18 Nov 2024 Council meeting Transportation

Commercial Street Construction Project - Parking Management - Parkades

Motion

That Council direct Staff to allocate two levels (approximately 60 stalls) of the Bastion Street Parkade as time limit parking to match the surrounding on -street parking regulations for the duration of construction of the Commercial Street Phase One project.

Minutes, page 6

Sources

Agenda itemCity agenda, whole meeting

Staff reportPage 1

Purpose

This report responds to the motion from the 2024-OCT-21 Regular Council Meeting, “That Staff be directed to prepare a report on options to provide two-hour free parking within city- owned parkades during the Commercial Street redesign project.”

Staff report, page 1

Staff recommendation

That Council indicate its preferred option for parking management within city-owned parkades during the Commercial Street redesign project.

Staff report, page 1

DocumentsStaff report about Transportation & Mobility

Erin Hemmens Yes

Thank you. And lastly. I will be supporting this. I do think that we could do better or ask the merchants to do better about advertising those free 20 spots because they are always open, always.

Ian Thorpe No

Through you, if I may. I struggle somewhat with this, but I think in the bottom line, I will not be able to support the motion on the table. I certainly have sympathy with our downtown merchants during this construction time, but for me, The benefits. Of. This proposed motion. Simply the benefits don't outweigh the time and the effort and the expense that would be involved to the city. We're hearing that there's already free spots, that they're not utilized. We're hearing that parcade has free weekend parking and evening parking. To me, the issue is not. About parking, whether it's free or not. It's just making people know that there is available parking close to the downtown, and I think there is, and I would rather see some money spent publicizing that fact because. I don't think having to pay $0.75 for 2 hours of parking is going to deter people from coming downtown. If they can find a parking spot. I think most will pay that without any hesitation. So to me. I just don't. Think? The solution.

Hilary Eastmure Yes

I did bring the motion forward originally, and I appreciate seeing some options to provide free parking in the parcades to help draw more folks downtown as we deal with the commercial street redevelopment project. And so. I personally like option one because. It provides approximately 60 stalls in the bastion street parcade. For 2 hours of free parking, which I think would be. A good draw. And an easy way to tell people where to go to find free parking in the downtown. So. It would be. If it's amenable, I would move option one.

Questions and answers

Councillor Ben Geselbracht
Yes

asked

Councillor Gusselbrock and then Councillor Prinh. Thanks, mayor. Through you. Just a question to staff. First in the parking lot. I think it's the port place center. Parking, parcade, the one that attached to here. There's already 20 parking spots in there that are available for 2 hours free. Is

David LaBerge

answeredDirector, Public Safety

That correct. Through the worship? That's correct. Their lease to anthem properties that manages the retail end and. It's for their retail customers. Okay. And just a question with that,

followed up

Like, say if there's free parking that we did there an additional 30 stalls. Is it pretty much the same if we did that and 30 stalls potentially at Bastion? Is it the same to administer it, or would you have to have enforcement change their approach in two locations.

David LaBerge

answeredDirector, Public Safety

Like, does it complicate things? I think from an enforcement perspective, the simplest approach for staff would to be to allocate. Certain levels of the bastion parcade because we can demarcate it because it's much less busy than harborfront and part of. The Naimo parcades. We have a lot of different users, the hotels, the credit union, the port theater. The conference center itself. So at certain times, it gets very busy with a lot of different user groups. Bastion street administration. We do have monthly passholders. Would be much more straightforward. Solution for enforcement and for staff. Okay. Thanks

followed up

For that. And just speaking of the motion. On Commercial street this evening and. Ask the owner there. What's it been like with the construction has been impacted and the first thing is that there has been an impact. And the second word out of us most was parking. And. I think there's going to be an improvement down there. And he also said he's looking forward in the eight months done because he's excited to what it's going to do, but this interim impact. Is noticeable, and we've got to do, I think, everything that we can to support the businesses that we're ultimately trying to help out with the changes. So. I'm a little bit tentative. I think having additional parking at the bashing street is good for free, but I'm concerned. It's not as favorable of a spot that people would like to use compared to. The port of Nanaimo when attached to the conference center parcade, but I'm willing to support this motion now and see the impacts of it, and I think it'll be really appreciated this effort. And, yeah, let people know there's more free parking downtown and come down and do your shopping

Councillor Erin Hemmens
Yes

asked

Thank you very much, Councillor Hemmens. Thank you, worship. Related to the financial piece. So in the report, it's noted that. There will be a monthly revenue loss of approximately $5,000 for those 60 stalls. What? Is the cost of the signage. And do we anticipate needing greater enforcement? I'm

David LaBerge

answeredDirector, Public Safety

thinking of ancillary cost. Through his worship. I assume that the signers will probably be several hundred dollars. We already have enforcement officers that are patrolling these facilities. Anyways, if we segregate it, into. A couple. Of levels of the bastion parcade. That they're segregated is actually pretty easy enforcement piece. It's just a matter of timing at intervals, so I don't think there'd be a big demand. On our staff. The loss revenue is just as it is. Parking is actually very inexpensive in our downtown parcades. $0.75 for 2 hours in the bash and park. Eight it is. Free in the evenings, on weekends as well. I figured

followed up

that was the answer. Thank you. Some general comments, I would be curious. For next year, having Councillor Explore. Free parking in the downtown core for the month of December. And I'm just putting that on the table. As we now have a mechanism to do it, I think it would be a really interesting piece. To drive business downtown. The comments around. The validation piece and recognizing that the city wouldn't take this on, but that downtown businesses could. Has that been floated with the DNBia and has there been any interest. Through your worship? I don't. Who can

David LaBerge

answeredDirector, Public Safety

best answer that? I think it's been. General conversation, and I think where that arose was. If Councillor wanted to pursue an auction. In one of the other parcades. It might be a simpler solution to have them validate. As opposed to us. Trying to determine who the free parkers were among all the other permit holders. I don't. Know that it ever elevated to the point of an actual discussion with the BIA. We suspect that probably that might be problematic because they have a very light administrative staff.