KIEAE Journal

Old multiplex-clustered neighborhoods in Seoul suffer from severe parking issues since these districts do not have enough parking spaces for all residents. Housing redevelopment projects used to be a way to solve the parking problem but projects are not progressing well except in some areas due to an economic recession. Therefore, the maintenance approach towards future old residential areas are most likely going to be achieved through small unit restoration type redevelopment. (Jang Nam-Jong et al., 2013).

In this situation, it is necessary to discover which parking spaces are already secured and which are inefficiently used and to consider measures to use them efficiently. Seoul Metropolitan Government supports opening privately owned parking lots at night for nearby residents to enable them to have parking spaces, which would be otherwise empty at night. This can be done through agreement among the parking lot owners, the administrative district, and the local residents. The government provides a variety of financial incentives for parking lot facility improvements, security facility construction and support, etc. to encourage owners to open their parking lots to local residents(Lee Kwang-Hoon, 2013).

By using the surplus parking spaces of apartment complexes adjacent to multiplex-clustered neighborhoods, we are searching for a plan that could resolve the parking problems of the residential areas where it is difficult to secure additional parking spaces. In this study we are searching for a solution to this problem and we will examine the expected effects and results.

The spatial scope of this study was Seoul and the object of the study was limited to “parking demand generated by multiplex-clustered neighborhoods and apartment complexes”. This study reviewed the parking status and parking policies of Seoul and each administrative district and then pointed out their problems.

To identify how much apartment parking lots can share parking demand required for the multiplex-clustered neighborhoods, we estimated parking demand by calculating the parking space per household of multiplex houses and the number of parking spaces. Thereafter, we reviewed total amount of sharing capacity by identifying the number of surplus parking spaces out of apartment parking spaces.

Overall parking status in Seoul was reviewed based on parking-related statistics of Seoul statistics¹⁾. The numbers of passenger cars of multi-unit or multi-family houses and apartments by administrative district dong were calculated using sample data of 2010 household traffic diary survey. The numbers of apartment parking spaces per administrative district dong were estimated from parking space standards. The numbers of surplus parking space within apartments were calculated by the numbers of estimated parking spaces and passenger cars of households living in apartment complexes. Based on these estimated data, we reviewed countermeasure for solving parking problems and enforcement effect through utilizing surplus parking spaces.

Parking spaces in Seoul have steadily increased due to the increasing trend of cars. The number of cars in Seoul was 3,056,558 and the number of parking spaces was 3,877,326 at the end of 2015. The parking space rate²⁾ that represents the ratio of number of parking spaces compared to the number of registered cars was 126.9%. The parking space rate of the residential areas³⁾ was 100.3%, so the number of parking spaces of the residential areas⁴⁾ has exceeded the number of cars. Thus, numerically speaking, Seoul have solved the supply-demand imbalance to some extent.

Examining the ratio of parking space by parking space type, it shows that the annexed parking space ratio was at 93.7%, accounting for the majority of the total, whereas on-street parking space and off-street parking space was negligible at 3.5% and 2.8%, respectively. The annexed parking space of apartments occupies a majority at 50.4% of the total, and the annexed parking spaces of general buildings occupy a low share rate of 7.9%(Table 2).

The total parking space rate of the residential areas in Seoul comes to 100.3% and thus seems to solve any shortage problems numerically. However, examining the parking space rates of the residential areas by autonomous districts, 9 autonomous districts out of 25 are less than 100%. What is more, autonomous districts where multiplex houses are clustered such as Seodaemun-gu (60.1%), Yeongdeungpo-gu (77.0%), Geumcheon-gu (80.5%), etc., demonstrate a serious shortage in parking spaces (Table 3).

In regards to the city center, the total amount of parking space rate and the parking space rate of the residential area shows a large deviation. The parking space rate of Jung-gu and Jongno-gu represent 202.5%, 173.6% respectively, representing the highest parking space rate in Seoul. But the parking space rate of the residential area is only 81.6%, 84.4% respectively, and therefore low in rank. This means that parking space for business in city center has been sufficiently secured by recent large-scaled developments of new business facilities. However, even the same autonomous districts still suffer from parking difficulties in residential areas. Even in the positive case of Gangnam-gu, of which the parking space rate is 155%, the residential areas are facing a parking space shortage phenomenon, as the parking space rate of the residential area has only reached 90.9%.

Seoul Metropolitan Government has enforced various parking supply policies, such as a Residential Parking Permit Program, the Green Parking Project, co-parking space construction in residential area, school underground parking spaces, etc. to try and resolve the parking space shortage problems of residential areas.

The Residential Parking Permit Program is a system that allows street parking by installing parking spaces on the road that has been developed since 1996. It is a typical policy to secure parking space in old residential areas, by devoting a parking space on parts of the road, and was operating with 131,346 spaces at the end of July, 2012. It can secure parking spaces without additional land purchase because it utilizes public roads. Since it adversely affects traffic flow and worsens walking conditions, it cannot be the only answer for solving the fundamental traffic problems of old residential areas. Utilization of systems using GIS for the efficient management of the program has been proposed (Lee Keun-Hee et al., 2000, Kim Si-Gon et al., 2002). This is being enhanced by a parking sharing system; empty residential permit parking is known by an Autonomous District and people with smart phones can know when a parking space is available through the parking information exchange.

Green Parking Project enforced from 2004 is the measure to secure parking spaces by breaking down the walls of the house. 48,867 of parking spaces were secured by participation of 24,747 houses on the end of 2014. It may secure parking spaces at relatively low cost owing to utilizing private space. Since there are limitations to inducing participation of landowners, the project results has decreased year by year. To activate the green parking program, diversification of plan and support of self-management system have been proposed (Shin Jung-in et al., 2011).

Co-parking space construction in residential areas is a project where Seoul Metropolitan Government buys land and creates parking spaces for residential areas with poor parking environments; securing 14,742 spaces at 176 locations by 2014. However, because this is through the creation of new sites, there has been difficulty in both raising funds and securing sites. Creating parking through utilization of school playgrounds or parks is a mixed use of public facilities; parking spaces utilizing school playgrounds secured 3,790 spaces at 28 locations and underground parking spaces utilizing parks, etc. secured 5,245 spaces at 28 locations by 2014. It has the advantage of reducing costs by utilizing existing sites, but problems arose in terms of safety and accessibility (Kim, Yun-Sun et al., 2012).

Using the annexed parking spaces of buildings, schools, churches, etc. during the night created 4,165⁵⁾ spaces at 133 locations in 2012. If it is too difficult to create new parking spaces, this may be the best way in terms of efficiency because it utilizes the surplus parking areas during a certain time period without actually having to create additional parking spaces. However, landowners are reluctant to participate in the program with the reasons such as parking space shortage of existing users, no observance of leaving time, etc.

Current ongoing policy projects can be achieved to some degree in the short period in terms of securing parking spaces. However, new parking space expansion to solve parking space shortages in residential areas is not easy. From this veiwpoint this study is searching for the possibility of solving the parking problem of residential areas, by reviewing the parking space capacity of apartments, and the parking demand, and then identifying and assessing the number surplus parking spaces.

To identify the parking status of multiplex-clustered neighborhood, the rate of passenger cars per households of multi-unit or multi-family houses⁶⁾ by Administrative Districts ‘Dong’ was calculated from the sample data of a 2010 Household Travel Diary Survey. The rate of passenger cars per households is less than 0.7 at 91.3% of total administrative district ‘dongs’. Administrative District ‘Dongs’ in excess of 0.7 are 37 ‘dongs’ located in Gangnam-gu, Seocho-gu, and Songpa-gu(Table 4).

Based on the average number of passenger cars per household, the number of passenger cars owned by households of multi-unit or multi-family houses were estimated by administrative districts ‘dong’. The number of administrative districts ‘dong’ of 1,000 or less was 147, accounting for 34.7%, and above 1000 and 3,000 or less, accounting for a majority of 46.7% of 198. The number of administrative districts ‘dong’ of above 3,000 and 5,000 or less was 66, 15.6% and above 5,000 was 13, 3.1%. Figure 1 shows the spatial distribution of the number of passenger cars per household of multi-unit or multi-family houses by administrative districts ‘dong’(Table 5).

If annexed parking spaces are not secured within multiplex houses, residents have no choice but to depend on external parking spaces. In these cases the Residential Parking Permit Program (RPPP) is utilized as a typical substitute to create parking spaces; to calculate its parking sharing capabilities the ratio of parking spaces of the RPPP was compared with the number of passenger cars per households of multi-unit or multi-family houses by administrative districts ‘dong’.

In 212 ‘dongs’ which occupy 50.0% of administrative districts ‘dong’ parking spaces of the RPPP can share up to 20% of the parking demand of households of multi-unit or multi-family houses. Administrative districts ‘dong’ capable of sharing more than 40% were 63 dongs(14.9%), and administrative districts ‘dong’ capable of sharing more than 80% were 23 dongs (5.4%) (Table 6). When looking into the sharing rate, the RPPP covers some portion of parking demand for residential areas, but it cannot cover the whole parking demand, confirming the need to require alternative parking spaces.

Figure 1. 
Number of Passenger Cars of Multi-user or Multi-family Housholds by Administrative District ‘Dong’ in Seoul

The rate of passenger cars per apartment households by administrative district ‘dong’ ⁷⁾ was calculated by utilizing the sample data of a 2010 Household Travel Diary Survey. As a result, the rate of less than 0.7 was low by 12.2%, and household owning 0.9 to 1.1 accounted for the majority at 47.6%. It is in contrasts with 91.3% of less than 0.7 cars in the case of households of multi-unit or multi-family houses. The number of administrative district ‘dong’ of over 1.1 cars per household was 58, accounting for 13.7% of the total, with the majority concentrated in the Gangnam area.

The number of passenger cars by apartment complexes by administrative districts ‘dong’ was estimated out of the average rate of passenger cars per apartment households. The number of administrative districts ‘dong’ of 1,000 or less was 122, accounting for 28.8%. The number of administrative district ‘dongs’ of over 5,000 accounted for 25.9% of the total, showing that only 3.1% of administrative districts ‘dong’ satisfied the conditions at multi-unit or multi-family houses.

A 2010 Household Travel Diary Survey dataset was used to get an idea of the scale of surplus parking spaces at apartments . After identifying legal parking spaces by applying parking space installation standards,⁸⁾ the parking spaces except for the number of passenger cars owned by apartment households was estimated to extract the ‘number of surplus parking spaces available from apartments.’⁹⁾

Figure 2. 
Number of Surplus Parking Spaces in Apartments by Administrative District ‘Dong’ in Seoul

It is estimated that 32.8% of administrative district ‘dong’ in Seoul hold surplus apartment parking spaces of more than a 1,000. Given the reality that it generally secured more parking spaces than the legal standard it is expected that the ratio of administrative district ‘dong’ holding surplus parking spaces of more than 1,000 appears high.

‘Possible sharing ratio’¹⁰⁾ was examined to review to what degree the number of passenger cars of multi-unit or multi-family houses by administrative district ‘dong’ of Seoul could accommodate surplus parking spaces of apartments. This value means how much the ratio of surplus parking spaces of apartments can accommodate the passenger cars of multi-unit or multi-family houses.

The results showed that in the 154 administrative districts ‘dong’(36.3%) of Seoul that the possible sharing ratio of surplus parking spaces attached to apartments was more than 50%. This means that more than 50% of passenger cars of multi-unit or multi-family houses could park in the surplus parking spaces of apartments. Meanwhile, it showed that in 104 administrative districts ‘dong’, more than 90% of those who passenger cars of multi-unit or multi-family houses could park in the surplus parking spaces of apartments.

Table 11 shows the aggregated results for the possible sharing ratio and the number of sharing parking spaces by each administrative district ‘dong’. The administrative districts ‘dong’ with low possible sharing ratios show a tendency to have a small number of shared parking spaces.

In the administrative districts ‘dong’ with high possible sharing ratios of between 80%~100%, the number of shared parking spaces is evenly distributed, which means that there are a large number of administrative districts ‘dong’ with a high possible sharing ratio and a large number of parking spaces to share. It shows that the administrative districts ‘dong’ with a number of shared parking spaces of more than 1,000 and a possible sharing ratio of 80-100% is 29. Administrative districts ‘dong’ with a possible sharing ratio of 80 or less but the number where shared parking spaces of 1,000 or more is 33.

If apartments have many surplus parking spaces to share for the parking demand of the nearby residential areas it can be a effective solution to solve the parking problem of multiplex clustered neighborhood.

Figure 3. 
Possible Sharing Ratio of Surplus Parking Spaces by Administrative District ‘Dong’ in Seoul

The approach of sharing the surplus parking spaces of apartments can be a countermeasure to meet the parking shortage problems in residential areas when it is not easy to create new parking spaces. Night opening of annexed parking spaces such as schools, churches, `buildings, etc. is reluctant to participate with the reasons such as concern about safety, parking space shortage of existing users, the difficulty of leaving car requirements, etc. and so it should be sought for the complementary measures to this problem.

Seoul Metropolitan Government is providing a variety of incentives when 5 or more parking spaces are opened in a general residential areas and parking environmental improvement districts, which also can apply to apartments. It is providing maximum 25 million won for parking facility installation such as gates, CCTV, planting, painting buildings, etc. and supporting up to annual maximum 20 million won through 1:1 matching support for parking operating profit. In addition, in case of opening to extend the contract period of more than 2 years, it is assisting maximum 5 million won for facility maintenance and repair and supporting parking liability insurance.¹¹⁾

By utilizing these systems, they can participate in the project without having to endure the burden of facility expansion because security facilities, reinforcement and maintenance costs are supported. On the other hand, if the parking fee is allowed to reflect the market value of the area, voluntarly participations will be expected. Strategic promotion of model cases can lay the foundations to expand participations if the positive results achieved.