After more than a year of delay, the LA City Council has passed the Bike Parking Ordinance, a measure that encourages safe and secure bike parking in lieu of car parking in all types of new development. The meat of the ordinance lays out how many bike parking spots can be swapped in for car parking--one car spot can be replaced by four bikes for up to 30 percent of the required number of spaces for commercial developments that are near transit lines and for up to 10 to 20 percent at other types of developments. It also says that, in most cases, at least two bike parking spots must be provided at most commercial and residential buildings. Bicycle corrals--city-funded or not--that are installed on sidewalks can count towards the required bike parking. But that's not all! You can't just call any old thing a bike parking spot; the ordinance sets out minimum dimensions for both short-term and long-term bike parking, requires that new buildings put bike parking near pedestrian entrances, specifies that larger bike parking lots must be at least half shaded, and requires good lighting and signposting.

· Bicycle parking ordinance (pdf) [LA City Clerk]

· LA's Big Bike Parking Upgrade Finally Moving Forward [Curbed LA]