City of Kamloops seeking feedback on residential parking permit program

“This first phase of engagement is an opportunity for residents to tell us what is working, what challenges they experience and what we should consider as we look at the future of the program.”

The existing residential parking permit program is in effect on some downtown streets where eligible vehicles can remain parked for up to 48 hours at a time as they’re exempt from the posted two-hour parking limits.

Speaking to CFJC, Beatty said the program needs to be reviewed as demand for on-street parking continues to increase, especially downtown and in the Tranquille Corridor. As Kamloops grows and demand for on-street parking increases, expanding permit areas also creates additional administrative and enforcement requirements that existing budgets cannot accommodate.

“We’re noting spaces like the North Shore that could potentially have on-street payable parking, and when that comes, that generally comes with a spill over to residential neighbourhoods for folks trying to avoid paying for parking in business districts,” Beatty said.

“Our current residential parking permit program doesn’t really capture the North Shore or any other area other than downtown, so right now we’re currently seeking feedback on what a holistic parking permit program could look like for the City of Kamloops.”

Beatty said the consultation will be focused in three areas – downtown, Valleyview and the North Shore, as the review will also consider broader changes affecting parking demand in Kamloops. An example, he said, was provincial legislation that prevents the city from requiring minimum parking amounts from developments within 400 metres of current and future transit exchanges.

That legislation, Beatty noted, could have more of an impact around the Lansdowne and North Shore transit exchanges and the future transit exchange in Valleyview.

“If [developments are] in that transit-oriented areas, our current residential parking program would allow for folks like that to be a part of that residential parking permit and that’s where that discussion needs to be had,” Beatty said.

“Do folks who live in those spaces, do they have the right to be able to solicit the city in those circumstances or should we be going down the path of making sure that there is enough parking for development in the city?”

People will be able to have their say online until Nov. 29 or at ‘Have Your Say Day‘ on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Sandman Centre. Feedback specific to downtown will be collected in person at 12:00 p.m., with the North Shore at 1:00 p.m. and Valleyview at 2:00 p.m. that Saturday.

The findings of this review are expected to be presented in the first three months of next year, at which point residents will be able to provide further input on potential solutions to address the issues in Kamloops.

“There are a magnitude of programs that are out there and we’re taking a look at a lot them,” Beatty said. “You know Nanaimo, Kelowna, West Kelowna – various other communities that we’re also doing some market research on what their programs look like.”

More information about the residential parking permit program in Kamloops can be found here.

by Victor Kaisar

City of Kamloops seeking feedback on residential parking permit program

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