Innovative parking can help make suburban commercial areas more like a town centre. Check out this illustrated idea sheet!

1. Suburban Parking 1
DISCLAIMER: This material is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied on the part of the authors/disseminators, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This publication could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors and any reliance on the information contained herein is at the complete risk of the
user. It is recommended that the user consult original sources. Changes may be added from time to time to the information herein; these changes may be incorporated in new editions as information becomes
available and inaccuracies are detected. Links to websites are provided solely for your information and convenience. The authors/disseminators are not responsible for the content and the privacy practices of these
websites and encourage you to examine each site's privacy policy and disclaimers before providing any personal information.
Suburban Design Ideas: Parking
Retailers want plenty of vacant parking visible from major roads. Commercial formulas emphasize front-
yard parking. Yet this hardscape is a barrier to walk-in trade, especially in bad weather. And walk-in
customers don’t use your valuable land to store their cars. Ironically, parking lots can generate their own
internal congestion, and make it difficult for potential customers to see storefronts from the street. Last
but not least, all this asphalt creates surges in storm water laced with salt and petrochemicals, increasing
flood risk and polluting streams. Parking needs innovative solutions. Here are some ideas – but don’t
forget to check your building code and land use by-law for any legal requirements!
Go below
Subgrade parking frees up land for leasable
floor area. Sloped sites offer a hidden
opportunity: sometimes parking can go below
grade at the street line, but be at grade along
another lot line. In such cases, excavating
horizontally can provide parking in the
basement, without the need for ramps. This lets
you put ground floor retail right next to the
sidewalk. Enclose the basement parking with
walls, not just pillars, to save energy and
maximize security.
Take sides
If you can’t put
parking behind,
could you put it
along one side?
Some corner
lots have an arterial road on one side and a
collector on the other. In those cases, give the
arterial road prominent parking frontage so
motorists can see they can park, and give the
collector road a sidewalk-oriented facade to
attract local residents to shop on foot. Try a
corner doorway serving both pedestrians and
parking.
Move on Back
To maximize your
revenue street
frontage, try to get
your parking into
the rear yard, with
a driveway on one
or both sides of your building. Sometimes you
can use a shared lobby or atrium to funnel
customers through a single security point with
one outside door from the sidewalk,
and another from the parking. An atrium can
include space for ancillary businesses like coffee
shops, booths and vending machines.
Wrap & Stack
Where excavation
is too difficult,
consider parking
in a courtyard or
parking structure
surrounded by leasable floor space. Cars enter
through an archway in the building facade. This
lets you put retail frontage close to the sidewalk.

2. Suburban Parking 2
DISCLAIMER: This material is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied on the part of the authors/disseminators, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability,
fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. This publication could include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors and any reliance on the information contained herein is at the complete risk of the
user. It is recommended that the user consult original sources. Changes may be added from time to time to the information herein; these changes may be incorporated in new editions as information becomes
available and inaccuracies are detected. Links to websites are provided solely for your information and convenience. The authors/disseminators are not responsible for the content and the privacy practices of these
websites and encourage you to examine each site's privacy policy and disclaimers before providing any personal information.
Frame it
If you must have front yard parking, develop
your buildings in an “L” or “C” shape to frame it.
Put walkways, awnings and shop windows
around all three edges to resemble a traditional
square. Try to get one of the buildings to meet
the sidewalk, where you can also put display
windows and awnings. Make sure the walkway
round the edges of your parking, meets the
sidewalk at both ends, and put an interesting
feature where they join. This encourages
pedestrians to follow your storefronts and spend
some money rather than cutting across the front
of the parking lot. Put a cart corral near the
sidewalk or a bus stop, so people don’t leave
shopping carts strewn everywhere. If you’re
planning a gas bar, include a store façade with a
display window and an awning next to the
sidewalk.
Share the spaces
Could you share
parking spaces with
other nearby
businesses? This
can help make
parking easier to find while freeing up more
leasable space. You may even be able to share
parking with another landowner whose peak
hours are opposite to yours, creating further
efficiencies. For example, offices are usually
busiest in the daytime, while many shops have
their peak in the evening.
Soften up
Where your parking borders the sidewalk, put
some landscaping in between. If you’re in a city
or town centre, try putting a low stone or brick
wall along the sidewalk, along with some
planters, or put up a decorative wood or metal
fence. Remember to put the wall or fence
beyond the reach of the snowplow, and don’t
forget to water the planters! Consider adding a
bench to encourage people to linger on the main
street. And a row of trees can offer shade both
to pedestrians and to motorists who park their
cars underneath.
Go vegetarian
Islands of landscaping look good and help
absorb storm water. Look for ground covers that
are salt and crush resistant, especially for snow
storage areas. These links might be useful:
www.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/pdf/roadsalt-6.pdf
www.toronto.ca/planning/urbdesign/pdf/greening_parking_lots_dg_update_16nov
07.pdf