Construction parking continues to plague Richmond residential neighbourhoods.
So, city council approved a pilot project in the Spires Road neighbourhood – currently the site of multiple construction projects – to see if they can bring parking under control.
The City of Richmond has a three-hour limit on street parking, but enforcing this is a cumbersome process for city staff.
Having a temporary “residents only” parking system near construction zones – something that can be monitored by the city’s licence plate recognition system – would make it easier to enforce, city staff explained in a report to council.
Coun. Alexa Loo argued against the pilot, saying it would create problems for guests of residents who'd be shut out of on-street parking.
“We don’t really have a problem in most neighbourhoods,” Loo said, adding the one problem has been the Spires Road neighbourhood.
This area is currently being redeveloped from a single-family area to a multi-family area with townhouses and low-rise apartment buildings.
“In most neighbourhoods, we’re not having major construction issues, just this particular neighbourhood has been one and that is why there’s been more sensitivity around it,” Loo said.
But Coun. Michael Wolfe argued there are other neighbourhoods, for example, Hamilton, which have a lot of on-going construction causing parking issues.
McNulty, who supported the pilot project, claimed the situation in the Spires Road area, while better now, was a “disaster” for 18 months. The issue, he said, was a “livability” issue.
Furthermore, he added, he’d like to see large signage with a city contact phone number that residents can call when they have parking and other construction-related issues.
“I hope council will have some resident empathy for people’s quality of life,” he said.
The cost of the temporary traffic/parking program would be paid for by the construction contractor.
The city would charge the contractor $100 per single-family home affected.
The pilot project was approved by city council.
