City Council Vote Reshapes Parking Rules Across New Bedford

New Bedford's new parking regulations for new buildings could spell trouble for some neighborhoods where parking is already in short supply.

The new rules recently won final approval from the New Bedford City Council by an 8-3 margin, with Ward 1 Councilor Leo Choquette, Ward 4 Councilor Derek Baptiste, and Councilor at Large Brian Gomes voting in opposition.

The new rules reduce minimum parking requirements to one space for apartments with fewer than three bedrooms, and larger apartments, single-family homes, and duplexes would be required to have two parking spaces.

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Businesses, such as supermarkets and retail stores, will also face restrictions on the number of parking spaces.

Again, the new rules apply only to new construction.

Why the City Reduced Parking Requirements

Supporters of the new parking laws believe that reducing parking spaces would create more space for housing units in New Bedford, which, like many other cities, is facing a housing shortage. Critics of the former parking requirement said it was detrimental to development.

"City planners say they wrote the ordinance on a data-driven analysis of current conditions in the city," reported the New Bedford Light. "Census data shows that about half of tenant households in New Bedford have only one car, while about a quarter don't own a car."

Critics Warn of Neighborhood Parking Strain

Opponents are concerned that the new rules could result in more cars crowding onto neighborhood streets in search of a parking space, many of which are already crowded.

"I voted against it for that reason and others, including the impact on the quality of life," Gomes said. "I am also concerned about the possible loss of value of the residential property in those neighborhoods."

The Boston Herald reported that Somerville and Cambridge have already taken steps to reduce minimum parking space requirements.