This provision declares that Class 2 municipalities should be able to provide off-street parking facilities through parking authorities.
The history of municipalities and the course of legislatures throughout America, including the Legislature of Alabama, confirm that public welfare requires that Class 2 municipalities be authorized to provide off-street parking facilities through parking authorities. The Legislature makes each of the following declarations: (1) The free circulation of traffic on the streets of Class 2 municipalities is necessary to the health, safety, and general welfare of the public. (2) The greatly increased use of motor vehicles has caused serious traffic congestion on the streets of the Class 2 municipalities. (3) The parking of motor vehicles has contributed to the congestion. (4) The congestion prevents the free flow of traffic through the municipalities, impedes effective firefighting and the disposition of police forces, and threatens irreparable loss in the values of urban property, which can no longer be readily reached by vehicular traffic. (5) Parking facilities in Class 2 municipalities are grossly inadequate. (6) Private enterprise has been unable to solve the problem, because private parking lots are frequently temporary in nature, located without regard for actual parking requirements, with vacant land being used for parking purposes in a haphazard fashion in order to earn minimal revenue from the land pending construction. (7) The inadequacy of parking space is harmful to the public convenience, health, safety, and welfare. (8) The inadequate off-street parking spaces now existing must be supplemented by off-street parking facilities provided by public undertaking. (9) The enactment of this law is declared to be a public necessity which the public welfare and convenience require.