shirt and short dark hair stands with his arms folded on a bike path. "The question generally isn't, 'do we have too much parking?' The question is, 'why is it so hard to build more housing, and why don't we have better-functioning transit and more more bikeways?'" says Boulder City Council member Ryan Schuchard, who is part of a group advocating for the city to eliminate its minimum parking requirements for builders and developers.
Courtesy of Ryan Schuchard
"The question generally isn't, 'do we have too much parking?' The question is, 'why is it so hard to build more housing, and why don't we have better-functioning transit and more more bikeways?'" says Boulder City Council member Ryan Schuchard, who is part of a group advocating for the city to eliminate its minimum parking requirements for builders and developers.

Officials in the city of Boulder say they have a problem: too many parking spaces.

Some transportation experts believe having too many empty spots is a waste of space, especially considering some of that space could be used for housing, retail, or a park. By some estimates, Boulder has twice as many parking spots as it needs.

Some city leaders say that’s a missed opportunity in a city that struggles to make space for attainable housing. In fact, several Colorado cities are wrestling with this issue now.

Host Erin O’Toole sat down with Boulder City Council member Ryan Schuchard to discuss why Boulder and other Front Range cities are considering eliminating minimum parking requirements for developers.

Google maps west of 55th street in Boulder.
Sean Haney
This map shows surface parking (highlighted in red) as can be seen from Google maps west of 55th street in Boulder.

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In The NoCo TransportationFront Range
In The NoCo
KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.
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Erin O'Toole
As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
See stories by Erin O'Toole