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3. ON-STREET PARKING REGULATIONS - SOMERSET CHINATOWN BIA
Règlements sur le stationnement sur rue ZAC du quartier chinois Somerset
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COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
That Council approve that the current temporary conditions of allowing for free on-street parking on Saturdays on Somerset Street between Bronson and Preston Streets be extended until January 2012.
RECOMMANDATION DU COMMITTEE
Que le Conseil approuve de prolonger jusqu’en janvier 2012 les conditions actuelles temporaires permettant le stationnement sur rue gratuit les samedis rue Somerset, entre les rues Bronson et Preston.
Documentation
1. Councillor Diane Holmes’ report dated 18 January 2011 (ACS2011-CCS-TRC-0002)
and Council / et au Conseil
18 January 2011 / le 18 janvier 2011
Submitted by/Soumis par : Diane Holmes, Councillor/Conseiller
Somerset (14)
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Diane Holmes, Councillor, Somerset Ward
(613) 580-2484, diane.holmes@ottawa.ca
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Ref N°: ACS2011-CCS-TRC-0002 |
SUBJECT: |
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OBJET : |
Règlements sur le stationnement sur rue ZAC du quartier chinois Somerset |
REPORT RECOMMENDATION
That Transportation Committee recommend to Council that the current temporary conditions of allowing for free on-street parking on Saturdays on Somerset Street between Bronson and Preston Streets be extended until January 2012.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité des transports recommande au Conseil de prolonger jusqu’en janvier 2012 les conditions actuelles temporaires permettant le stationnement sur rue gratuit les samedis rue Somerset, entre les rues Bronson et Preston.
BACKGROUND
The Somerset Chinatown Business Improvement Association (BIA) has been diligently working to revitalize this commercial neighbourhood with a number of initiatives including the construction of the Chinatown Gateway.
During the construction, which involved a road closure of Somerset Street at Bronson, the City of Ottawa extended free Saturday on-street parking to the area from May 31, 2010 to October 31, 2010.
Since May 31, 2010, the BIA has reported increased commercial activity even with the road closure in effect and attributes the increase in business to the free Saturday parking. The BIA is interested in continuing this free on-street parking provision until staff can analyse the parking patterns on the street.
This increase in business is in contrast to the months previous, where the Somerset Chinatown businesses reported significant losses including one business closure following the opening of a major suburban Asian supermarket in November 2009.
The Somerset Chinatown BIA has noted that restoring paid Saturday on-street parking would make for an inconsistent parking arrangement within the Somerset Chinatown BIA on Somerset Street (Bay to Preston Street). The regulation would allow for free on-street parking on Saturdays in two blocks of Somerset Street (from Bay St to Bronson Ave.), and paid Saturday parking on Somerset in the rest of the BIA area (Bronson Ave. to Preston St).
The BIA has also noted that all the surrounding BIAs in the ward, including the Preston BIA, Bank St. BIA and Somerset Village BIA, allow for no-cost on-street parking on Saturdays. This area (between Bronson and Preston on Somerset Street ) in the Chinatown BIA is the only area in Centertown that has to pay for parking on Saturdays.
Additionally, the BIAs to the west on Somerset Street include Wellington West BIA and Westboro BIA which enjoy unmetered no-cost parking at all times.
As a result, the BIA believes that the discrepancy in parking regulations as compared to other areas, coupled with the attraction of free parking at suburban grocery stores catering to the same market, is a disadvantage and artificially restricts the ability of the commercial area to flourish.
There are no rural implications as a result of this report.
The Dalhousie Community Association has been advised of the details of this report.
Public Works Department
Staff recognize that there are currently differences with respect to paid on-street parking on Saturdays in the Somerset Chinatown BIA. This has been in place for a number of years, pre-dating the Parking Management Strategy.
The Municipal Parking Management Strategy (ACS2009-COS-PWS-0009), approved by Council in 2009, includes comprehensive guidelines relating to setting parking rates (based on peak parking utilization). In addition, the process for reviewing parking in detail is the Council-approved Local Area Parking Study process, which represents a comprehensive review of parking conditions. Such a study is currently included in the Parking, Operations, Maintenance and Development Branch Workplan, and tentatively scheduled for 2012.
Staff support the recommendation to extend Saturday free on-street parking in the Somerset Chinatown BIA to January 2012, as a temporary measure until a comprehensive Local Area Parking Study can be scheduled, to assess localized parking conditions and provide recommendations with respect to parking rates, consistent with the Parking Management Strategy.
Community Sustainability Department
The Community Sustainability Department (Economic Development Branch) is supportive of the recommendations of this report, noting that Chinatown is a cultural tourist destination and that customers of the businesses in Chinatown often travel by automobile from greater distances than other similar downtown districts. The recommendations contained in this report will temporarily eliminate an inconsistency in the parking arrangement within the Somerset Chinatown BIA on Somerset Street that otherwise would have allowed for free on-street parking on Saturdays in two blocks of Somerset Street (from Bay St. to Bronson Ave.), and paid Saturday parking on Somerset in the rest of the BIA area (Bronson Ave. to Preston St.).
Councillor Holmes is supportive of this request which will make the on-street paid parking regulations consistent with other nearby BIA and commercial areas.
There are no legal/risk management impediments to implementing the recommendation in this report.
N/A
As noted by Public Works the financial for extending free parking on Saturdays on Somerset Street West between Bronson and Preston Streets would be $49,000 annually.
Staff to implement the decision of City Council.
ON-STREET PARKING REGULATIONS - SOMERSET CHINATOWN BIA
Règlements sur le stationnement sur rue ZAC du quartier chinois Somerset
ACS2011-CCS-TRC-0002 SOMERSET (14)
Councillor Bloess recognized that the exemption that was given to this particular area last year was supposed to be temporary, noting there are well known studies that indicate that free parking should not be provided in areas (such as this) where there is a quick turnover of vehicles. Given the pressure on the City’s budget, he could not support the staff recommendation.
The Committee received the following public delegations speaking in support of the staff report:
Grace Xin, Somerset Street Chinatown BIA made the following comments:
· parking fees, along with excessive by-law enforcement, create a very unwelcoming environment, thus deterring customers and hurting the businesses’ competitiveness
· Chinatown is struggling due to the demographic change of its traditional clientele and strong competition from businesses in the suburbs, which offer free parking
· Extending free parking will result in loss of revenue for the municipality, but it is the only area in centretown that does not have free parking on Saturdays
· If businesses cannot afford to operate and pay their property taxes, that would result in a net loss to the City’s revenues
She thanked staff for their understanding and willingness to find a solution to resolve this issue.
When asked by Councillor Clark why this area is the only one that does not enjoy the free parking on Saturdays, John Moser, General Manager, Planning and Growth Management explained that there is a disparity there and it is an old practice in the City. Staff do not want to prejudge the results of the parking study and are therefore recommending extending the free parking on Saturdays until 2012. They also recognize the economic challenges for the businesses in that area.
Peter Yeung, property owner, Somerset Street explained that Somerset Street has transformed into an affluent neighbourhood over the last 10 years and is home to many professionals. As the neighbourhood transitioned, so did the businesses in the area. However, new businesses who may be looking to set up in Chinatown, are finding it difficult to establish roots because it does not offer free parking on Saturdays. He was seeking equality with other commercial districts in centretown.
That Transportation Committee recommend to Council that the current temporary conditions of allowing for free on-street parking on Saturdays on Somerset Street between Bronson and Preston Streets be extended until January 2012.
CARRIED, with Councillor R. Bloess dissenting