Car-free is simply not a realistic, or even desirable, goal for downtown Ann Arbor development. Our goals, our policies, and our new downtown development should, instead, be car-smart. I believe that car-smart development is a critical tool in building a diverse, vibrant, and affordable downtown.

Let me describe a few characteristics of what I mean by car-smart development. It begins by acknowledging a few critical realities.

The cost to build underground parking downtown is currently $35,000 to $50,000 per space, and going up. When translated into increased mortgage, taxes, and maintenance that "free" underground parking space imbedded in the cost of a new downtown condo is adding $300 to $400 per month to the cost of living downtown.

Besides never being free even if "included," downtown parking has another interesting characteristic. It is a relatively classless commodity. Its cost will be essentially the same whether it holds a brand new BMW or a five year old Ford, or whether its owner lives in the $200,000 condo on the 2nd floor or the $800,000 penthouse on the 9th floor. The implications are significant.

The penthouse buyer will happily pay the extra few percent for the convenience of indoor parking. Indeed, they may want a second space if available. On the other hand, most of the entry level professionals, young working couples, and retiring boomers also eager to live downtown are on a more modest budget. This group will look differently at that "free" parking space which is adding 20 to 25 percent to their monthly costs. They don't need their cars any less, but they will be more interested in lower cost options as long as they are "convenient enough." According to the recent Calthorpe study these and other middle income groups make up almost 60 percent of the target market for a diverse and representative distribution of downtown residents.

The good news is that there are practical and exciting options available. For example, car-smart public policy would recognize the inefficiency of encouraging underground parking for every new residential unit at the same time city-owned parking structures sit largely unused most evenings and weekends.

Car-smart downtown living recognizes that not all lifestyles require a parking space tucked under or directly behind residential unit. Consider for example, that the walk from most of the new downtown developments to their closest city-owned parking structure is shorter than the walk to the entrance door from many locations in the vast Briarwood parking lot.

There are other car-smart options being developed in communities throughout the country. As the first generation of new residential units are filled in the next few years, downtown Ann Arbor will have the density to support commercially viable cost-efficient car-sharing programs such as Zipcar and Flexcar. Just Google these two programs to get a feel for what car-sharing friendly policies could do for Ann Arbor.

Our own Ann Arbor is experimenting with innovative transit options like The Link. It is underused at the moment. But it is ripe for success with the addition of another 500 or more permanent downtown residents jumping on for a quick trip to campus, the movies, one of the wonderful downtown grocery options, or dinner and a little car-free nightlife.