The most important thing to consider when designing a parking lot is what it will be used for—a lot for a large corporate office park will have very different characteristics and needs than one in a suburban strip mall, for instance.
The purpose will guide, and to some extent dictate, how to balance considerations of efficient use, traffic flow, safety, and aesthetics that match its immediate environment. Parking dimensions and accessibility needs will depend on the common user profile and will inform what many consider the Holy Grail of parking lot layout: efficient flow.
Designers must meet building and regulatory codes at multiple levels of government, as well as follow engineering and physical standards.
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