CITY OF CAPE TOWN
29 OCTOBER 2021
MEDIA RELEASE
City calls for public comment on reduced off-street parking requirements
The City of Cape Town calls on residents and interested and affected parties to comment on the map demarcating the reduced off-street parking requirements for developments in areas with good access to the MyCiTi service, minibus-taxis, trains and the Golden Arrow Bus Service (GABS). This public participation process includes an amendment to Annexure C of the Development Management Scheme, Schedule 3 of the Municipal Planning By-law. Read more below:
The City proposes to approve a map (plan) which indicates which areas it deems to have Public Transport areas 1 and 2 (PT1 and PT2 areas) requirements; and to amend Annexure C to the Development Management Scheme (DMS) accordingly.
The map shows demarcations of the PT1 and PT2 areas based on comprehensive data about the use of the MyCiTi feeder and express services, GABS, trains and minibus-taxis.
Residents and interested and affected parties are requested to participate and submit their comments on:
- the PT1 and PT2 indications on the map and whether these should be approved by Council; and
- whether Council should amend the Municipal Planning By-law (MPBL) to record the plan in Annexure C.
How to participate:
- additional information, the map and proposed amendment to the MPBL are available on www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay
- comments can be submitted by email: lums@capetown.gov.za
- comments can be submitted via the City’s website at www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay
- comments can be submitted from 29 October 2021 until 31 January 2022
The City’s Development Management Scheme (DMS) stipulates the minimum requirements for off-street parking for new developments. The DMS differentiates between areas that are well served by public transport services, and those where residents rely on their private vehicles and thus would need off-street parking.
The map that is now available for public comment takes into account the impact of scheduled and high quality public transport on reducing private vehicle use and the subsequent lower demand for parking in areas that are served by these trunk and feeder services, be it a bus, train, or minibus-taxi.
This is in line with the City’s objective to address reliance on private vehicles and to adopt policies that will promote transit-oriented development and walking and cycling short distances, and to improve the efficiency of public transport services.
By lowering off-street parking requirements, the City can free up valuable space for development. Thus, instead of providing off-street parking bays, developers can opt to use the space for more productive uses.
Reduced parking requirements significantly reduce red tape if a new development is located in the proposed PT1 or PT2 area as the property automatically qualifies for lower parking requirements as stipulated in the DMS. For developments that fall outside of these areas, the standard off-street parking requirements apply and a departure application, in addition to the land use and building application, is required when a developer wants reduced off-street parking.
- PT2 areas have more generous reductions in parking requirements than PT1 areas
- PT1 is an area where the use of public transport is promoted, or where the use of private vehicles is limited
- PT2 is an area where the provision of public transport services is good, or where the use of private vehicles is very limited
In determining the PT1 and PT2 areas, the City’s Transport Directorate conducted an analysis of the following:
- availability of public transport or areas in which public transport improvements are promoted;
- existing operational quality of public transport in terms of frequency and capacity;
- data on the daily commuter numbers recorded for the MyCiTi bus service, minibus-taxis and GABS; and
- the level of service experienced
The reduction in off-street parking is not compulsory. Developers and landowners will still have a choice and can decide how they want to cater for the needs in a particular development and whether the target market would prefer or need off-street parking or not.
Residents and interested and affected parties are encouraged to participate in this process and to make use of the opportunity to submit their comments by 31 January 2022.
EndIssued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town