2. BYWARD MARKET LOCAL AREA PARKING ÉTUDE SUR LE STATIONNEMENT
LOCAL DANS LE SECTEUR DU MARCHÉ BY |
Committee Recommendations as
amended
That Council:
1. Receive the ByWard Market
Local Area Parking Study Summary Report (Document 1).
2. Recommend
that staff not go forward with the study of banning free
on-street parking on Sundays and holidays; and if the stakeholders request paid
parking on Sundays and holidays, that the decision to implement that be done at
Transportation Committee.
RecommandationS modifiéeS du comité
Que le Conseil municipal :
1. prenne connaissance du rapport sommaire
sur l’étude sur le stationnement local dans le marché By (document 1).
2. Que
le personnel n’amorce pas l’étude sur l’abolition de la gratuité du stationnement sur rue les dimanches et jours fériés; et si les intervenants demandent
de rendre le stationnement payant les dimanches et jours fériés, que la décision à cet effet soit prise par le Comité des transports.
Documentation
1.
Deputy
City Manager, City Operations report dated 29 June 2011 (ACS2011-ICS-PGM-0010).
2. Extract of Draft Minutes, 29 June 2011.
Transportation Committee
Comité des transports
and Council / et au Conseil
29 June 2011 / le 29 juin 2011
Submitted by / Soumis par :
Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager / Directeur
municipal adjoint
City Operations / Opérations municipales
Contact
Person / Personne resource:
John Manconi,
General Manager,
Directeur général / Public Works / Travaux
publics
(613) 580-2424 x 21110,
john.manconi@ottawa.ca
Ward/Quartier
- 12 - Rideau-Vanier |
Ref N°: ACS2011-COS-PWS-0010 |
SUBJECT: BYWARD MARKET LOCAL AREA PARKING STUDY
OBJET: ÉTUDE
SUR LE STATIONNEMENT LOCAL DANS LE SECTEUR DU
MARCHÉ
BY
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Transportation Committee recommend that Council receive the
ByWard Market Local Area Parking Study Summary Report
(Document 1).
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des
transports recommande que le Conseil municipal prenne connaissance du rapport
sommaire sur l’étude sur le stationnement local dans le marché By (document 1).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Analysis
During
consultation for the development of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy
in April 2009, the need for additional parking facilities in the ByWard Market
was raised by the general public and the business community. As a result, the ByWard Market was identified
as a priority area in which to undertake the first Local Area Parking Study (LAPS).
As a first step towards undertaking the ByWard Market LAPS, the City
carried out an update of the Central Area Parking Study, which was last updated
in 2005. In September 2009, parking
supply and usage information was compiled east of the Rideau Canal for the
ByWard Market and Downtown Rideau areas. The overall parking supply in the Central Area
east of the Rideau Canal has remained consistent since 2005, at approximately
8,900 spaces.
The ByWard Market Local Area Parking Study focuses specifically on the ByWard Market core and fringe areas, and includes details on: parking duration; occupancy by specific areas and streets; the relationship between land use and short-term parking; and identification of deficiencies and areas of concern.
There are approximately 4,900 parking spaces in the ByWard Market study area, which includes all on-street, public off-street, and private off-street spaces: 65% of parking spaces are publicly-available (12% on-street, 53% off-street); while 35% are private (20% residential, 15% commercial).
On-street parking in the area is well utilized and is over capacity at
peak times and days, while
off-street parking utilization was found to be moderate. Although on-street
utilization is of concern, the overall short-term parking supply is sufficient
to meet present levels of public parking demand, and opportunities exist to
direct users to the off-street parking facilities during the periods studied.
As part of the consultation, stakeholders identified parking issues in the area, which were grouped into 15 topics: parking supply (opportunities to add parking, shared use parking); regulations and signage; specific days/times/blocks in detail; special parking (bicycles, motorcycles, vendor stalls); and parking garages (wayfinding, safety and security). Each issue has been examined, including available data, a discussion on options and opportunities, a recommendation/conclusion, budget implications, and implementation timelines. Delegated Authority (for changes to the Traffic and Parking By-law) and the Municipal Parking Management Strategy (rate setting guidelines) provide the necessary tools to process changes to parking regulations.
Planned and potential
developments were reviewed to determine impacts on public parking supply. Future developments could result in a potential loss of about
200 public off-street parking spaces. In order to ensure the ongoing supply of some public parking in
support of local businesses, and in alignment with the Strategy Objectives, it
is recommended that efforts be made to secure a supply of publicly-available
off-street parking.
A key finding of the LAPS is the need for improvements to wayfinding to
and from parking facilities. Off-street
parking occupancy is moderate to low at times, and part of this may be a need to
improve the awareness of available off-street public parking facilities.
The detailed analysis of parking occupancies and
durations revealed that on
Sundays, on-street parking is highly used, with limited turnover or
opportunities for customers to
find convenient parking. Although
on-street parking on Sundays and Holidays is technically “free”, convenient,
short-term on-street parking for customers of the ByWard Market is difficult to
find. Prime on-street parking in the ByWard Market area is 87% occupied by
10:30 a.m., and occupancy remains above 90% for the day. In the
core area of the ByWard Market, parking turnover on Saturdays is about six
times - meaning that each prime parking space potentially serves six customers
over the business day; however,
on Sundays the turnover is about three times. This
high occupancy and low turnover suggests that paid Sunday and Holiday on-street
parking should be examined. Focused
consultation on the exact area covered, hours of paid parking and hourly rate
for paid Sunday and Holiday on-street parking would need to be undertaken
consistent with the Delegated Authority as per the Municipal Parking Management
Strategy Rate Setting Guidelines.
Legal/Risk Management Implications
There are no legal/risk management
impediments to the implementation of this Report’s recommendations.
Technical Implications
There are no technical implications to the implementation of this
Report’s recommendation.
Financial Implications
The 2011 Parking Operations, Maintenance and Development Branch Capital Budget includes $350,000 for the
implementation of recommendations from Local Area Parking Studies. Potential revenues
generated by Sunday and Holiday paid on-street
parking in the ByWard Market area would need to be
determined as part of the 2012 Parking Operations Budget.
Public
Consultation
Primary
consultation for the Local Area Parking Study was with the ByWard Market BIA
and City’s Markets Management staff. Briefings
have been provided to the ByWard Market Core Team (comprised of representatives
from various subcommittees of the BIA, Market Vendors, Lowertown Community
Association, the Ward Councillor’s office, and Markets Management staff).
Ongoing consultation
with local stakeholders will be carried out as per the requirements of
Delegated Authority to implement changes to parking and traffic regulations as
well as per the Municipal Parking Management Strategy Rate Setting Guidelines
(as approved by Council in April 2009).
Councillor Fleury has been
briefed on the findings of the parking study and the proposed actions, and is
supportive of the findings.
Analyse
Au cours des consultations tenues en
avril 2009 dans le cadre de la Stratégie
municipale de gestion du stationnement, le public et le milieu des
affaires ont soulevé la nécessité d’aménager de nouveaux parcs de stationnement
au marché By. Ce secteur a donc été désigné comme secteur
prioritaire où lancer la première étude sur le stationnement local.
Comme première étape
de l’étude sur le stationnement local du marché By, la Ville a procédé à
une mise à jour de l’étude
sur le stationnement dans le secteur central, dont la dernière remonte
à 2005. En septembre 2009, les données relatives à la disponibilité
et à l’utilisation des stationnements ont été compilées à l’est du canal Rideau
pour les secteurs du marché By et du centre‑ville
Rideau. Le nombre de places de stationnement disponibles dans le secteur
central à l’est du canal Rideau n’a pas varié depuis 2005, pour un total
d’environ 8 900 places.
L’étude sur le
stationnement local au marché By porte expressément sur le secteur central
et les quartiers périphériques de la ZAC du marché By. Cette étude donne
des précisions sur : la durée du stationnement, l’occupation par secteurs
et rues particuliers, le lien entre l’utilisation des terrains et le
stationnement de courte durée, la détermination des lacunes et des zones
critiques.
Le secteur étudié du marché By compte
environ 4 900 places de stationnement, y compris toutes les places sur
rue, les places hors rue publiques et hors rue privées :
65 p. cent des places de stationnement sont disponibles au public
(12 p. cent sur rue, 53 p. cent hors rue), tandis
que 35 p. cent sont privées (20 p. cent, stationnement
résidentiel, 15 p. cent, stationnement commercial).
Dans ce secteur, le stationnement sur rue est
bien utilisé et déborde aux périodes de pointe et au cours de la journée,
tandis que l’utilisation des stationnements hors rue est modérée. Quoique
l’utilisation sur rue soit problématique, la disponibilité globale du
stationnement de courte durée répond à la demande en matière de stationnement
public et il y a possibilité de diriger les utilisateurs vers des parcs de
stationnement hors rue pendant les périodes étudiées.
Dans le cadre des
consultations, les intervenants ont mentionné des problèmes de stationnement
dans le secteur. Ces problèmes ont été regroupés en 12 points, dont la
disponibilité des places de stationnement (possibilité d’aménager de nouveaux
parcs, stationnement à usage partagé); les règlements et l’affichage;
précisions sur des journées, heures et pâtés de maisons particuliers; garages
de stationnement (enseignes directionnelles, sûreté et sécurité). Pour chacun
des problèmes, on a examiné les données disponibles, discuté des options
possibles, présenté des recommandations ou une conclusion, tenu compte des
considérations budgétaires et de la mise en œuvre de calendriers. Le pouvoir
délégué (pour les modifications à apporter au Règlement sur la
circulation et le stationnement) et la Stratégie municipale de gestion du
stationnement (lignes
directrices relativement aux tarifs des stationnements) procurent les outils
nécessaires afin de procéder à des modifications aux règlements relatifs au
stationnement.
La
croissance prévue et potentielle a été examinée afin de déterminer les
répercussions sur la disponibilité des places de stationnement public. En plus
des réductions du nombre de places de stationnement hors rue disponibles au
public dans le secteur au cours des dernières années, en raison de la
croissance, on prévoit d’autres mises en valeur qui pourraient entraîner une
perte supplémentaire d’environ 200 espaces de stationnement public
hors rue. Afin d’assurer la disponibilité permanente d’espaces de stationnement
public pour les commerces locaux, et pour respecter les objectifs de la
Stratégie, il est recommandé de veiller à assurer un nombre suffisant de places
de stationnement public hors rue.
L’une des principales
conclusions de l’étude sur le stationnement local au marché By est la
nécessité d’améliorer les enseignes directionnelles en direction et en
provenance des parcs de stationnement. Par moments, en effet, l’occupation des
stationnements hors rue varie de modérée à faible, ce qui peut‑être
dû en partie au fait que ces stationnements ne sont pas bien annoncés.
L’analyse détaillée
de la durée de stationnement et du taux d’occupation a révélé que le
stationnement sur rue était très utilisé le dimanche et que le roulement limité
offrait peu de possibilités aux clients de trouver une bonne place de
stationnement. Même si le stationnement sur rue est en principe
« gratuit » les dimanches et les jours fériés, les clients du
marché By ont de la difficulté à trouver une bonne place de stationnement
pour une courte durée. Dans le secteur étudié, les meilleures places de
stationnement sur rue dans le secteur du marché By sont occupées à
87 p. cent dès 10 h 30, et le taux d’occupation demeure au‑dessus de 90 p. cent durant toute la
journée. Dans le secteur central du marché By, le roulement du
stationnement est d’environ six fois les samedis, ce qui signifie que
chaque bonne place a le potentiel d’être utilisée par six clients au cours
de la journée; par contre, les dimanches, le roulement n’est que de
trois fois. Ce haut taux d’occupation et ce faible roulement semblent
indiquer que la possibilité de faire payer le stationnement sur rue les
dimanches et les jours fériés devrait être examinée. Il faut entreprendre une
consultation ciblée portant sur le secteur exact couvert par l’étude, les
heures de stationnement payant et le taux horaire pour le stationnement sur rue
les dimanches et les jours fériés, en accord avec le pouvoir délégué et
conformément aux lignes
directrices relativement aux tarifs des stationnements de la Stratégie
municipale de gestion du stationnement. Jusqu’ici, l’option d’un stationnement
payant les dimanches et les jours fériés n’était considérée que pour le secteur
central du marché By. Bien que des conditions similaires existent dans le secteur
Rideau, il faut poursuivre les consultations avec la ZAC du centre‑ville
Rideau et les principaux intervenants afin de déterminer à quel point ils sont
favorables à cette option.
Incidences juridiques et en matière de gestion du
risque
Il
n’existe aucune entrave d’ordre juridique ou en matière de gestion du risque à la mise en œuvre des
recommandations du présent rapport.
Incidences techniques
La mise en œuvre des
recommandations de ce rapport n’entraîne aucune incidence technique.
Incidences financières
Le budget des
immobilisations 2011 de la Direction
de l’exploitation et de l’entretien des stationnements consacre
350 000 $ à la mise en œuvre des recommandations des études sur le
stationnement local. Les revenus potentiels produits par le stationnement sur
rue payant les dimanches et les jours fériés dans le secteur du marché By
n’ont pas encore été déterminés dans le cadre du budget d’exploitation des
stationnements de 2012.
Consultations publiques
La principale
consultation portant sur l’étude sur le stationnement local a eu lieu avec la
ZAC du marché By et le personnel de la Ville responsable de la gestion des
marchés. Des réunions d’information ont été offertes à l’équipe de base du
marché By (composée de représentants de divers sous‑comités
de la ZAC, de vendeurs du marché, de l’Association communautaire Lowertown,
du bureau du conseiller du quartier et du personnel responsable de la gestion
des marchés).
Une
consultation permanente sera mise sur pied avec les intervenants locaux au sujet
des exigences du pouvoir délégué relativement à l’application des modifications
au règlement sur la circulation et le stationnement et selon les lignes
directrices sur les tarifs des stationnements de la Stratégie municipale de
gestion des stationnements (tels qu’approuvés par le Conseil municipal en
avril 2009).
Le
conseiller Fleury appuie les conclusions de l’étude sur le stationnement et les
mesures proposées.
BACKGROUND
On April 22,
2009, City Council approved the Municipal Parking Management Strategy, which sets out
clear principles and objectives for the City’s Parking Program. One of the key components of the Strategy, to
help guide policy decisions, is the Local Area Parking Study (LAPS). Such studies are to be conducted for specific
geographical areas in order to determine the need for, nature of and extent of
municipal involvement in the provision of public parking services.
During
consultation for the development of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy,
the need for additional parking facilities in the ByWard Market was raised by
the general public and the business community.
As a result, the ByWard Market was identified as a priority area in which
to undertake the first Local Area Parking Study. In addition, because of the
close proximity to the ByWard Market, the Downtown Rideau BIA expressed its
interest for a concurrent study.
As a first
step towards undertaking the ByWard Market and Downtown Rideau LAPS, the City
carried out an update of the Central Area Parking Study (CAPS), which was last
updated in 2005. This is a recurring
technical study (since 1985) that is undertaken every four to six years to
monitor general trends in parking demand and supply in the Core area. The completion of the CAPS (East) report was
a critical step, and formed the basis for the detailed, focused analysis of
parking in the two areas. The detailed
report includes extensive parking supply, occupancy and duration data and
analysis for all surveyed streets and blocks.
Copies of the CAPS are available from the Department. Similarly, the LAPS were undertaken
concurrently with an update of the Rideau Area Transportation Network Study (RATNS-II),
as the study boundaries of these projects and the subject matter are
interrelated.
Interim
reports for both the Local Area Parking Studies (ByWard Market and Downtown Rideau)
and the RATNS-II were presented to the Transportation Committee on June 2,
2010. The final RATNS-II report is
scheduled to be presented to the Transportation Committee later in the year.
ANALYSIS
In September 2009, parking supply and usage information was compiled east of the Rideau Canal for the ByWard Market and Downtown Rideau areas. The parking supply (short-term and long-term) includes:
§ On-street parking (meters/pay
and display; parking compounds; angle parking; loading zones; no parking/no stopping
zones, and other curb-side uses);
§ Off-street municipal parking
(ByWard Market Garage, Clarence-Murray Garage); and,
§ Off-street private parking
(publicly accessible parking lots; private parking lots; residential parking; and shared parking).
The overall parking supply in the Central Area east of the Rideau Canal has remained consistent since 2005, at approximately 8,900 spaces.
The ByWard Market Local Area Parking Study Technical Report expands
upon the CAPS (East) report, and focuses specifically on the ByWard Market core
and fringe areas. It also focuses on
public parking supply. Residential
parking and private parking have been documented but not examined in detail as
this parking is generally not available in support of local businesses. This technical report includes details on: parking
duration; occupancy by specific areas and streets; the relationship between
land use and short-term parking; and identification of deficiencies and areas
of concern.
Business and Consumer Surveys
were carried out within the study areas in October and November of 2009. The Business Survey focussed on the type of
business, hours of operation, perceived parking problems, and opinions on
parking needs and parking enforcement. The
Consumer Survey focused on mode of travel, purpose of trip, origin of trip,
length of stay, where they parked, and opinions on parking supply and
enforcement. The questions included in
this survey were based on past Central Area Parking Studies (to allow for
comparison) and also included several new questions. The nature of these surveys was discussed
extensively with the BIAs.
Parking Occupancy, Duration and Turnover
Parking data collected for the ByWard Market has been analyzed based on
three factors: Parking Occupancy; Parking Duration; and Turnover.
Parking Occupancy is the ratio of the number of vehicles parked
divided by the number of spaces provided. The chance that a customer in the area will be
able to find convenient, available parking on a particular street or parking
lot is a function of occupancy. An
occupancy rate of between 75% and 85% is considered to be an industry “best
practice”, representing the level at which there is a reasonable opportunity
for a customer to find parking. Above
this rate, additional traffic can be generated as drivers search for available
parking. Customers would need to park at
less convenient locations, or potentially shop elsewhere. Thus, an occupancy rate of 85% is considered
to be the “practical capacity” of a facility. This is a key point from the Municipal Parking
Management Strategy – studies should be undertaken wherever paid occupancy
rates are less than 75% or greater than 85%.
Duration refers to the average length of time that a vehicle
remains parked on a street or in a parking lot. The observed duration should be similar to the
posted or intended time period (e.g., one hour on-street parking). The
intent of providing parking limits in commercial areas is to provide turnover
of prime parking spaces, and to optimize the number of customers of a business
area who can make use of a particular prime parking space.
Turnover is directly related to Duration, and represents the number of unique vehicles that make use
of a parking space over a study period. It
represents the number of potential customers served by the space. For
example, over an eight-hour period, four customers could make use of one space
in a “two hour limit” zone, whereas if that same space were designated as a
“one hour limit”, up to eight customers could be served in the same time
period.
Analysis and Findings
A brief summary of the parking inventory, on-street and off-street
occupancy rates, and the proportion of public parking under City jurisdiction
in the BIA and fringe areas is as follows:
Parking Inventory:
§ There are 4,868 parking spaces in the study
area, which includes all on-street, public off-street, and private off street
spaces;
§ 65% of parking spaces are public (12%
on-street, 53% off-street) while 35% are private (20% residential, 15%
commercial);
§ 52% of public parking is short-term while 48%
is long-term;
§ 43% of the total public parking is under City
jurisdiction;
§ 28% of off-street public parking is under
City jurisdiction; and,
§ The 590 on-street spaces represent 19% of the
total public supply.
On-Street Occupancy Rate
Summary:
§ Peak occupancy rates were above practical
capacity (more than 85% of the on-street parking spaces were occupied) on
Thursdays, and were in excess of total capacity (100%) on Friday evenings,
Saturdays, and Sundays; and,
§ Average occupancy rates exceed total capacity
during Friday evenings and are above practical capacity on Sundays.
Public Off-Street Occupancy
Rate Summary:
§ Peak occupancy rates are below practical
capacity (less than 85% of parking spaces were occupied) during all survey
days, but approach practical capacity on Thursdays; and,
§ Average occupancy rates are below or
significantly below practical capacity on all days.
In summary, the above data indicates that on-street parking in the area
is well utilized and is over capacity at peak times and days. However, off-street parking utilization was
found to be moderate. This indicates that
although on-street utilization is of concern, the overall short-term parking
supply is sufficient to meet present levels of public parking demand, and that
opportunities exist to direct users to the off-street parking facilities during
these periods.
Bicycle Parking
In June 2010, a one-day count of
bicycle parking was conducted in sections of the ByWard Market area. All
bicycle racks in the area were identified, and all parked bicycles were counted, including bicycles parked
along railings, trees, parking meters, and road signs. A total of 202 spaces
(including all designated racks
and all “ring and post” units) were noted. Staff
observed 124 bicycles parked in the area studied.
Parking
Issues – Approach
As part of
the initial steps of the study, the BIA and the City’s Markets Management staff
were asked about parking issues in the area. The issues were grouped into 15 topics, some
which address specific locations: parking supply
(opportunities to add parking, shared use parking); regulations and signage; specific
days/times/blocks in detail; special parking (bicycles, motorcycles, vendor
stalls); and parking garages (wayfinding, safety and security).
Each issue
has been examined, including available data, a discussion on options and
opportunities, a recommendation/conclusion, budget implications, and
implementation timelines. In some cases,
the analyses have yielded opportunities to add parking (mainly on-street) by
adjusting curbs, removing redundant driveway depressions, and reviewing signage
that may no longer be required. In other
cases, more complex options have been identified, involving the need for further
study/consultation, such as parking changes that may affect tour bus parking
and taxi zones. The initiatives and actions
are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1
BYWARD MARKET PARKING ISSUES |
||
Subject |
Action |
|
1.
|
Examine opportunities to provide additional
on-street parking |
Identified an additional 8 on-street spaces in the ByWard
Market Core, implementation late 2011 or Spring 2012. |
2.
|
Review existing Parking Regulations on several
streets |
Numerous regulations reviewed; one Tour Bus space converted to short
term parking. |
3.
|
Identify opportunities for convertible or shared
use parking spaces/curb use (e.g.: tour bus parking daytime, taxi zone at night). |
Opportunities on York St identified; a shared taxi/loading zone has
already been implemented on Clarence St. |
4.
|
Identify opportunities to provide for bicycle and
motorcycle / scooter parking, as well as for other alternative modes of
transportation |
3 locations for additional bicycle parking identified; wayfinding strategies to parking facilities for all
alternative transportation modes recommended |
5.
|
Review of parking needs and specific challenges
associated with vendor stalls in the ByWard Market. |
Vendor activity reviewed; observations showed high usage; ongoing
monitoring and enforcement recommended. |
6.
|
Review existing Loading Zones (requirement, relocation
options, additional loading zones). |
Loading zones reviewed; consider converting to No Parking Zones for
consistency. |
7.
|
Review existing Tour Bus Parking locations |
Recommend converting several tour bus parking spaces to regular
parking. |
8.
|
Review Taxi Zones. |
Recommend designating part of north side of York between Sussex and ByWard as a night-time taxi zone. |
9.
|
Examine wayfinding and
directional signage to/from Municipal Parking Lots. |
Recommend implementing wayfinding systems. |
10. |
ByWard Garage and
Clarence-Murray Garage (utilization patterns, future opportunities,
signage/entrances). |
Recommend investigating options for improvements to ByWard Garage |
11. |
Detailed review of on-street parking on priority
blocks (as identified by BIAs). |
Review of priority blocks indicated high rates of non-compliance to
regulations; recommend ongoing enforcement. |
12. |
Review safety and security,
determine impacts on the desirability of existing parking. |
Safety and security in northeast corner reviewed. Low utilization in
area may be a function of lower demand |
13. |
Identify and examine barriers between parking
facilities and destinations. |
Possible “barrier” is location and visibility of the Clarence-Murray
Garage, recommend wayfinding/better signage. |
14. |
Study specific time periods of high parking
utilization / low turnover (including Friday evening and Sunday in the ByWard Market). |
Friday evenings/Sundays reviewed; option of Sunday paid parking.
Future review of evening parking. |
15. |
Identify opportunities for additional off-peak
public use of private parking lots. |
Options reviewed; no significant opportunities in this area. |
In several areas, focused analyses have been undertaken on specific
streets and blocks. In the ByWard Market,
parking conditions in the core area, including York Street (Sussex Drive to
Dalhousie Street), show very high occupancy rates at all times. This illustrates the importance of on-street
parking, particularly to commercial areas such as Sussex Drive businesses,
which have no alternative short-term parking nearby.
Delegated Authority (for changes to the Traffic and Parking By-law) and
the Municipal Parking Management Strategy (rate setting guidelines) provide the
necessary tools to process changes to parking regulations, subject to
concurrence with stakeholders, including the Ward Councillor, the BIAs,
Community Associations, Places of Worship, and other Stakeholders.
It is recognized that the list above represents a current inventory of
the parking-related issues in the area. As
this is a very dynamic and active area, issues related to parking will need to
be monitored on a continuous basis and addressed as possible. Staff suggest that quarterly meetings with the
BIA and other stakeholders continue on an ongoing basis to address parking
concerns. Implementation of the Pay and Display
machines has provided a new opportunity to closely monitor paid parking
activity by area that was not easily available before. This will allow continuing monitoring of areas
of concern, in order to study/consider ongoing minor adjustments to paid
parking locations and effective times/days.
Major Parking Issues
Development Issues and Potential
Loss of Public Parking
One of the objectives of the Municipal Parking Management Strategy is
to “provide and promote affordable
short-term parking services, and fair and consistent enforcement services, that
support local businesses, institutions, and tourism.” Thus, the focus of the detailed analysis has been
on publicly available parking and particularly on shorter-term publicly
available parking (both privately owned and Municipally-owned).
When new development occurs
in the Central Area, the parking requirements are typically less than what has
historically been provided. It is
anticipated that the relative supply of dedicated parking for new developments
will decrease over time, and as a result, demand for general public parking
will potentially increase. In addition,
new developments often take the place of existing surface parking lots.
Comparisons of land use for
critical blocks have been made by documenting land use data and air photo
information from 1999, 2005 and 2009.
The most significant change identified in this review has been the
development of several major condominiums in the area, which, in several cases,
has resulted in the loss of publicly-available off street surface parking. Planned and potential developments are being
reviewed for possible impact on the parking supply. Each block was examined to determine the potential
loss of public parking supply.
In the ByWard Market, this analysis indicates that future developments
could result in a potential loss of about 200 public off-street parking spaces.
There may be opportunities to promote
the use of the existing Municipal garage facility at 141 Clarence Street
(Clarence/Dalhousie/Murray) to help address this potential loss. However, in order to ensure the ongoing supply
of some public parking in support of local businesses, and in alignment with
the Strategy Objectives, it is recommended that efforts be made to secure a
supply of publicly-available off-street parking by:
§ Partnering with a private sector development
to include municipally-controlled public parking;
§ Ensuring the provision of publicly-available (but
privately owned) short term parking as part of development approvals: and/or,
§ Exploring the viability of additional parking in the ByWard Market parking facility (note that any expansion of the facility would need to adhere to City planning objectives and zoning by-law requirements.).
Wayfinding
A key finding of the LAPS is the need for improvements to wayfinding to
and from parking facilities. Off-street
parking occupancy is moderate to low at times, and part of this may be a need
to improve the awareness of available off-street public parking facilities.
There are two municipal parking facilities in the ByWard Market. One facility fills to capacity regularly,
while the other, one block away, does not. Improvements to the wayfinding and information
to drivers are needed. Appropriate signage with location and number of available parking spaces could attract some drivers to park in the City lot at
Clarence/Murray/Dalhousie instead of the ByWard Market parking garage,
balancing the use. Wayfinding
could help reduce time searching for parking, leading to less
congestion and traffic in the area. Current initiatives include examining options
to improve signage and guidance to and between the two City facilities. Parking guidance systems displaying the
current availability of parking spaces in the Municipal parking structures are
planned. Similar systems have been implemented in different cities in North America, Europe, and
Asia.
Paid Parking on Sundays and Statutory Holidays
The detailed analysis of parking occupancies and
durations in the Local Area Parking Study Technical Report reveals that on Sundays, on-street parking is highly used,
with limited turnover or opportunities for customers to find convenient
parking. This high occupancy and low turnover
suggests that paid parking should be examined.
In the core area of the ByWard Market, parking turnover on Saturdays is
about six times - meaning that each prime parking space potentially serves six
customers over the business day, however, on Sundays the turnover is about
three times. Prime on-street parking in
the ByWard Market area is 87% occupied by 10:30 am, and occupancy remains above
90% for the day. This is due to the fact
that there is no charge for on-street parking and spaces are filled early and
for the entire day. Although on-street
parking on Sundays is technically “free”, convenient, short-term on-street
parking for customers of the ByWard Market is difficult to find. This means that short-term customers are
unable to find convenient parking, and need to park at less convenient
off-street paid parking facilities.
Free parking on Sundays encourages drivers to spend time searching for
a space on-street even if it is not readily available. Paid parking would help to redistribute
parking demand and discourage long-term on-street occupancy, directing it to
off-street parking facilities. Reducing
the demand for on-street parking will encourage a higher turnover of prime
on-street spaces and will help to mitigate traffic issues associated with
searching for free parking spaces.
Setting the same time limits as during the week (8:30 am to 5:30 pm) may
be appropriate from the perspective of ensuring a good supply of short term
parking; however, this may have an impact on other stakeholders, for example, Places
of Worship on Sunday mornings. Focused
consultation on the exact area covered, hours of paid parking and the appropriate
hourly rate for paid Sunday and Holiday on-street parking would need to be
undertaken consistent with the Delegated Authority as per the Municipal Parking
Management Strategy Rate Setting Guidelines.
Future Opportunities
In addition to the measures above, there are other opportunities that
may be considered for future review and action, as summarized below:
§ Extended Paid
Parking Hours: Based on
occupancy rates observed and duration, the data for on-street parking on Friday
evenings also suggests that paid parking might be considered. However, the
typical customer in the evening is visiting restaurants, etc., and the need to
encourage turnover is not the same as during the day. Future monitoring will be undertaken to
further examine the evening hours. One
possible option that may be considered to help ensure the maximum supply of
on-street parking for customers would be to extend the paid parking period
until 7:00 pm (currently 5:30 pm).
§
Expanded Paid Parking Areas: The parking study data reviewed occupancy
rates on all blocks in the area – both paid and unpaid. In some cases, it was noted that paid parking
may help to encourage additional turnover on certain streets. This would require focused consultation with
adjacent businesses and residents prior to implementation.
§ Parking Rates by Zone: The current industry best practice is that
peak occupancy should be in the range of 85%. In some municipalities, parking rates can be
set based on the actual occupancy rates recorded – basing price on actual
demand. Such an approach is in effect in
Vancouver. The approved Municipal
Parking Management Strategy includes Rate Setting Guidelines, which state that
public parking rates, hours and locations are to be set based on Local Area
Parking Studies (LAPS). One of the
principle criteria to determine the priority for undertaking LAPS is peak
parking occupancy rates of below 75% or above 85%.
§
Progressive Pricing: Calgary has a system of progressive pricing
for on-street parking in some areas, where the first hour will be set at one price
and the second hour at a higher price to encourage shorter stays, thus making
the parking spaces available to more customers.
§
Paid Loading Zones: Similar to tour bus spaces, loading zones
could be converted to “paid” loading zones. This would serve to discourage the current
practice of some motorists taking advantage of the current no cost loading
zones for very short-term parking. Pricing
the loading zones would help to ensure that they are available to those who need
a temporary location to load or unload merchandise in close proximity to their
destination
§
Accessible
Parking: While this study has focused on the overall
parking supply and demand, it is recognized that as part of detailed
implementation and examination of municipal parking facilities, planning for
accessible parking supply and demand must be included. In addition to business practices of providing
accessible parking in all municipal facilities, in compliance with
accessibility standards, staff are exploring options to provide parking
occupancy information, for example, parking guidance signage that will provide
real-time information on the current availability of accessible parking
spaces.
The ByWard Market and Downtown Rideau are the most active areas of the
City, with on-street parking pressures on all days and times and well into the
evening. In the core of the ByWard
Market, parking demand extends well into the overnight hours. This has led to some unique challenges and
opportunities. During the day, the
characteristics are typical of a main street commercial area. However, during the evening, weekends and
overnight, there continues to be demand for parking due to the nature of this
entertainment district. As this is a
very dynamic and active area, issues related to parking will need to be
monitored on a continuous basis and addressed as quickly as possible. Staff have suggested that quarterly meetings
with the BIAs and other stakeholders continue on an ongoing basis to address
parking concerns.
RURAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no rural
implications associated with this report.
CONSULTATION
Primary
consultation for the Local Area Parking Study was with the ByWard Market BIA
and City’s Markets Management staff. Regular
meetings have been held to identify and discuss parking issues and examine
options. Staff have been working with and through the BIA to
communicate with the area merchants and businesses. At the initial stages of the study, notices
were sent to all area businesses and merchants (via the BIA) and information on
the Parking Studies was posted on the City’s website.
Upon completion of the parking surveys and compilation of overall parking supply and demand data, briefings were provided to the ByWard Market Core Team and the ByWard Market Vendors. Ongoing consultation has taken place with representatives of the ByWard Market BIA, and Markets Management staff.
Regular briefings have been provided to the ByWard Market Core Team (comprised of representatives from various subcommittees of the BIA, Market Vendors, Lowertown Community Association, the Ward Councillor’s office, and Markets Management staff). A briefing has also been provided directly to the Lowertown Community Association.
On many items, continued
consultation is required to ensure local stakeholder agreement (between the BIA,
Places of Worship, Community Associations, and Ward Councillor) to implement
changes to parking policy. This ongoing consultation with local stakeholders
will be carried out as per the requirements of Delegated Authority to implement
changes to parking and traffic regulations as well as per the Municipal Parking
Management Strategy Rate Setting Guidelines (as approved by Council in April
2009).
The ByWard BIA is in support of the findings of this parking study. With regard to the potential loss of parking, the BIA Board has requested that every effort be made to add an additional two levels of parking to the ByWard Market Garage (70 Clarence Street) (note that any expansion of the facility would need to adhere to City planning objectives and zoning by-law requirements). The ByWard Market BIA has also expressed support for additional on-street parking opportunities in the Downtown Rideau BIA, as this will help to relieve some of the demand on parking in the ByWard Market.
Regular
updates were provided to the Parking Stakeholder Consultation Group (PSCG) on
the status of the Local Area Parking Studies.
The findings were presented to PSCG on April 20, 2011, and their
comments and suggestions have been incorporated into this report.
COMMENTS FROM THE WARD
COUNCILLOR
Councillor Fleury has been
briefed on the findings of the parking study and the proposed actions, and is
supportive of the findings.
LEGAL/RISK MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS
There are no legal/risk management
impediments to the implementation of this Report’s recommendations.
CITY STRATEGIC PLAN
The requirement for Local Area Parking
Studies is identified in the Municipal Parking Management Strategy, which in
turn is in alignment with the Transportation Priority of the City’s Strategic
Plan. This approach to parking
management supports the City’s existing transportation network and ultimately
helps to allow for more efficient movement of people and goods and encourages
economic growth. The Municipal Parking
Management Strategy also reflects the principles of the Transportation Master
Plan.
TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS
There are no technical implications to the implementation of this Report’s
recommendation.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The 2011 Parking Operations, Maintenance and
Development Branch Capital
Budget includes $350,000 for the implementation of recommendations from ByWard
Market and Downtown Rideau Local Area Parking Studies. A number of recommended measures include the
addition of on-street paid parking spaces (generally in existing paid parking
areas). As such, it is expected that the
implementation of these measures will have a relatively low cost and short
payback period as a result of increased parking revenues.
Potential
revenues generated by Sunday and Holiday paid on-street parking in the ByWard Market area would need to be determined as part of
the 2012 Parking Operations Budget.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 - ByWard Market Local Area Parking Study – Summary Report (Previously distributed and held on file)
DISPOSITION
Parking Operations, Maintenance and Development
Branch staff will continue with focused consultation with stakeholders, and
implement measures identified in the Local Area Parking Study for the ByWard
Market under Delegated Authority as per the Municipal Parking Management
Strategy.
BYWARD
MARKET LOCAL AREA PARKING STUDY
ÉTUDE SUR
LE STATIONNEMENT LOCAL DANS LE SECTEUR DU MARCHÉ BY
ACS2011-COS-PWS-0010 RIDEAU-VANIER (12)
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Transportation Committee recommend that
Council receive the ByWard Market Local
Area Parking Study Summary Report (Document 1).
Written comments were received from the ByWard Market BIA in support of the item. A copy of their letter dated 24 June 2011 was distributed in advance and a copy is held on file with the City Clerk.
MOTION TRC 9/2
Moved by Councillor B. Monette
That staff not go forward with the
study of banning free on street parking on
Sundays and holidays and if the stakeholders request paid parking on Sundays
and holidays, that the decision to implement that be done at Transportation
Committee.
CARRIED
The report recommendation, as amended by Motion TRC 9/2 was
then put to Committee and CARRIED.