trymahjong Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/ This is article that brings forth the desparity of new restauranteurs that open their places in "walkable" older neighborhoods where parking is at a premian as opposed to- in the surburbs where there seems to be abundant parking. I guess it really isn't so cut and dried.But perhaps that is the heart of it. I heard Bobby Heugal speak a while ago ( and maybe another--owner of Poison Girl-maybe) about the dilemma of having to find places for parking (to meet COH parking requirements) and realizing you had to tear down useable buildings/houses to put in concrete parking lots all the while cheerleading the idea of establishing your business in an area known for it's walkability. I think it was the first I had heard of OKRA Organized Kollaboration Restaurant Affairs-They all shared the same concern-- just how many good, useable buildings would have to be torn down to meet Houston's parking requirement.What part did "Walkability" play into the equation? Was there a way to way to have different areas of town, reviewed and given different requirements. A city parking task force was launched-- The parking requirements were changed---a new debate develops. I "groan" along with Hyde Park Civic-- each time a house is razed for a parking lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Huge Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 I read up on the OKRA group too, did not realize that Houston was FORCING these establishments to build huge parking lots with their new businesses, what a backwards, anti-urban, anti-walkability law. Well no WONDER! Ugh, so you say they got city council to reverse these laws in urban areas like midtown? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2013/01/parking_regulations_city_hall.php This article is useful as background reading-- Realistically-If Houston really wants to promote and champion walkability--some sort of realighnment of the parking requirements has to take place. Somehow the percentage of patrons who are likely to walkto your establishment has to be included in the parking requirement. Also the square footage of the establishment should be taken into consideration. COH says sure--if it's under 2000 square feet. OKRA says the exemption should be set at 4500 square feet. The Chronicle article in first post says "the parking task force launched last year. . . appears to have fizzled-" that's worrisome to me. I want walkability and that is more likely if there are attractive, interesting things (like great restaurants) to walk to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. In the Chronicle article--Ellen Cohen makes the same reference------ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 More allowable offsite parking credits would help along with the idea of pedestrian credits (which do not exist atm). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 COH says sure--if it's under 2000 square feet. OKRA says the exemption should be set at 4500 square feet. Contextually, isn't the SF requirement based on the space used for patrons? So if you are under 2000 sf of seating, and not if the building is 2000 sf? Does it take into consideration other factors such as the type of space it is? dining room, bar area, etc (like the bathroom occupancy calculation)? Either way, off-site parking credits, or walking credits as mentioned, need to happen. That way, multiple locations could pool together and work with a parking garage (I think Carabbas did this off of Kirby for a few different locations they own in the immediate area). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Contextually, isn't the SF requirement based on the space used for patrons? So if you are under 2000 sf of seating, and not if the building is 2000 sf? Does it take into consideration other factors such as the type of space it is? dining room, bar area, etc (like the bathroom occupancy calculation)? Either way, off-site parking credits, or walking credits as mentioned, need to happen. That way, multiple locations could pool together and work with a parking garage (I think Carabbas did this off of Kirby for a few different locations they own in the immediate area). I'm not sure how COH gets the criteria for the cut off numbers on square footage. I think Bobby Heugal used 'Blacksmith" as an example of how hard it is to meet the criteria of under 2000 sq ft. That is a small venue but doesn't meet the criteria. In location such as lower Westheimer-- It's hard to find space for a parking garage that doesn't require tearing down useable houses. I keep wondering what percentage of patrons to lower Westheiomer walk? I wish the findings of that committee would have been published--before it went plifst :\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 I know personally, any time I go anywhere in midtown, heights, montrose, or any other older, yet higher density area in the loop, if I'm not on the bicycle or motorcycle, I expect I am going to have to park a few blocks away from my destination on a side street and hoof it to wherever I am going. I consider it par for the course and part of what makes that area what it is, and is why I usually opt to take either one or the other of my 2-wheeled contrivances. I doubt that I am singular in my thought on this, as I see far more people walking in these areas than other areas of town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 I am lucky enough to be able to walk to most of the lower Westheimer Restaurants. I am reminded of the earliest community meetings with Metro, when the route of the Richmond Rail had not yet been decided. Metro had done some sort of study and the results were that the average Houstonian probably wouldn't walk more that 8 blocks to their destination. I've always wondered about that statistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 The average Houstonian will do whatever is easiest and makes the most sense. In other cities, they think nothing of parking a few blocks away and walking, and they would even consider themselves lucky to score a free street parking space. Here there are people that consider that to be torture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 I've yet to hear any sort of convincing argument for parking requirements. As a 30+ year resident of the Montrose, it's understood (or should be) that if you live or operate a business here that parking will be an issue. For example, my apartment comes with no assigned parking spaces. As a pedestrian, this is of no personal matter - and if I have guests, they are forewarned that the space in front of my building might be taken, and they may have to find other accommodations (which can serve as a measure as to whom your friends really are.) If someone is foolish enough to start a business without accounting for how their patrons will access it, that's their problem. I fail to see why cars should be given preference to people, which is to say "It won't kill you to walk your fat ass a couple of blocks." And, residents who feel that the on-street parking in front of their house belongs to them should be given first preference - but parking permits should be sold at market rates. $1500 a year seems fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted February 13, 2013 Author Share Posted February 13, 2013 Parking in areas such as lower Westheimer is a tricky undertaking. I hate seeing empty buildings there and love new business coming in. But to be succesful, there has to be customers ---a lot of customers for sustained success. I can't see success being sustained with only "walking" customers--so the parking issue comes into play. That issue is an expensive one for new business owner. Here's the part that baffles me. Unless a lower Westheimer restaurant is "grandfathered" so the current parking requirements don't apply-- the financial outlay to build (buy land, tear down ole structure, pave lot) a parking lot can cripple (financially) a new venture.It's because of that cost ($25,000 per space-I think) most new business only build a surface lot, rather than a multi-level parking garage. The next new business has to start the process of meeting parking requirements all over again. OKRA has aa good idea in sharing parking as Blacksmith does with Hay Merchant. A lot of useable building get torn down in the quest for parking lots. The baffling part is that I'm sure the current parking requirement was the solution COH came up with when local Civic clubs complained about new business patrons "taking over" parking in the residential neighborhoods---even tough those organizations hate it when those useable houses are razed. I wonder why COH couldn't have partnered with a business or two and helped defray the cost of multi-leveled parking garage.COH gets a kazillion complaints about parking in this area. COH wants new business in this area. Wouldn't a COH partnered multi-level parking garage be a solution? COH collaboration wouldn't be easy. Still,It seems it could be an effective answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Yeah, where's all the hand wringing blow-hards ranting about intrusive gov't regulations when you need them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Ruggle's is gone! I'll bet they make that land a parking lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Ruggle's is gone! I'll bet they make that land a parking lot. Supposed to be a new restaurant for the Triniti chef/owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KinkaidAlum Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 These rules are whack. I walk to as many places as possible. The Montrose bars and restaurants are a bit too far for me to walk to, but it the weather is nice, I ride my bike to them. Otherwise, I'll just park on the side streets and walk a few blocks. It's a great way to work off my overeating and overboozing habits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Metro had done some sort of study and the results were that the average Houstonian probably wouldn't walk more that 8 blocks to their destination. I've always wondered about that statistic. I think the 8 block figure might be right for the average Houstonian - not necessarily those who appreciate and desire a true urban "milieu." I contend that it is a cliamate thing. Houston is damned hot and humid a good part of the year. I've walked 6 blocks in the middle of July before and believe that is about my limit, not because I am exhausted, but because I begin to perspire noticeably at that point. Yes, I am somewhat out of shape but hot and humid is hot and humid. Today it is 60 degrees F outdoors and I could walk to exhaustion without breaking a sweat. I'm sure if I lived in Portland, Oregon, or San Diego I would fare better and walk much further. I would also lose weight by, as someone else wrote above, walking off the excessive eating and drinking that I tend to do. The parking/walkability issue is a conundrum for Houston. Perhaps structured parking, i.e. garages, built and paid for through a public/private partnership is the way to go. The parking structure in the Rice Village seems to work though I'm not sure how it was paid for. The rates are not unreasonable IIRC. Note that I mentioned San Diego. I traveled there a few times over the last several years and utilized public parking garages for my rental car while I walked around to various businesses. This was especially convenient and virtually obligatory in La Jolla. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trymahjong Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 How can you spotlight the lower Westheimer parking/walkability issue with COH? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.