{"id":4601,"date":"2026-07-14T11:33:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:33:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=4601"},"modified":"2026-07-14T11:33:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:33:17","slug":"nc-just-ended-most-parking-requirements-for-developers-heres-what-it-could-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=4601","title":{"rendered":"NC just ended most parking requirements for developers. Here\u2019s what it could mean."},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

North Carolina is now among the earliest states to scrap nearly all required parking in new development after Gov. Josh Stein signed House Bill 162<\/a>: the Parking Lot Reform and Stormwater Control Act.<\/p>\n

Read more Millie Bobby Brown Opens Up About Experiencing 3-Month Long Anxiety Attack<\/a><\/p>\n

The sweeping change, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, removes minimum, off-street parking requirements for most housing and commercial projects statewide, a move supporters say will cut development costs, reduce flooding risks and free land for more homes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver time it will create greater affordability,\u201d said Stephanie Watkins Cruz, director of housing policy at the N.C. Housing Coalition, at the signing ceremony<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new law marks a major shift in how cities and towns across North Carolina regulate parking. While some municipalities like Raleigh and Durham County had already ended mandatory parking minimums, HB 162 extends the reform to roughly 90% of the state\u2019s population, except in coastal counties, where mandates will remain.<\/p>\n

The bill also includes a stormwater provision championed by environmental groups such as the Catawba Riverkeeper<\/a>. Local governments may now offer incentives for stronger stormwater protections when properties are redeveloped. It\u2019s a significant change given the role large parking lots play in flooding, runoff and pollution.<\/p>\n

North Carolina\u2019s reforms are yet another demonstration of the power of the YIMBY (\u201dYes In My Backyard\u201d) movement and \u201cthe bipartisan recognition\u201d across the country that people need more housing, said Sara Bronin<\/a>, founder of the National Zoning Atlas<\/a>, in an email.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n

HB 162 does not ban parking.<\/p>\n

Businesses and developers can still build as much parking as they want. The law simply removes mandatory minimums, letting builders decide what makes sense for their location, customers, and budget.<\/p>\n

This approach has already worked in places like Raleigh, Durham County, and the Gaston County towns of Cramerton and Gastonia near Charlotte, which previously eliminated parking minimums, said Nicole Quick<\/a>, director of government relations at Carolina Forward, in a blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn these places, development did not grind to a halt, and street parking did not collapse into chaos. Developers continued to build parking when it was needed \u2014 just not more than their markets demanded,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Studies<\/a> from Seattle and Buffalo show similar results: developers built parking when needed, saved millions when they didn\u2019t, and freed land for housing, retail and green space.<\/p>\n

North Carolina is not the first state to eliminate parking minimums.<\/p>\n

California, Oregon, and Minnesota all passed statewide reforms earlier, and several other states \u2014 including Colorado, Maine and Connecticut \u2014 have adopted versions that remove minimums in large portions of their cities.<\/p>\n

Parking requirements date back to the 1950s, when cities tried to manage congestion by forcing developers to build abundant parking.<\/p>\n

Read more More NC students are applying for federal student aid. Growth is highest in US<\/a><\/p>\n

Today, those rules often require far more parking than people actually use, says Raleigh Forward.<\/p>\n

A single surface parking space costs $5,000 to $10,000 to build, according to the nonprofit, citing Strong Towns<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Structured parking (multi-level facilities) can cost $25,000 to $50,000 per space.<\/p>\n

Those costs often get passed directly to renters, homeowners and small businesses. In North Carolina cities, the scale<\/a> is already visible: 26% of Uptown Charlotte, 28% of downtown Raleigh, and 31% of Greensboro\u2019s central city are devoted to off-street parking.<\/p>\n

For housing advocates, environmental groups, and developers, it\u2019s one of the most significant land-use reforms North Carolina has passed in years.<\/p>\n

\u201cNorth Carolina is leading the way,\u201d said Jenn Truman, an architect and founder of CITYBUILDER<\/a>, in a blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAllowing businesses and builders to choose how much parking they need has been shown to [cut] costs. It also reduces the environmental impact and flooding risks caused by parking lots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catawba Riverkeeper, the nonprofit dedicated to preserving the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, spearheaded the effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cParking reform might not sound like a water quality issue, but impervious surfaces, like parking lots, are the leading cause of water pollution in North Carolina,\u201d said Ryan Carter, policy director at Catawba Riverkeeper.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a meaningful win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keep up with the latest Triangle real estate news by subscribing to On the Market, The News & Observer’s free weekly real estate newsletter. Look for it in your inbox every Thursday morning. Sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Read more As candidate, NC senator lobbied for husband\u2019s energy company amid federal probe<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

North Carolina's HB 162 removes most local parking minimums starting 2027, cutting development costs, easing flooding risks and freeing land for more housing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-read-todays-edition"],"yoast_head":"\nNC just ended most parking requirements for developers. 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