91原创 Township is considering installing 12 temporary on-street parking stalls to address a shortage of spaces in South Yorkson.
The suggestion is contained in a Feb. 3 staff report to council that says, if approved, the spots would be located at the corner of 212 Street and 80 Avenue at a cost of $50,000.
It would only be temporary, the report warned, because the area 鈥渋s part of a future road realignment.鈥�
The report goes on to insist that the 鈥減arking supply in the neighbourhood is consistent with the requirements of the zoning bylaw鈥� but admits there is additional demand for parking because some houses have secondary suites.
鈥淪taff will be undertaking a review of best practices and alternatives to address this concern,鈥� says the memo from the Township engineering division.
Some homeowners have suggested introducing 鈥渞esidents only鈥� parking or time-limited parking, but both options were rejected by the report.
鈥淭he Township does not have the permitting process, the administrative, or enforcement structure necessary to implement such a program鈥� the report said.
The parking problem in South Yorkson has become severe because about 150 roadside parking spaces on three different streets designated as major 鈥渁rterial鈥� roads were recently eliminated by the Township, including spaces along the four-lane-wide stretch of 80 avenue.
Over the holidays, following complaints from residents about a shortage of available parking, Township council agreed to allow vehicles in the no-parking areas of 80 Avenue so visitors would not be forced to park several blocks away.
But now the ban is back.
When the issue came up at a January council meeting, Councillor Charlie Fox said while he is sympathetic to the residents鈥� struggle to find enough parking paces, there is a potential legal problem with lifting the parking regulations.
That鈥檚 because the residents all signed a legally binding covenant when they bought their houses that specifies no parking on 80 Avenue or 212 Street.
Overriding that restriction could open up a 鈥渉uge Pandora鈥檚 box,鈥� Fox warned.
鈥淭here鈥檚 some due diligence that needs to be done before we walk into this hornet鈥檚 nest,鈥� Fox said.
Councillor Kim Richter said Township regulations don鈥檛 require enough parking in new residential developments like South Yorkson.
鈥淭hey are living in a nightmare and they have come to us for help,鈥� said Richter, who went on to call it a 鈥渘ightmare we [council] have created.鈥�
Richter has served notice she will be asking the rest of council to support the 12 new parking spots proposed in the report.
Editor's note 鈥� 91原创 Township council discussed this issue at its Monday meeting, and a report on that discussion will appear on this website soon.
