Right-Sizing Parking in Southern Pines
Why more parking isn’t always better—and what we can do about it
Why Are We Talking About Parking?
Southern Pines has always worked to balance growth with the character and charm that make our town unique. The Town's 2040 Comprehensive Plan recommends updating parking rules so they better support walkability, local businesses, redevelopment, and the community's long-term vision.
Today, communities across the country are rethinking traditional parking requirements. The goal isn't to eliminate parking, it's to provide the right amount of parking in the right places.
Our challenge is finding a balance between:
- Preserving Southern Pines' character
- Avoiding oversized, underused parking lots
- Supporting thoughtful growth and redevelopment
By creating more flexible parking standards, Southern Pines can support local businesses, encourage housing options, protect community character, and make the most of limited land while continuing to grow responsibly.
The 2040 Comprehensive Plan
The Town of Southern Pine’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan outlines specific policy recommendations regarding parking and actions to take to align with the community’s goals.
Open the drop-down tabs below to learn more!
2040 Comprehensive Plan Goals on Parking
Want to read the 2040 Comprehensive Plan? Click below!
2040 Comprehensive Plan
What are Parking Minimums?
Most towns, including Southern Pines, have rules that require businesses and developments to build a minimum number of parking spaces.
These rules were created decades ago, first appearing in the Town's local ordinances in 1966, when:
- Suburbs were rapidly expanding
- Shopping centers were spread out and all the rage
- Walkability wasn’t a priority
Today, things are different, but many of those rules are still in place, resulting in:
- Large, empty parking lots that sit unused most of the time
- Buildings pushed far away from the street
- Less space for shops, housing, and open space
- Places that feel disconnected, are hard to walk around, and lack a distinct sense of character
In short: too much parking can make a place feel less like a town, and more like a strip mall.
Parking Heaven!
The Hidden Cost of “Too Much Parking”
Over time, both travel behavior and community priorities have evolved, calling into question the continued reliance on rigid parking minimums widely adopted over 60 years ago.
These standards were established long before the rise of online shopping, remote work, and ride-hailing services, as well as before widespread interest in creating walkable, mixed-use environments.
How Too Much Parking Can Harm a Town:
But We Still Need Parking… Right?
Absolutely.
Southern Pines is still a car-dependent town in many ways. Not having enough parking can cause:
- Traffic Congestion
- Spillover into nearby neighborhoods
- Public Safety and Service Impacts
- Frustration for visitors and residents
That’s why the goal isn’t to eliminate parking.
The goal is to “right-size” parking: Make sure there’s enough without overdoing it!
What Does “Right-Sized Parking” Look Like?
Defining the “right” amount of parking is ultimately a balance between quantitative data and community values.
From a technical perspective, “parking utilization rates” offer a useful benchmark: industry guidance suggests that lots consistently operating at around 85 percent occupancy are generally well-balanced. In contrast, significantly lower or higher utilization may indicate over- or undersupply.
Southern Pines can look to its 2040 Comprehensive Plan as the guiding framework for determining appropriate parking outcomes.
Right-sized parking is not simply a number, but a set of principles:
- Minimizes excess pavement while still meeting demand in the majority of circumstances (not just peak holidays);
- Supports walking between destinations and a park-once experience;
- Preserves trees and open space, while integrating landscaping to maintain a more natural visual quality;
- Reduces stormwater impacts;
- Allows for infill and redevelopment opportunities;
Downtown Southern Pines is a great example. Since it doesn’t require every building to have its own parking lot:
- Streets are more walkable
- Businesses are closer together
- The area feels active and connected
Yes, you might have to walk a little farther—but that tradeoff helps create a place people actually enjoy being in, and a character that is unique to Southern Pines.
Example of Right Sized Parking in Southern Pines
Downtown Southern Pines Reimagined with Current Town Parking Minimums
What Are Other Towns Doing?
Southern Pines isn’t alone in thinking about this. Across the country, hundreds of cities and towns are rethinking parking rules by:
- Reducing or removing minimum parking requirements
- Encouraging shared parking between businesses
- Allowing flexibility based on real demand
Even towns in North Carolina, like Apex, Holly Springs, and Fuquay-Varina, are making updates to better match modern needs.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but building in flexibility allows the Town to grow in a way that aligns with the Comprehensive Plan.
Local Peer Communities
Triangle of Opportunities for Keeping Southern Pines Southern Pinesy
Let's have a look at the Triangle of Opportunities for Keeping Southern Pines Pinesy.
The Town can only prioritize two of these three things at once:
- Lots of abundant and convenient parking
- A walkable, human-scale environment
- Strong economic activity
Trying to maximize all three at the same time doesn’t usually work.
For Southern Pines, the real opportunity is finding the right balance—one that keeps the town:
- Economically strong
- Walkable and inviting
- Still practical for everyday life
What Can Southern Pines Do?
North Carolina’s Session Law 2024-57 limits the range of parking reforms presently available to municipalities. As a result, the Town’s ability to fully align parking policies with the vision outlined in its 2040 Comprehensive Plan is somewhat constrained.
Even with state-level limitations, there are still smart steps the town can take:
- Allow more flexibility in how much parking is required
- Encourage shared parking
- Focus parking behind buildings, not in front
- Support walkable design, especially in key areas
- Reduce unnecessary minimums where they don’t make sense
None of this means getting rid of parking.
It just means being more thoughtful about how much we require—and where it goes.
The Bottom Line
Parking might not seem like a big deal—but it shapes nearly everything about how a town looks, feels, and functions.
Right now, Southern Pines is at a turning point. By rethinking parking, the Town has a chance to:
- Support local businesses
- Create more housing opportunities
- Protect its character
- Build more walkable, connected places
The goal isn’t eliminating all parking in town.
It’s better parking decisions that help Keep Southern Pines Southern Pinesy.
Want To Dive Deeper? Check Out This Issue Paper By The Planning Department:
Issue Paper: Right-Sizing Parking in Southern Pines
