Parking minimums debate: towns urge local control as bill would cap required spaces

House Bill 382 would change how municipalities regulate mandatory on-site parking requirements, witnesses told the Senate Commerce Committee. Testimony focused on how a statutory cap could interact with local street widths, emergency access and seasonal conditions.

Dawn Merryman (Town of Raymond) said limiting parking spaces would "limit the ability of the people who are going to be buying these units to be able to get out to potentially their job" and noted that in many towns "you couldn't get an Uber" and carpooling was not a viable alternative.

Margaret Burns of the New Hampshire Municipal Association said the measure conflicts with Senate Bill 284 and would remove municipal discretion to require adequate parking for residents, visitors and workers. Burns noted that New Hampshire "ranks tenth nationally for vehicles per capita" and cited New Hampshire Employment Security data showing roughly 81% of residents drive to work, arguing many communities are not prepared to shift away from on-site parking requirements.

Representative Steven Bogart, a longtime city councilor and former zoning chair, described multiple neighborhood disputes that arose when conversions or multi-unit changes increased demand for on-street parking; he said narrow streets and blocked driveways created safety problems and required municipalities to impose one-way streets or other traffic changes as remedies.

Opponents asked the committee to preserve local flexibility and warned that a statutory limit could exacerbate on-street parking, snow-removal and enforcement burdens. Supporters of reduced parking minimums did not make a sustained appearance at this hearing.

Ending: The committee closed the hearing with municipal witnesses urging a "no" on statewide parking caps and asking that local boards retain authority to set requirements suited to local street networks and seasonal needs.