Vehicle parking is a significant source of impervious cover in the Chagrin River watershed. It is well within the purview of local governments to examine parking requirements and modify as necessary to meet actual parking needs. To assist communities in updating parking requirements as a tool to minimize impervious cover, CRWP:

• Examined parking requirements and actual parking need in several representative Chagrin River watershed communities to determine where they were requiring excess parking lot construction.
• Examined national trends in parking requirements for innovative solutions to minimize parking requirements while meeting parking needs. Such innovative solutions include shared parking between uses that occur at different times, such as churches and offices. The results are summarized in Review of National Trends in Parking Requirements (published in 2005).
• Developed a model parking code.
• Developed a fact sheet, Parking Lots, Impervious Cover & Storm Water (published in 2006), which introduces options to reduce impervious cover in off-street parking areas.

The model regulation can help local governments in their efforts to effectively manage stormwater. Please direct your questions regarding the model regulation to CRWP at (440) 975-3870.

These materials were prepared by the Chagrin River Watershed Partners under award NA03NOS4190052 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Office of Coastal Management and updated through a grant from the Ohio Lake Erie Protection Fund.