Key facts
- North Carolina has passed the Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act, eliminating most statewide off-street parking minimums for new developments.
- The law, effective January 1, bars local governments from requiring developers to build a minimum number of parking spaces for commercial or residential projects.
- Coastal counties are exempt from the new regulations.
- The bill passed with rare bipartisan support from a diverse coalition including environmentalists, developers, and housing advocates.
- Supporters believe the reform will lower construction costs and improve housing affordability.
North Carolina has enacted significant parking reform, eliminating most statewide off-street parking requirements for new commercial and residential developments. The Parking Lot Reform and Modernization Act, signed into law by Gov. Josh Stein, aims to make new housing more affordable by reducing construction costs.
The law, effective January 1, prohibits local governments from mandating a minimum number of parking spaces for developers. This reform builds on measures already implemented by several North Carolina cities, including Raleigh and Durham. Coastal counties are exempt from the new regulations, a change made to address concerns about vacation-rental parking.
The bill garnered rare bipartisan support, backed by a coalition of environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Catawba Riverkeeper, developers, housing advocates, and small farmers. Supporters, such as State Rep. Donnie Loftis, highlighted the potential economic benefits and cost savings associated with reducing parking requirements, estimating significant savings per parking space.
This parking reform was successfully separated from a broader Democratic housing package that stalled in committee. That larger package included proposals to cap corporate ownership of single-family homes and allow residential construction in commercially zoned areas. While critics note the parking law removes a regulatory obstacle rather than mandating new housing, its near-unanimous passage is seen as a success for narrower, bipartisan legislative strategies.