STATE GENERAL, SPECIAL AND LOCAL ENABLING LEGISLATION DEALING WITH AUTOMOBILE PARKING FACILITIES

EXISTING PARKING FACILITIES, APPARENTLY A BASIC INGREDIENT IN OUR MOTORIZED CITIES ARE STILL RELATIVELY INADEQUATE IN CAPACITY, EXPENSIVE IN USER COST, AND INCONVENIENT IN LOCATION. ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL BARRIERS TO BETTERMENT IN THE PARKING MUDDLE HAS BEEN THE INADEQUACY OF THE LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINERY PROVIDED TO DO THE JOB. ACCORDINGLY, AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT, ALL EXISTING STATUTES RELATING TO PARKING FACILITIES OUGHT TO BE PLACED UNDER A LEGISLATIVE MICROSCOPE BY ALL STATES, AND REVISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PRESENT NEEDS. ANALYSIS OF STATE ENABLING LEGISLATION REVEALS THAT THERE ARE 91 DIFFERENT LAWS IN 29 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ENACTED OVER A PERIOD OF ALMOST THREE DECADES. ONLY 59 OF THESE ACTS ARE GENERAL IN APPLICATION. THE AVAILABILITY OF A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF LEGISLATION IN MORE THAN HALF THE STATES SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED, HOWEVER, AS MEANING THAT EFFICIENT MACHINERY IS ALREADY AVAILABLE TO DEAL WITH THE PARKING PROBLEM. AN ESSENTIAL OF AN ADEQUATE PARKING LAW IS AN APPROPRIATE DECLARATION OF LEGISLATIVE POLICY, SERVING AS A VALUABLE GUIDE-POST FOR THE JUDICIARY IN LEGAL CONTESTS THAT ARE LIKELY TO RESULT FROM THE EXTENSIVE EXERCISE OF A RELATIVELY NEW PUBLIC FUNCTION. THE DIVERSITY OF LEGISLATIVE TERMS USED TO DESCRIBE PARKING FACILITIES IS AMAZING. THERE ARE NO LESS THAN 53 DIFFERENT PHRASES IN THE LAWS INVESTIGATED. ONLY THREE OR FOUR TERMS ARE NECESSARY TO DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE TYPES OF AUTOMOBILE PARKING FACILITIES, AND THESE SHOULD BE LEGALLY DEFINED. /AUTHOR/