Parking Planning | Lishui’s Reply to the “Proposal on Prioritizing and Improving Parking Provision in Areas with High Densities of Residential, Office, and Commercial Uses”

I. Newly Added Planned Parking Spaces

　　 (1) Planning First. To rationally forecast public parking demand in the urban area, optimize parking‑lot layouts, and address static traffic challenges, our city completed the preparation of the “Lishui Central Urban Area Public Parking Lot Plan (2012–2020)” in 2014, providing a solid basis for public parking‑lot development in recent years. The “Lishui Urban Area Special Plan for the Development and Utilization of Underground Space and Civil Defense (2016–2030)” seeks to unlock the potential of underground space in the old urban district, increasing parking capacity and effectively alleviating issues such as spatial constraints and traffic congestion, while enhancing the functions of the public center and improving urban living standards. Furthermore, the “Lishui Central Urban Area Comprehensive Transportation Plan (2014–2030),” in its chapter on balanced supply‑and‑demand‑oriented parking‑facility planning, builds upon earlier efforts to address imbalances between parking supply and demand and shortcomings in parking management, thereby refining these aspects and offering clear guidance for future parking‑lot construction and management.

　　 (II) Project Implementation. During the planning and approval process for new projects, the Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning strictly adheres to the “Rules and Standards for the Provision of Parking Facilities in Urban Construction Projects of Zhejiang Province” when allocating parking spaces. To address the longstanding challenge of insufficient parking around densely populated residential, commercial, and office areas in older urban districts, our city has, in recent years, designated a number of public spaces for use as shared public parking. To date, the underground parking facility at Huayuan Middle School has been completed, along with six underground parking projects in the urban area—namely, the playgrounds of Kuocang Middle School, Chuzhou Middle School, Meishan Middle School, the site west of Tanzhai, the site south of Chengxi Vegetable Market, and the Dayang Parking Lot. Together, these seven projects provide nearly 2,000 parking spaces that are open to the public. Additionally, the underground parking facilities beneath the playgrounds of Chengxi Primary School and Lishui No. 2 Middle School, as well as the underground parking lot at the Lishui Experimental Middle School, which is currently under construction, will largely be made available as public parking, thereby significantly alleviating parking shortages in their surrounding areas.

　　In 2020, the city’s public‑interest initiative aimed to add 3,500 new parking spaces in urban areas—300 of which would be public—and to ensure that each county and city provided 2,500 on‑site parking spaces and 600 public parking spaces. As of the end of July, 2,479 new parking spaces had been completed in urban areas, including 983 public spaces, while on‑site parking arrangements for the counties and cities totaled 3,970 spaces, with 1,314 public spaces. In the urban area, construction of Zhongshan Park and an underground parking facility is scheduled to begin by year’s end, with plans to provide 99 public parking spaces.

　　 (3) Construction of temporary parking lots. In the urban area, reclaimed and stored land has been utilized to construct temporary parking lots. According to data provided by the Municipal Land Reserve Management Company, 17 temporary parking lots have been developed on such land, offering approximately 1,340 parking spaces in total. To date, nine temporary parking lots—located, among other sites, in the former down‑feather factory district and on the north side of Dayang Road’s Modern Plaza—remain in operation, with a combined capacity of 814 spaces. Additionally, eight other temporary parking lots—situated at the northeast corner of Yulei Road and Liyang Road, at the intersection of Kaifa Road and Renmin Road, and at other locations—have had their intended use altered, providing a total of 526 parking spaces.

　　II. On-Street Parking Management

　　 (1) Combining “relief” with “restriction” to standardize parking management. Since our city launched initiatives to become a National Sanitary City and a National Civilized City, we have actively explored measures to manage on‑street parking in urban areas, adopting an integrated approach that combines “relief” with “restriction” to standardize parking management. First, we have increased parking spaces to facilitate orderly parking. In response to the narrow sidewalks in the old城区, we have adhered to the principle of designating as many spaces as possible, employing methods such as transverse marking to create parking spots for passenger cars, thereby making full use of existing road resources. To date, more than 3,300 on‑street parking spaces for cars and 15,214 square meters of non‑motorized vehicle parking have been marked in the central urban area. Second, we have tightened parking regulations to curb improper practices. Addressing the widespread illegal parking on sidewalks in the old城区, the Municipal Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau conducts unscheduled patrols and promptly issues warnings and imposes penalties. At sidewalk entrances and exits, we have installed bollards to prevent vehicles from encroaching on pedestrian space, thus safeguarding pedestrian flow and safety; to date, a total of 2,211 bollards have been installed at these locations.

　　 (2) Leverage “Internet Plus” technologies to alleviate parking difficulties. In 2019, the Lishui Urban Area “Smart Parking” Management System (Phase I) project was initiated. With the care and strong support of all sectors of society, the project has now been completed and put into operation on June 21, 2020. The system provides functions such as parking information sharing, parking guidance, and smart payment, effectively leveraging existing parking resources in the old city district, increasing parking space utilization and turnover rates, and alleviating parking difficulties in the historic urban area. Moving forward, efforts will continue to strengthen the planning and management of on‑street parking spaces, further enhance the functionality of the “Smart Parking” system, and elevate the overall level of urban parking management, ensuring that residents experience greater satisfaction with parking services.

　　 (3) Promote green parking spaces. Time‑limited parking spaces have been designated around public facilities such as public restrooms, government service centers, bookstores, and railway stations to meet residents’ emergency parking needs. To date, a total of 23 green parking spaces have been marked at nine locations, including the entrance to Jintu Bookstore on Dayang Road and the east entrance of the public restroom on Renmin Street near Zhongshan Street, and these have been publicly announced. Parking zones for school pick‑up and drop‑off are currently under comprehensive planning, with details to be released by year’s end.

　　III. Green Public Transportation

　　To date, the urban area has established a robust public transportation system that seamlessly connects key transport hubs such as high-speed rail stations and passenger terminals with major scenic spots and central towns. Within the built-up urban area, over 98% of bus stops are located within a 500-meter radius, the modal share of public transit has risen to 24.5%, and the proportion of clean-energy buses has reached 70%. The city has achieved full interoperability of IC cards for buses and public bicycles, as well as universal coverage of mobile payment options on all city‑wide bus routes, making public travel more comfortable, environmentally friendly, and convenient. According to a 2019 third-party survey on urban transportation satisfaction, overall public satisfaction stood at 94.7%, while satisfaction with transportation services reached 95.2%. Moving forward, the city will continue to refine and optimize its district‑level route network, scientifically schedule service frequencies based on capacity and passenger demand, increase service density and punctuality, and minimize waiting times for residents, while also advancing the intelligent operation of public transport.

　　IV. Community Parking Management

　　Parking management is a major challenge in community administration and a key concern for residents. The difficulty of finding parking in residential areas stems from both objective factors—such as inadequate early‑stage planning and insufficient supporting infrastructure—and practical issues, including low public awareness and the lack of coordinated management efforts. In recent years, Liandu District has been actively advancing parking‑management initiatives within its communities.

　　(1) Urge property management companies to actively support livelihood‑oriented projects such as the renovation of older residential communities and the separation of stormwater and sewage systems. In communities like Xiyinyuan and Jinyuan New Village, conduct unified planning based on the surrounding environment and road network layout. With residents’ consensus, appropriately reduce green space, widen the sidewalks and accessways in front of and behind homes, and add parking spaces paved with grass pavers, thereby alleviating parking difficulties within the community and improving residents’ living conditions. At the same time, in conjunction with efforts to build a civilized city, require property management companies to fully cooperate with the creation office, subdistrict authorities, and other relevant departments and units. On the premise of ensuring unobstructed fire lanes, make full use of public land to designate parking spaces, thus meeting residents’ parking needs.

　　(2) Strengthen routine oversight of property services, urging property management companies to conscientiously fulfill their vehicle‑management obligations in accordance with the service contracts. In particular, for residential communities where parking disputes are especially acute, prioritize requiring these companies to address shortcomings such as inadequate vehicle‑management systems and insufficient supervision of security personnel. At the same time, actively encourage collaboration between property management firms and owners’ committees to develop practical and effective management measures. By designating parking spaces in appropriate locations within the community, installing vehicle‑monitoring systems, strictly regulating the entry, exit, and parking of non‑residents’ vehicles, and mandating that residents park their cars in garages, ensure orderly and well‑organized vehicle parking for all residents.

　　(3) Fully leverage the role of property management and, drawing on the comprehensive governance strengths of multiple departments—including fire safety, law enforcement, and local subdistrict offices—establish a collaborative, multi‑stakeholder approach to elevate the level of community management.

　　V. Opening of Institutional Parking Lots

　　Encourage eligible entities to convert their privately used parking facilities into publicly shared spaces during evenings and weekends.

　　 (1) Parking spaces at all administrative and public institutions and state-owned enterprises throughout the city shall be opened to the public on a staggered schedule. In accordance with the relevant requirements of the municipal government’s ten key initiatives to improve people’s livelihoods, a leading group was established to oversee the staggered‑hour opening of parking spaces. In May, the “Implementation Plan for the Staggered‑Hour Opening of Parking Spaces at Municipal Administrative Institutions, Public Institutions, and State‑Owned Enterprises in Lishui City” was formulated and issued, clearly defining the scope, methods, time periods, and related requirements for such staggered‑hour access. During May and June, surveys were conducted and on‑site visits were carried out across the city proper, all counties (cities and districts), and the Lishui Development Zone, focusing on the parking facilities of administrative institutions, public institutions, and state‑owned enterprises. Adhering to the principle of “opening as many spaces as possible and opening all that should be opened,” a list of eligible units was compiled, ultimately identifying 147 entities citywide with a total of 5,045 parking spaces (including 27 entities in the city proper offering 1,969 spaces). Starting June 30, these parking spaces have been made available to the public on a staggered‑hour basis, and notices of this initiative have been published in media outlets such as Lishui Release and Chuzhou Evening News.

　　 (2) The underground parking lot at Chuzhou Park is open to the public around the clock. The Municipal Government Affairs Service Center has coordinated with the Municipal Public Facilities Management Office, the Liandu District Library, and other relevant entities, carrying out preparatory work such as upgrading parking facilities, inspecting and maintaining fire‑safety systems, and cleaning and rectifying premises. Starting May 31, the 150 parking spaces in the underground car park of Chuzhou Park will be open to the public around the clock, year-round.

　　VI. Conversion of the Small Rotary’s Civil Defense Facility into a Parking Lot

　　 (1) Basic information about the venue. The Xiaozhuanshan Civil Defense Project is located underground at the Xiaozhuanshan roundabout on Zhongdong Road. Originally designated as the “Lishui City Civil Defense Project 9588,” it was completed in 1999 and covers a total area of approximately 4,500 square meters. On January 12, 2001, the Municipal Civil Defense Office leased the facility to its current tenant for a term of 20 years, which expired on January 11, 2021. On March 8, 2019, in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Municipal Government’s “Minutes of the Special Meeting on Matters Related to Asset Allocation for State‑Owned Capital Operation Companies at the Municipal Level” (Document No. [2018]84), the Municipal Civil Defense Office transferred the operating rights to the Municipal Transportation Investment and Development Co., Ltd., which assumed responsibility for day-to-day management.

　　 (II) Feasibility Study Status. In accordance with the work plan for handling Proposal F036 submitted at the Fifth Session of the Fourth Municipal People’s Congress, the Municipal Transportation Investment and Development Co., Ltd. held discussions with the Municipal Design Institute on July 7 and July 8, 2020, regarding the layout of access points to the underground parking facility. On July 9 and July 13, the company convened with the Municipal Civil Defense Office and the original design firm to examine the renovation of the parking garage’s civil defense functions. Following thorough deliberation, it was determined that, based on the existing project and in compliance with current relevant standards while ensuring the preservation of wartime functionality, converting the facility’s peacetime use into a parking garage is technically feasible. Taking into account the current conditions of the project, it is necessary to convert two pedestrian entrances into vehicle access points, remove cantilevered walls obstructing vehicular traffic, install additional pre‑war sealing and protective airtight measures, and replace the entire fire‑water supply system, smoke control and exhaust system, and fire‑fighting electrical system. Upon completion of these modifications, approximately 60 parking spaces will be available, with total renovation costs estimated at around RMB 10 million, inclusive of site restoration for surface works and the removal of underground utility pipelines.

　　 (III) Next Steps and Work Arrangements.  

　　1. In accordance with the Regulations on the Management of Asset Leasing for State-Owned Enterprises Affiliated to the Municipality, the Municipal Transportation Investment and Development Co., Ltd. shall provide the lessee with advance written notice of its decision not to renew the lease and, upon expiration, shall lawfully reclaim the right to use the state-owned asset.

　　2. To expedite the processing of this key proposal, complete the parking facility construction and put it into operation as soon as possible to benefit the public, and promptly report to the municipal government, we recommend adding this renovation project to the 2020 list of preliminary government infrastructure projects, initiating the relevant preparatory work, and striving to include it in the city‑level 2021 government‑funded infrastructure implementation plan for execution next year.