A master plan is a long-range document that sets the framework for how a community, district, campus or large site will develop over time.
It establishes a vision and then lays out land uses, streets, transit, utilities, open space, design guidelines and phasing. Cities, universities, hospitals, airports and private developers all use master plans. Parking is usually one of the largest land uses in them, and one of the hardest to change once built.
How parking fits in
- Where parking goes: distributed on each site, or consolidated in shared structures. See shared parking.
- How much: ratios, maximums or market-based supply. See parking ratios and parking maximums.
- How people arrive: transit, walking, cycling, ride-hail and the curb. See curb management.
- Phasing: surface lots that serve early phases often become later building sites.
Good practice
- Plan parking as shared, priced infrastructure rather than a per-building requirement.
- Locate garages where they can serve several uses and phases.
- Design structures that can be reused if demand falls. See future-flexible design.
The Parkonomics view
Master plans last decades; travel habits change faster than that. The best parking plans commit to as little fixed capacity as possible and keep the rest as options.
Related terms: Land Use Planning, Shared Parking, Future-Flexible Design, Transit-Oriented Development, Planned Unit Development, Smart Growth