The entire parking minimum mess only exists because we have street parking for which we pay a very high price, but the average voter thinks of as free. I wish we could get rid of it entirely, but that would never fly because it's completely unimaginable to voters. Policy is fun and great; politics is cancer...
Street parking is free in that it does not cost extra. Just like credit cards are free even though they charge merchants 3%. Everyone loves taking advantage of the commons.
