DBIA requests 2 hour free parking, continued free evening and weekend parking and avoiding traditional meters

The Transportation Committee heard a deputation from the Belleville Downtown BIA regarding the City’s Parking Study. The deputation requested that
the City:

• Introduce a 2-hour free parking window in downtown parking lots.
• Continue offering free evening and weekend parking.
• Avoid reinstalling traditional parking meters on Front Street.

The BDIA acknowledged the recommendation to increase the hourly rate for downtown parking from $1.00 to $1.50, but wanted this change paired with the implementation of a 2-hour free parking period in all downtown surface lots. When asked, they confirmed that this recommendation was only directed to the surface parking lots and not to on street parking.

Jurisdictional scan

Staff reviewed on-street parking approaches in other Ontario municipalities. The scan found that while some municipalities do provide 2 hours of
free parking, this is not widespread. Of the 15 examples identified, 7 offered 2-hour free parking in the downtown core. Of those 7, 3 were in communities where parking is always free. This suggests that a 2-hour free option is not a dominant practice but is also not without precedent. Belleville would not be alone in exploring such a model and financial implications are provided in the Paradigm memo.

Consultant report

2 hour free parking

Implementing the 2 hour free parking in downtown lots is estimated to reduce total annual revenues for hourly parking in lots to approximately $125,700 – representing $83,018 in lost revenue compared to today, and $165,318 in lost revenue compared to the projections prepared as part of the parking study.

Free evening and weekend parking

Our report recommendations did not suggest any change to the current free parking offered on weekends in the City.

The City currently does not charge for parking after 5:00 pm on weekdays, but a strict reading of the parking by-law actually prohibits parking in lots after 5:00pm, except for those lots with designated overnight parking (Riggs and Riverside Lots) which is permitted between 6:00 pm and 8:00 am.

Adopting a policy of free evening parking could undermine the ability to implement the overnight parking permit program, which was estimated to generate revenues of $30,800 in Phase 1 of the implementation program. Additional enforcement costs for evening enforcement may be required if the overnight permit parking program is retained.

Avoid reinstalling traditional parking meters of front street

The BDIA presentation noted that the old style parking meters on Front Street were removed during the Build Belleville Project and reinstalling them to allow for introduction of paid parking would be counter-productive and result in a negative impact on the streetscape and visitor experience. They note that modern alternatives, like HotSpot are already in use in Belleville and should be the primary method of payment if paid parking on Front Street is to be reinstated.

Eliminating the need for new pay and display machines on Front Street would generate capital cost savings of approximately $240,000 (although new revenues would cover this expense within 2 years). Relying solely on online payment for this on street parking is likely to increase payment avoidance, require increased enforcement costs, and has the potential to exclude a number of users from being able to use the on street spaces on Front Street and could result in significant impacts to the user experience.