Vancouver City Council |
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: March 27, 2003
Author/Local: RGM/7347
RTS: 03289 CC File No. 5654
Meeting: April 24, 2003
TO:
Council Committee on Planning and Environment
FROM:
General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT:
Parking Meters
Broadway-West of Burrard and Arbutus- Broadway to 12thRECOMMENDATIONS
A) THAT Parking Meter By-Law 2952 be amended to allow for the installation of parking meters on Broadway, and adjacent side streets, from Burrard to Blenheim, as show on Appendix A, with a rate of $1.00 per hour.
B) THAT the General Manager of Engineering Services install meters at Broadway and Arbutus, and on West Broadway and adjacent side streets from Trafalgar to Macdonald, generally as shown on Appendix A, and continue to discuss parking options with the local businesses to improve street usage, which may include further meter installations.
C) THAT the estimated $110,000 one-time cost to purchase and install parking meters and part-year maintenance and coin collection costs in 2003 (ongoing cost estimated at $15,000 annually) be funded from increased meter revenues.
D) THAT the Director of Legal Services bring forward the amendments to By-Law 2952 to reflect Recommendation A.
COUNCIL POLICY
City Council approves changes to the parking meter areas and sets rates.
PURPOSE
This report reviews parking in the West Broadway business area from Burrard to Blenheim Streets and recommends the installation of parking meters on a portion of this area at this time to improve street usage for the area merchants. The report also recommends that the General Manager of Engineering Services continue to work with the local businesses to improve parking usage.
BACKGROUND
In the past several years staff have discussed the parking in the West Broadway business area with local businesses and particularly the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce, and the West Broadway Business Association. There are several areas that have received the most complaints about parking problems. These include the area of Broadway and Arbutus, and the Broadway between Trafalgar and Macdonald. These areas have experienced recent change with the redevelopment of a number of sites, notably the former Arbutus Industrial Lands and a new Fitness World at Arbutus.
DISCUSSION
The City has various levels of control to ensure street parking in commercial areas is used for the benefit of the business community. In the Kitsilano business areas there are a mix of parking meters and time limits that control street parking. Time limits work reasonably well when street pressures are low. However, when employment grows and commercial activity increases, time limits become very difficult to enforce. Violators may erase chalk, move vehicles or just take chances that they will not be ticketed.
In the West Broadway area there are several distinct commercial areas. Some of these have good street usage and some are experiencing high street parking pressures. Discussion with local businesses and surveys have shown that the areas around Broadway and Arbutus, and Broadway from Trafalgar to Macdonald have the greatest problem with street use.
Recent surveys of street usage show that over 200 vehicles have overstayed the time limits, with some parking all day. Under these circumstances, parking meters are an appropriate form of control. They improve efficiency of enforcement, encourage turnover, and can increase parking opportunities for area customers by over 30%.
It is recommended that the Parking Meter By-law be amended to allow parking meters along a portion of West Broadway and adjacent commercial side street areas includingArbutus from Broadway to 12th, as shown on Appendix A. The parking meter rate would be $1.00/hour and meters would have a 2 or 3 hour time limit.
There is immediate support for meters at Broadway and Arbutus, and in the 2600 and 2700 blocks of Broadway. A detailed meter proposal for this area has been prepared and is also illustrated in Appendix A.
If Council approves this proposal, staff would continue to work with the local businesses and would continue to make adjustments as necessary.
PUBLIC INPUT
Staff have discussed street parking with the Kitsilano Chamber of Commerce, the West Broadway Businesses Association, and various individual businesses. A petition was also received from businesses in the Arbutus area supporting the installation of parking meters.
The businesses agreed that parking along portions of West Broadway and Arbutus was at a point where changes needed to be made to improve access for area customers. It was felt that parking meters would help to ensure the street continued to provide convenient parking for the area customers rather than be used by all day parkers.
STAFF AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
There are up to 150 parking spaces in the areas recommended for immediate installation of parking meters. The cost to purchase, install, and maintain these in 2003 is estimated to be $110,000, with ongoing annual costs of $15,000 for maintenance and coin collections. This cost would be offset by parking meter revenues in 2003, and would generate approximately $160,000 annually.
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