| Some inner-city residents are worried a review of the city’s residential parking permit program is going to end up costing them more money, thanks to suburban commuters who refuse to use transit or pay for downtown parking.
For several years, the city has been reviewing its long-standing residential parking permit program, an initiative started about 25 years ago that gives inner-city residents priority parking in front of their houses, prompted by commuters dodging pay lots by parking on urban residential streets. Today, the program is operated in 49 mostly inner-city communities at a cost to the city of about $1 million, according to city records.
Morgan Yates, of the Crescent Heights Community Association, says his community is concerned the city is tinkering with a program that has worked well for decades. He says changes to the program are being pushed without proper consultation with residents and he worries the city is trying to slip in unfair permit fees.
"The cost of the program has to be taken into context," Yates says. "Compare it to the cost of one suburban interchange that are so popular with our current mayor... That strikes us as ironic because much of the problem is from people in the suburbs. We’re not aware of any surtax or fee to their suburban interchanges."
Yates says parking problems in Crescent Heights surfaced when the city granted permits to residents of a new condo complex, something the community feels is unfair. The association is recommending the city refine the way it doles out permits to high-rise tenants, and to ensure the bylaw remains enforceable.
Martin Halliday, a city administrator, says continuing redevelopment of the inner city has created parking problems and the city needs to review all the methods of dealing with those problems.
He says no changes have been recommended because the city is still gathering public input. He denies permit fees have been proposed, but says the city isn’t ruling them out.
"(The program) is costing us a significant amount of money, but (permit fees) are certainly not in the forefront," Halliday says. "If you have more money you have a better system, a better computer system, increased enforcement… I don’t know what the answer is, but that’s what we’re trying to work out."
Halliday says there are many associated problems with residential parking permit programs in some areas, and the city is looking to residents, communities and businesses to improve the program.
"Every city in North America has similar-type problems with different nuances," Halliday says.
"Automobile ownership in this city is a problem… We’re just saying ‘In the big picture, are we doing a good job?’"
A series of open houses into the review are planned throughout November. |
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