When you park your car, consider this: the time and money that went into designing the space for your car and car doors to open, requirements for those spaces marked "handicapped" and the driveway leading up to the parking area.

Here's why city planners want to omit parking requirements for some development types and locations.

Land costs

The value of land may exceed the perceived value of a parking place. While that view is often from the city planner, the market has shown units sold with parking often sell faster - and for more - than those without dedicated parking.

Code requirement

Parking ratios are usually tied to the development type. Being able to provide sufficent parking to meet the code is often cited as a challenge and can mean fewer units being built or a smaller building, which translates to value (fewer units mean less units for sale or rent; the same is true for a smaller commercial building). This can crater a deal and can mean less revenue to the city in terms of taxes or less subsidized housing.

If each space takes up 100+ square feet, it can mean the make or break of being able to add that extra housing unit to convert a single family house into a duplex, for instance.

Looks and style

Parking lots can detract from the beauty of the building. There are the driveways which pose a challenge for pedestrians. The lifestyle promoted by city officials is around compact (dense) public transportation and walkable.