Slight changes are coming for downtown parking as Prince George city council passed the first three readings for an amendment to the parking and traffic bylaw.
One of the changes would be clarification on the timed parking zone restrictions by removing reference to 'cumulative' and outlining the time starts from the first time a vehicle was parked in the block or zone.
Fred Crittenden, city manager of bylaw services, says these are concerns that are routinely part of disputes and clarifying them should result in less confusion.
“Certainly, whenever you put something in place, there is a need for it to come back and see how it works," said Coun. Frank Everitt during Crittenden’s presentation at last night’s (Nov. 18) council meeting.
"When you talk about the cumulative hours in this project, I think a lot of the bite was with our community and so I look forward to seeing how this goes out. I think this is a great first step to recognize some of the issues.”
These amendments are coming forward because the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM) is ending the Commercial Vehicle Licensing program on Dec. 31.
UBCM has run the program since 1987, which was originally established to help municipalities offset expenses related to the use of local roads by commercial vehicles.
While the City of Prince George participated in the program, the only benefit identified by staff was the determination of which vehicles could use specifically marked loading zones or were exempt from timed parking restrictions.
Bylaw services have identified vehicles normally requiring the municipal decals to meet the exemption for timed parking zones and accessing some loading zones, and are recommending changes to the parking and traffic bylaw that will continue to provide those exemptions.
Vehicles recommended for exemption from timed parking restrictions include:
- Government vehicles being used to perform work requiring a vehicle
- Vehicles owned by Utility Company performing repairs or installation requiring a vehicle
- Emergency vehicles, commercial vehicles making a delivery or pick up
- Vehicles for hire, tow trucks, vehicles displaying a valid veterans license plate
- Vehicles displaying one of the following valid parking permits
- Disabled Parking Permits
- Residential Parking Permit for the zone it is parked in
- City Council Parking Permit; Freedom of the City Parking Permit
- Volunteer Parking Permit
- Special Parking Permit
The special parking permit will be made available to any social service agency or health care provider, at no cost, for the use of their staff or volunteers while providing services requiring the transportation of clients or patients to and from downtown or other locations having a posted time limit for parking.
The prohibition to parking in an alley or lane is also being amended to exempt all vehicles while they are actively being used for loading or unloading provided space for passage of other vehicles is left available.
There are also two new offences related to parking in a reserved stall without authorization, and parking a vehicle on a highway without license plates.
