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Proposal to limit municipal parking minimums draws split testimony
Summary
Senate Bill 284 would restrict how many parking spaces municipalities can require for new residential development; proponents said it enables denser development and reduces construction cost, while municipal and local-government groups warned of traffic, snow removal and local planning impacts.
Senate Bill 284 would cap municipal on-site parking requirements for new residential development, with different maximums proposed for workforce housing and other units. Sponsor Senator Keith Murphy argued that parking requirements set in earlier decades increase construction costs and are often unnecessary in walkable urban neighborhoods where residents frequently rely on alternatives to car ownership.
Housing advocates and developers testified in favor, saying reduced parking minimums lower per-unit costs and allow right-sized parking that reflects market demand rather than broad assumptions. Nick Taylor of Housing Action New Hampshire said developers often target parking requirements first when planning a project and that freeing developers to set market-driven parking would produce more efficient land use.
Opponents included the New Hampshire Municipal Association and several municipal representatives who warned the bill would remove reasonable local control over parking, potentially create spillover parking pressure in neighborhoods, complicate snow removal and generate safety and traffic management issues. The Municipal Association also pointed to an existing statute (RSA 674:16-a) that allows alternative parking solutions when an applicant proposes them and said municipalities should be allowed to manage parking based on local conditions.
The committee heard testimony from the Institute for Justice supporting the sponsor's market-oriented approach and noted the history of parking minimums in U.S. zoning practice.
No committee vote was recorded on SB 284 in the provided excerpt; testimony indicated the bill may be revised further in committee.
