New Designated Bicycle Parking Requirements Approved In Westfield

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Town of Westfield is making its streets friendlier for cyclists.

Town Council unanimously approved Ordinance 2025-23 on Dec. 9 to establish requirements for the provision of bicycle parking around private development projects.

"It is important to provide not only for short-term bicycle parking needs for local residents out shopping, eating, or attending appointments, but also the long-term...needs of employees, residents, and students," the Ordinance said.

Bicycles were also noted as welcomed alternatives to driving to reduce pollution and congestion, while also improving air quality.

Under the new standards, a parking space is defined as an area in which one intact, full-sized bicycle can easily and securely be stored and removed with one or both wheels on a stable surface. This should be without the use of a kickstand or after having to move other bicycles, vehicles, or other objects.

Long-term bicycle storage must be secured and sheltered.

The newly-approved bicycle parking requirement applies to the construction of a new building. It also applies to an addition or change of use of a current building where the difference to comply equals two or more parking spots.

The ordinance covers the entirety of any use within a building or lot, and not just the gradual increase of a certain area.

Detached single-family homes and two-family homes are not required to offer bicycle parking.

The number of required spaces varies by the type of structure and total gross floor area of the facility:

• Multifamily residential (half of a long-term spot per dwelling unit)
• Office, medical office, and other health-related uses (one long-term availability for every 3,000 square feet of gross floor area and one short-term availability for every 10,000 square feet of gross floor area)
• Retail or wholesale sales and services (one short-term availability for every 2,000 square feet of gross floor area)
• A restaurant or bar (one short-term availability for every 2,000 square feet of gross floor area)
• Educational or religious uses (one short-term availability for every 10,000 square feet of gross floor area)

Fractions of spots are rounded down if the fraction is half of a spot or less, and rounded up if the fraction is greater than half.

These facilities must only be used for the parking of bicycles and related items. Bicycle racks may also be used as storage if they satisfy the items outlined in the ordinance.

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