CAI has remained engaged at the local level, monitoring proposed ordinances covering 50 states. These jurisdictions are drivers of local level public policy in states, and a testing ground for ideas, which are eventually brought to state legislatures as legislative proposals. Since the start of 2024, CAI has been tracking 42 local ordinances covering a variety of areas.
Below are highlights of local ordinances tracked in 2024 so far:
New York City, New York Parking Structure Weigh Station
The New York City Council introduced Int 0136-2024, and assigned it to the Committee on Housing and Buildings, which heard the bill in April. Int 0136-2024 would require owners of parking garages, which are open to the public, to refuse to park any vehicle on a level of a garage when doing so would cause the collective weight of vehicles on that level to exceed its maximum weight limit. Each garage would be required to install a motor vehicle weigh station so an entering vehicle could be weighed before being allowed to park. Commercially licensed parking garages would be required to display information regarding the maximum permissible weight limits on levels and to notify the public when no further vehicles may be parked without the weight limit being exceeded.
It was determined this ordinance could be a significant cost burden on condominium and cooperative associations, which have mixed-use buildings and parking garages, open to the public. At the same time, the goals of Int 0136-2024 do align with current condominium safety advocacy efforts, as unsafe parking structures create an unacceptable level of risk.
While the bill died in committee, LAC members and staff monitored the hearing, and CAI New York Legislative Action Committee worked on testimony on this ordinance as a precaution.
New York City, New York Electric Vehicle Charging Station Mandate
An additional bill tracked in New York City is Int 0017-2024 Electric vehicle charging stations in open parking lots and parking garages. This bill was quickly passed in March 2024, and came into effect in April. This ordinance requires all parking garages and lots with 10 or more spaces and which are licensed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (required for commercial garages and lots) to install electric vehicle charging stations in at least 20% of parking spots and ensure at least 40% of parking spots can support an electric vehicle charging station by 2035. If a parking garage or lot is not licensed by the department (not required for residential garages and lots), then they will have a timeframe for compliance with the electric vehicle charging station requirements determined via the department’s rulemaking authority. The deadline for these rules to be promulgated is set for January 2027.
Richmond, Virginia Street Maintenance Grant Funds
In Richmond, VA City Council voted to approve ORD 2024-040, which went into effect immediately upon adoption. This ordinance, introduced at the request of Mayor Levar Stoney, allows the city’s chief administrative officer to enter into grant agreements with neighborhood associations and civic associations for the purpose of maintaining residential parking districts.
Activities which are eligible to receive grant funding are:
- Providing clearly marked crosswalks.
- Providing off-duty police patrols for the purpose of responding to reports of loud noise and other disturbances associated with celebrations and festivities.
- Maintaining and improving safety and cleanliness.
Upon review of what constitutes a civic or neighborhood organization in Richmond, CAI Government & Public Affairs Staff discovered the city lists community associations as civic or neighborhood organizations. Additionally, the City of Richmond’s Guide to Neighborhood Organization notes homeowners associations as a method of organizing a neighborhood in the city.
CAI Staff alerted the CAI Virginia Legislative Action Committee and the CAI Central Virginia Chapter to make a plan for outreach to members to take advantage of the new funding opportunity once the city makes applications available.
CAI encourages state LAC appoint a local liaison, similar to how federal liaisons are designated (please refer to Appendix 8 of the LAC Operational Guidelines). The purpose of a CAI Legislative Action Committee Local Liaison is to act as a point person for each LAC on local issues, and to facilitate participation by the LAC in instances when local-level ordinances require attention.
