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City Council Moves to Allow High-Tech Parking Garages in Residential Neighborhoods Across Philadelphia

Official:Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by adding a new definition for "Mechanical Access Parking Garage" and adding it as a permitted use in certain residential, commercial and industrial districts, under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Kelly

Introduced: June 12, 2008

: Committee on Rules

parking transportation zoning

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2008–2011 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill allows for Mechanical Access Parking Garages in certain areas of Philadelphia, including residential, commercial, and industrial districts. These garages use machines or elevators to park cars, which may exempt them from some zoning requirements. The bill also defines three types of Mechanical Access Parking Garages: Automated Valet, Self Park, and Tandem Parking.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

The bill does the following

Adds a new definition for "Mechanical Access Parking Garage" to Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, which includes three sub-types: Automated Valet, Self Park, and Tandem Parking.
Permits Mechanical Access Parking Garages in certain residential, commercial, and industrial districts.
Exempts Automated Valet Mechanical Access Parking Garages from aisle, driveway width, and parking space size requirements, but requires them to meet reservoir space requirements.
Exempts Self Park Mechanical Access Parking Garages from parking space size requirements, but requires them to meet aisle and driveway width requirements.