One of Puerto Vallarta’s most persistent urban challenges is the shortage of parking — a problem made worse by the city’s recent construction boom. Dozens of new apartment and condominium complexes have gone up, many of which lack adequate parking for both residents and visitors.
According to Jorge Alberto Balderas Betancourt, Director of Territorial Planning and Urban Development for the city, building regulations generally require developers to provide at least half a parking space per residential unit, depending on the area’s designated land use and its “partial plan” — a legal framework that outlines land use, zoning, and development requirements.
“When we review a development proposal, we calculate the necessary parking. In some areas defined by these partial plans, the rule is 0.5 spaces per unit. That means if someone builds a 20-unit condo building, we only require 10 spaces. The question then becomes, where do the other 10 cars go?” Balderas said.
UN-Habitat influence — but unintended consequences
Balderas explained that this reduced-parking policy was developed with input from UN-Habitat, a United Nations program that promotes sustainable urban development. The goal was to encourage a shift toward alternative modes of transportation by making car use less convenient. However, he admits the strategy has largely failed to produce the desired change in behavior.
“In theory, cutting required parking in half would push people to rethink their mobility choices. But in reality, people continue using cars — and park them wherever they can, leading to congestion and chaos,” he said.
Parking quotas vary by area
Balderas added that parking requirements vary across the city. In some areas, developers are expected to provide one space per housing unit. In commercial zones, the requirement might be one space for every 49 to 100 square meters of commercial space. If developers comply, all is well — but if not, the city levies fines.
Paying the fine is cheaper than building the parking
For nearly 30 years, developers in Puerto Vallarta have had the option to simply pay a fine when they don’t include the required parking spaces in their projects. These fines range from 34,000 to 48,000 pesos per omitted space, based on the city’s Revenue Law.
“Those payments go straight into City Hall’s checking account. Back in the day, when the policy was first introduced, the idea was to set up a trust fund to buy land and create public parking lots. But that trust was never established. Now the funds just disappear into general use, and the original goal has been forgotten,” Balderas lamented.
In the meantime, the city continues to grow — and with it, the number of cars searching for somewhere to park.