The mayor's Vanguard Cabinet comprised of "engaged young professionals" (DON'T CALL THEM "YUPPIES!) came up with the legislation that is based on similar laws in cities like Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle and Cleveland. (How the latter got included in this list of progressive cities is confusing. But, hey, the same could be said about St. Louis.)
Alderman Scott Ogilvie (24th Ward), himself a bicycle commuter who worked as a bike mechanic at Big Shark before seeking public office, sponsored the legislation.
"The basic thought behind the ordinance is that we require a lot of car parking for new construction, so why not require some accommodation for bicyclists?" says Ogilvie.
The law requires different amounts of bike spaces depending on the type of business, but generally requires bicycle parking for 5 percent of employees or customers visiting the building.
