Business group asks parking law delay

THE CHAMBER of Commerce has asked the government to delay until 2017, new parking laws governing free parking space and the numbers of parking spots that must be made available by new commercial and residential projects across the country.

The  Free Parking bill has been approved on third reading, in spite of opposition and lobbying by business interests.

In the approved regulations, Hospitals and Clinics must have a parking spot for every six beds; clinics, three spaces per office Casinos, theaters and cinemas,  must provide one  parking for every 20 square meters of construction.

Malls, should have a parking lot for every 35 square meters, while neighborhood shops should have one for every 40 square meters.

New residential buildings will need to require that 10 percent of parking spaces are for visitors, while apartments over 80 square meters must have two parking spaces.