In a move to accommodate the coming wave of electric vehicles (EVs), the Saint Paul City Council has cast a decisive vote in favor of future-proofing the city's development. The new policy, laid out in Ordinance 24-5, mandates that new and refurbished surface parking lots include the necessary infrastructure for EV charging stations, as reported by the City of Saint Paul.
The ordinance seeks to bridge the gap in EV charger availability, especially for residents in multifamily housing. Council President Mitra Jalali highlighted a commitment to avoiding disparities in EV charging access, "The majority of our future residents will continue to live in rental housing, yet without this policy, will face disparities in access to electric vehicle charging." Acknowledging the importance of this step, Councilmember Cheniqua Johnson told the City of Saint Paul, "The more proactive we are about ensuring everyone has access to something as simple as a parking spot that can charge their vehicles, the less of a hassle it becomes for families to see an electric vehicle as something worth purchasing."
This policy is an effort to get ahead of the accelerating shift to electric vehicles, which, by the early 2030s, are expected to dominate car and light truck sales in the US. Recognizing the stark difference in retrofitting costs versus upfront installation—the latter can be up to ten times more affordable—the Council's amendment zeros in on "capability" and "readiness" for EV charging in all new surface lot developments.
Under the new rules, parking lots with more than 15 spaces that require site plan review, will need to have at least 80% of their spaces equipped with conduit connections to electrical service and have enough electric panel space reserved. This measure aims to prevent a logistical and financial bottleneck down the line, ensuring ready adaptation to electric vehicle needs. According to the Saint Paul City Council's announcement, larger lots will also be required to ensure that 1 in every 30 spaces has wiring installed, effectively prepping the space for the hookup of an EV charger.
