City Council Proclamations

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Austin City Council 36 min 3 speakers 3 agenda items transcribed 2 months ago official recording ↗

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Why did the council declare March 2026 as Parking Reform Month in Austin?

Councilmember Dzokadri 0:03

Great, good morning, Austin. I'm really excited to be here this morning as we proclaimed this month, Parking Reform Month in Austin, Texas. I have just so much energy and so much excitement. Last night, many of us came together and honored the life and legacy of Chris Riley, the OG parking mandate eliminator. And I'm really excited to be here today, like I said, as we honor today as parking reform month in Austin, Texas. Parking policy shapes our city in many functions day to day. It impacts housing affordability, walkability, small businesses, transportation choices, and for too long, cities across the country prioritized parking minimums over people. And Austin has taken a lot of meaningful steps as it relates to parking.

Councilmember Dzokadri 0:51

In 2023, we eliminated parking citywide. A decade before that, we eliminated parking mandates throughout our downtown. And today, spoiler alert, we're really exciting parking items from my office bringing forward an item around uncoupling parking. And then from Council Member Lane's office around parking maximums. But that work didn't happen overnight, and it wasn't one person. It was a movement. Many folks who are behind me who are joining us today, and folks like Council Member Chris Riley, whose legacy will continue on through the work and the people and the advocacy. Parking is not free. Structured parking can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. And that cost is often passed down directly to renters and homeowners.

Councilmember Dzokadri 1:35

Removing unnecessary parking mandates helps lower costs and expands housing options. And it gives us more flexibility to build the kind of communities that we want to be in. So I'm honored to recognize today as parking for a month in Austin, Texas. I'm proud of the progress that Austin has made. And I'm grateful to everyone who has been part of this work, past and present. And I'm excited for the people who will carry it forward long after myself and Mayor Pro Temville this time in office has gone. So thank you all for being a part of it. And with that, I have four proclamations, but they all say the same thing. And I will pass them off as I will read them in easier English than this old English that's on here.

Councilmember Dzokadri 2:16

Great. So being known that whereas for decades Austin's minimum parking requirements created excessive parking which fostered sprawl, increased construction cost, limited housing supply, raised rents, reduced walkability, and harmed neighborhood character. And whereas optimizing land use for housing, local businesses, parks, and civic and cultural activities through parking reform is key to a safer and more affordable, walkable, bikeable, and transit-friendly city, and to meeting Austin's affordability, equity, environmental, and transportation goals. And whereas in 2023, Austin became the largest city in the country to eliminate minimum parking requirements citywide, It moved praise as one of the city's most significant land use reforms in decades.

Councilmember Dzokadri 3:04

I think the person who did that was pretty cool too. And whereas the Austin Parking Reform Coalition champion eliminated minimum parking requirements, was recognized as a winner of the National 2025 Parking Reform Network Organization Award. and continues to lead conversations around further parking reforms. And whereas former Councilmember Chris Riley pioneered parking reform in Austin, making a generational impact on the city, now, therefore, I, Councilmember Dzokadri, alongside Mayor Pro Tem Chidovela and Kirk Watson, Mayor of the City of Austin, Texas, and the rest of the Austin City Council, do hereby proclaim March 2026 as Parking Reform Month in Austin, Texas. Do we want to be in front of the podium and take a quick picture?

José Vela 6:16

Good morning, everyone, and Nowruz Peruz, which is Happy Peruz, an important Persian holiday that we are honored to celebrate today. It's an honor to join everyone here in recognizing Nowruz, a celebration that has marked the arrival of spring and the start of a new year for more than 3,000 years, meaning new day today. Nowruz is a powerful reminder of renewal, hope, and the possibility that comes with a fresh beginning.