If you park on your boulevard, you better make sure you have a permit for that.
During Monday’s (Feb. 14) development and operations services standing committee meeting, councillors considered changes to their current bylaws that could see parking on boulevards, bike lanes and within one-metre of a boulevard tree prohibited town-wide.
“While staff are generally supportive of regulating boulevard parking by permit or some other means, staff are not supportive of a strict prohibition as neither bylaw nor public works currently have the capacity to appropriately enforce or manage a permit program if deemed desirable,” noted Daniel Cole, manager of public works with the town, in his report and presentation to council.
A boulevard refers to the portion of land between a property line and the edge of the curb or, where there is no curb, the portion of the roadway which is travelled, including the shoulder.
There are currently two bylaws on the books in the Town of Collingwood regarding parking.
The first was enacted 18 years ago and has had several amendments since coming into force. Under this bylaw, no person shall park or leave a vehicle in a space or area prohibited by sign; on any street between the hours of 1 a.m. and 7 a.m., from Dec. 1 each year until March 31 in the following year; in front of or within one metre of a public or private driveway; on a roadway, boulevard or municipal parking area for an unreasonable length of time; or in a municipal parking lot, street, or on any other municipal property which is inoperative or unroadworthy or unlicensed, unless otherwise permitted.
Under this bylaw, an unreasonable length of time is defined as a period of time exceeding 48 consecutive hours.
The second parking bylaw, enacted three years ago, was intended to update several older bylaws. This bylaw also prohibits any property owner from creating an extended driveway or parking area within the boulevard without first having obtained a permit.
There are three options being considered by council to change parking bylaws town-wide:
- Option 1 – Status quo
- Option 2 – Town-wide prohibition of boulevard parking
- Option 3 – Phased implementation of boulevard beautification and boulevard parking restrictions
Under Option 2, the staff report notes significant staff time would be required to develop the implementation, and current staffing levels would not allow for continuous or proper enforcement.
Under Option 3, which is noted as the staff-preferred option, the intent is to achieve a desired boulevard environment that is curbed, free of vehicles, covered in low vegetation (sod or other) with trees. Parking would be prohibited on all curbed boulevards, in bike lanes, and within two metres of a boulevard tree.
During Monday's meeting, Coun. Kathy Jeffery said she supported the staff recommendation of Option 3, and asked whether there might be an option to encourage residents to use permeable paving on their boulevards, so grass could grow through it.
“That way, you kind of achieve both. You still allow the resident to park on the boulevard, but it’s done in a way that’s still going to meet our environmental and climate challenges,” said Jeffery.
Coun. Deb Doherty said she understands the implications of not having enough space for people to park.
“You’ve said this is a long-term project/vision. How long?” she asked Cole.
Cole said many of the streets that have boulevards are newer subdivisions.
“When we look at the downtown tree streets and area, as they become urbanized through our capital programs and would have boulevards created with a curb that meets the definition of the bylaw, they would become a part of that process,” said Cole. “It will depend on how fast projects come through capital budgets.”
Doherty also questioned why the proposed bylaws differentiate between curbed and uncurbed boulevards.
“In actual fact, it appears to me that most of the parking on boulevards is happening on streets where there is no curb,” she said. “If we go by this standard, that’s not going to be addressed at all.”
Director of Public Works, Engineering and Environmental Services Peggy Slama said staff could look at both forms of boulevard parking.
Doherty also asked about existing properties that had already paved their boulevards, and whether the town would be requiring that paving be removed should the bylaws be enacted. Slama said it is an option the town would be considering.
Doherty said she would rather be in support of a town-wide prohibition on boulevard parking.
In the end, councillors voted 3-1 in favour of recommending phased restrictions and beautification for boulevards to council.
Coun. Deb Doherty was the sole opposed vote. The matter will come before council later this month.
Once council determines which option they prefer, staff will create a further report regarding what the implication of a bylaw would be on enforcement staff to determine if more resources are needed.
