REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: February 27, 2019 Report No. EPW-19-007
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Jeff Miller, Director of Engineering and Public Works l
SUBJECT:
Title
Parklands Drive Parking Restriction
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council does not approve the implementation of Traffic Order 1294 “Residential Parking Only” along Parklands Drive as set out in Staff Report EPW-18-034 and EPW-19-007.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Streets and Traffic Regulation Bylaw, 2017, No. 2898
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Healthy and Liveable Community- Ensure Multi-modal Traffic Strategies
BACKGROUND:
On December 3, 2018, report EPW-18-034 was presented to Council. The report outlines a request for a no parking restriction to be implemented along the west side of Parklands Drive from Admirals Road to McAdam Place. Staff’s recommendation was the parking restriction not be implemented. See Attachment 1 for EPW-18-034.
Council requested further information on this situation prior to making a decision. The additional information requested was:
• Parking utilization study
• Contact BC Transit to discuss operational issues
• Contact ICBC for accident statistics
• Time line for new sidewalk construction in this area
This information is as follows:
Parking Utilization Study
There are 14 (8 on the west side and 6 on the east side) parking spaces available from Admirals Road to McAdam Place. A parking utilization study was carried out over several days at various times of the day. See Attachment 2 for results of the parking study.
As part of the review of parking utilization, photographs of the road segment from the petition and Google Maps were also reviewed. An evaluation of these photographs indicated that there are times when on-street parking is fully utilized, but there are also periods where it is not. [See Attachments 3 to 3d]. The utilization of the on-street parking may be influenced by activities being carried out at the Public Works and Government Services facility located to the south.
BC Transit
Staff contacted BC Transit to gain an understanding of operational issues with respect to this road segment. BC Transit’s response was:
“Hello Richard, thanks for reaching out to us. Yes, at times we do have trouble navigating through this area with vehicles parked on both sides of the street across from each other. When there are larger vehicles, we often head up and fold in the mirrors, or canvas the neighborhood to see if the owner will move to better assist us with getting our buses through the area. We have not called the Town as these are few and far-between and we’ve made it work, although making one side of the street as no parking could and would make it easier”.
ICBC
The accident report for this road segment was also reviewed. Information received indicated that there had only been three accidents along the road segment.
“Our traffic accident files only identify 3 incidents, the most recent in 1997, car backed up at traffic lights to allow transit bus to turn and struck car behind them. 1991, no info. 1988, same as in 1997.”
Capital Sidewalk Master Plan
Parklands Drive is part of the Capital Sidewalk Master Plan; however, it is not scheduled to receive work for approximately 15 to 20 years. The Master Plan for the next 10 years is focused on construction of sidewalks south of Esquimalt Road. Once these areas are completed, the work will move on to the Selkirk and Gosper areas. Work will then shift to sidewalks between Craigflower Road and the Gorge. Parklands Drive would be the next area that work would occur.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
As outlined in EPW-18-034 [Attachment 1], the parking restriction request was reviewed in accordance with Council Policy E&PW-03 Township Guide to Parking Restrictions. The additional information gathered does not indicate that a parking restriction is required on one side of the road segment. Staff’s recommendation is that the parking restriction not be applied to the Parklands Drive from Admirals Road to McAdams Place.
2. Organizational Implications
If the Traffic Order is not implemented, Engineering and Community Safety Services Department (Bylaw) anticipate that further conversations will be held with the petition submitter about the decision and concerns the residents have. These activities would not impose any organizational implications.
3. Financial Implications
There are no financial implications if the Traffic Order is not implemented.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
There are no sustainability or environmental implications if the Traffic Order is not implemented.
5. Communication & Engagement
Engineering will be in contact with the petition submitter and update them on the results of Council’s decision.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council does not approve the implementation of Traffic Order 1294 “Residential Parking Only” along Parklands Drive, as set out in Staff Report EPW-18-034 and EPW-19-007.
2. That Council does approve the implementation of Traffic Order 1294 “Residential Parking Only” along Parklands Drive, as set out in Staff Report EPW-18-034 and EPW-19-007.