City Council: District 1

We sent our questionnaire to all filed candidates. Responses marked with a [...] indicate the candidate didn't directly answer yes or no, but may have provided a written explanation. Responses were edited for typos, but not substance.

You can find the full candidate surveys below, or scroll down to see candidate responses side by side for agree/disagree questions.

Candidates for Council District 1

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Click on a candidate below to see their full narrative responses.

Question comparisons

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Hover or click on a candidate to see an extended response if the candidate provided one.

10. I support removing parking on a street if it would improve safety and increase mobility of people using that street.

Transitioning away from single-occupant vehicles is critical to a safe, healthy, and equitable Baltimore. There is plenty of research that shows that increased parking options harm instead of help this progress. That said, we must increase the availability and safety of non-car options in coordination with removing street parking to maintain buy-in during this necessary transition to a greener future.

Safety is the highest priority, and I support measures such as the Complete Streets legislation to ensure greater safety and mobility. It is also critical that we improve access to public transportation so that parking becomes less necessary.

 

11. Minimum parking requirements are shown to increase housing costs while limiting potential density and making neighborhoods less walkable. I support following the lead of other cities that have removed minimum parking requirements from new development.

The data show is clear that minimum parking requirements are a waste of valuable land resources, are an unnecessary burden on especially small businesses, and non-car options less safe. I support the elimination of minimum parking requirements in conjunction with an improved non-car transportation infrastructure.

I would support eliminating minimum parking requirements on a case-by-case basis, especially where other modes of transit are accessible. The ongoing issue of limited parking speaks to the need to invest in public transportation.

 

12. Some cities require employers that subsidize parking also offer an option for employees to receive that subsidy as a cash payment. I support a mandate that employers offer parking cash- out so that employees can choose to pocket that money, use it for alternative transportation, or continue using that cash to pay for parking.

The plans to improve our transportation infrastructure require doing everything we can to encourage flexibility. Mandating cash payouts for parking subsidies is a relatively low impact way to do so.

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13. Increasing density in areas of opportunity is proven to help individuals escape poverty. I support taller, denser, or larger buildings in areas they are now prohibited by zoning.

The science is well-settled that building density is a significant contributor to a greener future, safer and easier transportation, and improved health outcomes. The key to moving to a denser Baltimore requires transparency, community buy-in and engagement and a significant focus on equity over displacement. Building more homes and mixed-use developments that bring jobs and amenities to Baltimore is a good thing, if done correctly and responsibly. A simple key to making sure everyone benefits from new development is to embrace the benefits of higher densities and eliminate unnecessary rules like parking requirements, which can increase the cost of rent by hundreds of dollars per unit. I was particularly concerned last year when my opponent, Councilman Zeke Cohen, introduced legislation to establish a building height overlay in the Fells Point neighborhood which would have hindered development and diversity. Luckily this initiative was defeated, but had it gone forward it would only have served to perpetuate the racial and economic segregation of our neighborhoods by making it nearly impossible for affordable housing to be built in that area.

Increased density, coupled with legislation to require affordable housing, is critical to Baltimore's growth. I would like to see advocates from the biking community work with affordable housing advocates and the City Council to identify legislation to make this possible.

 

14. Transit oriented development can expand access to areas of opportunity by locating housing and retail along high frequency transit. Current zoning code only identifies these zones along subway and light rail routes. I support expanded Transit Oriented Development zoning to include areas within a quarter mile of high-frequency bus routes.

Expanding incentives for dense development, centered around available public transportation, both encourages investment in our communities and increases use of non-car transportation networks.

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15. It is now widely accepted that Single Family Residential Zoning was historically created to maintain racial segregation. I support removing Single Family Residential Zoning categories, allowing both single family and multi family residences to be built in all residential zoning areas.

Not only is the elimination of Single Family Residential Zoning a path to increased density, but addressing past and current racial inequity in housing is critical to our success as a community.

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16. I support allowing existing residences to be split into apartments in all zoning categories without having to pass legislation for each conversion, increasing density in neighborhoods that were traditionally single family homes.

This is part of the solution mix to building a non-car dependent transportation network, but our government, at both the city and state level, must match these changes with robust investments in bikeways, bus routes, light rail and walk route protection.

Increased density, coupled with legislation to require affordable housing, is critical to Baltimore's growth. I would like to see advocates from the biking community work with affordable housing advocates and the City Council to identify legislation to make this possible.

 

17. At 20mph, 90% of pedestrians survive being hit by a car. At 40mph, only 10% survive. I support enforcing a maximum speed limit of 25 mph on arterial streets, and 20 mph on local streets.

When elected, I will continue the work that Councilman Ryan Dorsey has championed to make our streets more pedestrian-friendly, and this certainly includes mandating that cars drive slower.

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18. Allowing turns on red is a contributing factor in increased pedestrian injury and death. I support banning turns on red at all intersections that allow pedestrian crossing.

Turns on reds do little to increase traffic flow but do greatly increase the chance of collision with pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers. Ban them!

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19. Automated Speed and Red Light Enforcement Cameras are widely proven to reduce fatal collisions. I support using these cameras on any street, not just near schools and construction sites.

I agree with the caveat that transparency in process and enforcement, as well as an equitable use of the resulting income, is critical for community buy-in.

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20. The Automated Speed Enforcement Camera current threshold is 12 miles per hour. I support cameras being able to issue citations for those traveling 5 miles per hour or more over the speed limit.

Yes, but we need to make sure that the impact of this change is equitably distributed. We must make sure that it does not disproportionately burden those in underserved neighborhoods.

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21. I would invest in automated enforcement cameras that will issue citations to private automobiles for being stopped or parked in bus lanes.

100%, and for bike lanes as well. An investment in and prioritization of bus routes in Baltimore should be a large part of our non-car transportation system improvements and keeping bus and bike lanes clear is a necessary step to making them more reliable. We all see how frequently bus and bike lanes are impeded making them essentially ineffective; cameras would be a smart way to reduce the frequency of this happening.

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22. Dedicated bus lanes and bus boarding islands are proven to dramatically improve bus reliability and boarding times. I support removing parking or travel lanes to create bus lanes and boarding islands to improve bus performance.

I agree, and will always work to make sure that DOT takes efforts to involve local stakeholders such as neighborhood associations. I know from experience that whenever the possibility of taking away parking comes up in the First District, it is important to make sure that you get as much community buy-in as possible.

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23. The city adopted the Greenway Trails Network plan that will connect existing trails such as Gwynns Falls Trail and Herring Run Trail to create a 35-mile trail loop that connects 80% of Baltimore’s neighborhoods to greenspace and recreational trails. I support the construction of these trail connections, even if it requires using grass medians or taking road space or parking space away from private automobiles.

As I have stated in my policy plan (https://parisbienert.com/plan-economic/), I am in support of the Greenway Trails Network and the impact it will have on reducing our dependence on a car-focused transportation infrastructure.

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District Specific Questions:

Baltimore was recently awarded a Maryland Bikeways grant to design an all-ages separated bike lane on Wolfe or Washington Street, part of the 2017 Separated Lane Network Addendum plan connecting Southeast Baltimore to Johns Hopkins Hospital, the all-ages separated lane on Monument Street, and eventual facilities on St. Lo Drive and Harford Road. I support building an all- ages separated bike lane on Wolfe or Washington Street, even if it means relocating or removing some parking.

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I agree with building a separated bike lane connecting SE neighborhoods to Johns Hopkins Hospital. We must involve community input to ensure this project has minimal impact on parking access for residents of the highensity areas along Wolfe and Washington St.

 

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