Abstract

In Finland, based on the Land Use and Building Act, the city has a monopoly in urban planning and design. Through the planning monopoly, the city manages the urban planning process and thus consciously develops the urban structure. Based on the Act, the number of parking spaces stipulated for the property in the local detailed plan and building permit must be provided in connection with the construction work. The obligation of providing a number of parking spaces stipulated in local detailed plans affects the society in many ways. The provision of parking spaces is a key economic factor in construction costs. Car parking is also linked to changes in people’s mobility habits and car ownership. Occupancy rates for obligation parking spaces and other parking spaces vary over time and location. Car parking also impacts urban flood management. Rainwater volumes in condense urban structure can be significant and require heavy technical stormwater management solutions. Urban design is a key action of a city’s competence in terms of preparing for future changes. The number of parking spaces and stormwater management are key tools in urban planning that can be used to define resilience in the northern context of urban planning.