Why are parking lots so big?

by **goodbar** 2017-03-07, 10:46

Guys, here's another one: why are parking lots so big? I've thought about this over and over and pretty much the only reason I can come up with is so that they have a spot to pile those mountainous heaps of snow that they plowed off of their giant parking lot. Lets use some available space below and discuss why stores feel the need or perhaps the pressure to build and maintain such generous parking lots.

by **Death Roe** 2017-03-07, 10:48

So assholes can drive recklessly for once a day, driving through the parking spaces and nearly causing accidents.

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2017-03-07, 10:49

People used to go to those stores poster goodbar. They would park their cars in them. Once QVC hit and people could do all of their shopping while watching tv, those stores really started to slip.

by **I.B. Fine** 2017-03-07, 10:56

Where else am I going to pour out my cold coffee?

by Guest 2017-03-07, 11:05

goodbar wrote:Guys, here's another one: why are parking lots so big?

Simple answer: Zoning laws.

Most zoning laws require "X" number of parking spots for a store depending on the store size.

by **goodbar** 2017-03-07, 11:08

LooseGoose wrote:
goodbar wrote:Guys, here's another one: why are parking lots so big?

Simple answer: Zoning laws.

Most zoning laws require "X" number of parking spots for a store depending on the store size.

mmmmyeah, I guess. but let's don't just accept simple answers. I'd like us to take a deeper dive into this.

by **Watch Out Pylon!** 2017-03-07, 11:08

Cities have parking lot ratios that coincide with commercial and industrial building square footage. The American Disability Act has also put in place a smaller ratio for up front, larger, handicapped only parking spots.

by **SeeRockCity** 2017-03-07, 11:09

by **goodbar** 2017-03-07, 11:12

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:Cities have parking lot ratios that coincide with commercial and industrial building square footage. The American Disability Act has also put in place a smaller ratio for up front, larger, handicapped only parking spots.

this is fine. I'm in favor of increasing access to handiable consumers. it seems though that the size of the building should not so rigidly determine the available parking...but rather the number of people that it sees on a typical given day (with some safety factor for peak shopping milestones, of course)

by **Watch Out Pylon!** 2017-03-07, 11:16

goodbar wrote:
Watch Out Pylon! wrote:Cities have parking lot ratios that coincide with commercial and industrial building square footage. The American Disability Act has also put in place a smaller ratio for up front, larger, handicapped only parking spots.

this is fine. I'm in favor of increasing access to handiable consumers. it seems though that the size of the building should not so rigidly determine the available parking...but rather the number of people that it sees on a typical given day (with some safety factor for peak shopping milestones, of course)

Depending on where you live, give your local zoning board a call. I'm with you. Mall parking lots are too damn big.

http://www.lansingmi.gov/266/Planning-Office

by **NigelUno** 2017-03-07, 11:17

Bigger parking lots optimize water runoff. It's all about efficiency.

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2017-03-07, 11:20

LooseGoose wrote:
goodbar wrote:Guys, here's another one: why are parking lots so big?

Simple answer: Zoning laws.

Most zoning laws require "X" number of parking spots for a store depending on the store size.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:Cities have parking lot ratios that coincide with commercial and industrial building square footage. The American Disability Act has also put in place a smaller ratio for up front, larger, handicapped only parking spots.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:
goodbar wrote:

this is fine. I'm in favor of increasing access to handiable consumers. it seems though that the size of the building should not so rigidly determine the available parking...but rather the number of people that it sees on a typical given day (with some safety factor for peak shopping milestones, of course)

Depending on where you live, give your local zoning board a call. I'm with you. Mall parking lots are too damn big.

http://www.lansingmi.gov/266/Planning-Office

All of these are wrong, FYI for anyone reading.

by Guest 2017-03-07, 11:23

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:
LooseGoose wrote:

Simple answer: Zoning laws.

Most zoning laws require "X" number of parking spots for a store depending on the store size.
Watch Out Pylon! wrote:Cities have parking lot ratios that coincide with commercial and industrial building square footage. The American Disability Act has also put in place a smaller ratio for up front, larger, handicapped only parking spots.
Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Depending on where you live, give your local zoning board a call. I'm with you. Mall parking lots are too damn big.

http://www.lansingmi.gov/266/Planning-Office

All of these are wrong, FYI for anyone reading.

LOL, just an example.

PARKING REQUIREMENTS BY LAND USE

by **goodbar** 2017-03-07, 11:26

Just wanna take a second here and thank you guys for joining me on this journey, there's some excellent discussion going on in here! as we get into some debate lets try to keep some focus on being respectful of other peoples experiences and points of view. ok! carry on!

by **Travis of the Cosmos** 2017-03-07, 11:29

goodbar wrote:Just wanna take a second here and thank you guys for joining me on this journey, there's some excellent discussion going on in here! as we get into some debate lets try to keep some focus on being respectful of other peoples experiences and points of view. ok! carry on!

Why are parking lots so big? Elbowtotheface

by **The Pantry** 2017-03-07, 11:51

goodbar wrote:Just wanna take a second here and thank you guys for joining me on this journey, there's some excellent discussion going on in here! as we get into some debate lets try to keep some focus on being respectful of other peoples experiences and points of view. ok! carry on!

Nice to see you back, goodbar. Why are parking lots so big? 969504605

btw...could you please go back to tTurd for a couple minutes and recruit EdMartinsLoan & TreeRat? I'd do it but it's been so long I forgot my password there.

by **Blanch32** 2017-03-07, 11:58

even been to a place that didn't have parking?

yea, you live in MI, so no

by **DWags** 2017-03-07, 12:20

In my local Kroger, they have so many handicap spots that every senior citizen n our township and every disabled citizen in our area would have to all shop at once. I assume for the lot size there is a ratio for that also. Don't want to cut anyone off that actually needs it, but the two center isles are always 90% empty even on busy Sunday's.

by **Floyd Robertson** 2017-03-07, 12:45

So there's more room for lazy ass people to fling their shopping carts and see which vehicle they can randomly ding.

by **AMwood** 2017-03-07, 12:56

DWags wrote:In my local Kroger, they have so many handicap spots that every senior citizen n our township and every disabled citizen in our area would have to all shop at once. I assume for the lot size there is a ratio for that also. Don't want to cut anyone off that actually needs it, but the two center isles are always 90% empty even on busy Sunday's.

a lot of enterprizing americans have figured out a way to eat themselves into the best parking spots available. this is really a free market argument.

by **goodbar** 2017-03-07, 13:03

AMwood wrote:
DWags wrote:In my local Kroger, they have so many handicap spots that every senior citizen n our township and every disabled citizen in our area would have to all shop at once. I assume for the lot size there is a ratio for that also. Don't want to cut anyone off that actually needs it, but the two center isles are always 90% empty even on busy Sunday's.

a lot of enterprizing americans have figured out a way to eat themselves into the best parking spots available. this is really a free market argument.

we all don't just start out with priority access and handed a scooter. this is america, you have to earn your scooter.

by **tGreenWay** 2017-03-07, 13:12

Did goodbar go off his meds again?

by **MiamiSpartan** 2017-03-07, 13:23

I wish it was like that down here. But then again, maybe it backs up Goodbar's suggestion that it's a place to pile snow. Since they don't need to worry about that down here, parking lots are smaller.

Seriously, though, the annoying thing down here is that a lot of strip malls and plazas will have extremely narrow parking spots. Like narrow enough that a normal sized sedan, never mind an SUV, can't park there and still have room for other cards to park on either side of them. It's the fucking sleazy owners of these plazas that do this to falsely inflate the available number of parking spaces, so that it looks better when they're trying to get businesses to put a store there.

by **tGreenWay** 2017-03-07, 13:32

I love big lots and I cannot lie.

by tTito 2017-03-07, 13:36

Parking lots are big so you can park away from all the other cars, do avoid door dings, only to come back and find someone parked right next you.

by Herbie Green 2017-03-07, 13:58

tTito wrote:Parking lots are big so you can park away from all the other cars, do avoid door dings, only to come back and find someone parked right next you.

Do you drive a pickup and back it into a spot at the edge of the lot and or take up multiple spots?

by **tGreenWay** 2017-03-07, 14:03

tTito wrote:Parking lots are big so you can park away from all the other cars, do avoid door dings, only to come back and find someone parked right next you.

I only do that if it's a woman and I'm feeling rapey.

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