TOWN OF WHITBY REPORT R E C O M M E N D A T I O N R E P O R T REPORT TO: Planning and Development Committee REPORT NO: PL 81-09 DATE OF MEETING: September 8, 2009 FILE NO(S): Z-04-08 PREPARED BY: Planning/Public Works Joint Report LOCATION: Town of Whitby REPORT TITLE/SUBJECT: Parking Study to Review and Update Zoning Standards and Provisions Presentation of Consultant's Final Recommendations 1.0 RECOMMENDATION: 1. That Planning/Public Works Joint Report Item No. PL 81-09 summarizing the consultant's findings and final recommendations regarding the Parking Study be received for information; and, 2. That the consultant's final report be referred back to staff for a subsequent report to the Planning and Development Committee outlining recommendations for amendments to the Town’s Zoning By-laws. 2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The purpose of this report is to allow the Parking Study consultant to present a summary of the final report and recommendations resulting from the study process. The consultant’s recommendations are outlined in the Executive Summary included in this report as Attachment #1. The areas addressed include the following: Development of New Town-Wide Parking Standards Accessible Parking Requirements Commercial and Recreational Vehicle Parking in Residential Areas Design Related Standards and Guidelines The results of the study will provide the information necessary to update the parking standards and provisions in the Town's Zoning By-laws.
Report to: Planning and Development Committee Report No.: PL 81-09 Page 2 of 10 3.0 ORIGIN: In December 2007, Council retained MMM Group Limited (MMM) to undertake a Parking Study and make recommendations to update the Town's Zoning By-law parking standards and provisions. The Project Manager for MMM is Ms. Geri Kozorys- Smith, a professional planner with 31 years experience in the planning and parking field. 4.0 BACKGROUND: The Study was administered through a Technical Steering Committee (TSC) made up of staff from various departments. The consultant's Work Plan involved the following activities: Activity 1: Project Initiation Meeting (Meeting No. 1) Activity 2: Familiarization with Background Material Activity 3: Consultation (Round 1) Activity 4: Surveys of Other Municipalities Activity 5: Interim Findings/Steering Committee Meeting (Meeting No. 2) Activity 6: Analysis of Survey of Other Municipalities Activity 7: Resident Interviews Activity 8: Parking Utilization Surveys Activity 9: Parking Survey Summary Activity 10: Background Study Report Activity 11: Steering Committee Meeting (Meeting No. 3) Activity 12: Assessment of Parking Standards Activity 13: Options Report/Steering Committee Meeting (Meeting No. 4) Activity 14: Consultation (Round II) Activity 15: Draft Report Activity 16: Steering Committee Meeting (Meeting No. 5) Activity 17: Consideration of Input Received/Final Options Report Activity 18: Final Presentation This Work Plan provided a systematic methodology to ensure that the basic study components of Background and Analysis, Options and Alternatives and finally Recommendations were covered in the study process. Activities 1 through 18 will be complete upon the consultant's presentation of the study findings and final recommendations to the Planning and Development Committee. Due to the length of the Parking Study final report, it is not attached to this report, however the document may be reviewed in the Planning Department.
Report to: Planning and Development Committee Report No.: PL 81-09 Page 3 of 10 5.0 DISCUSSION/OPTIONS: The last comprehensive amendment related to parking standards and provisions in the Town’s Zoning By-laws was in 1981. Since then the Town has reviewed and implemented specific parking standards incrementally over the years to address issues and accommodate changing requirements. As a result, there are different definitions, standards and provisions related to parking for various land uses across the Town. The purpose of the Study was to examine the off-street parking standards for all land uses. The Study investigated specific issues like the parking of commercial and recreational vehicles in residential areas. The Study also examined certain design standards such as parking space size, parking space size within private garages in low and medium density ground related dwellings, driveway and aisle widths, and the setback between a garage and the lot line. The objective is to implement a consistent and contemporary updated set of parking standards and provisions throughout the Town. 6.0 PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS/PLAN: Notice of the subject meeting was advertised in the newspaper, posted on the Town's website and a direct mailing to interested parties and stakeholders was also undertaken. Public and stakeholder communication was an integral part of the Study process. The first round of public and stakeholder consultation (Activity 3) occurred on February 21, 2008 as part of the information gathering phase of the Study. The stakeholders’ group included representatives from School Boards, Whitby Chamber of Commerce, Accessibility Advisory Committee, BILD, Durham Region Homebuilders Association, active developers/builders (eg. Liza Homes, Sorbara/Tribute Holdings) and local recreational groups (eg. Whitby Iroquois Soccer). Attachment #2 to this report reflects the input received at the Stakeholders’ Meeting. Attachment #3 outlines the input received at the Public Meeting. The next round of public consultation (Activity 14) occurred on November 24, 2008. This involved an Open House and Public Meeting format with the consultant presenting a summary of the analysis to date and draft recommendations of the Study in order to receive Planning and Development Committee comment and further public input. Attachment #4 to this report outlines the consultant’s notes from the meeting. Attachment #5 is an extract related to the Parking Study from the minutes of the Planning and Development Committee for the November 24, 2008 meeting.
Report to: Planning and Development Committee Report No.: PL 81-09 Page 4 of 10 7.0 CONSIDERATIONS: A. PUBLIC Since the notice of the Open House and Public Meeting held on November 24, 2008, a number of written submissions from the public have been received. These submissions predominantly deal with the pros and cons of the parking of commercial and recreational vehicles in residential areas. A brief summary of the comments from the correspondence is outlined below. Attachment #6(a) – David Harries, 17 Wetherburn Drive long time Town resident who moved to Williamsburg subdivision in the Rossland Road and Country Lane area in 2003; no initial parking issues currently experiencing day and/or evening on-street parking due to residents’ lack of ability to park vehicles in private garages because garage is used for storage, tenant parking related to accessory apartments, lack of adequate driveway parking space parking situation adversely influences streetscape appearance, and poses a potential safety issue need consistent diligent tagging program Attachment #6(b) – Elizabeth Croft, 10 Fabrizio Court complaint about a large boat parked next door and hopes the study will address this issue Attachment #6(c)(i) & (ii) – Terence Abreo, 112 Gartshore Drive complaint about a 7.62m (25 ft) motor home parked on the curb at 110 Gartshore Drive every weekend in the summer the truck/van parked in the driveway pose a safety issue complaint about a pop-up trailer parked at 114 Gartshore Drive too close to property line; should be a minimum 2m setback to property line pop-up trailers should not be allowed to be open for more than 1 day and only parked for 3 months in summer not 6 months only recreational vehicles that fit in a garage should be allowed to park on a driveway there should be a height limit on recreational vehicles similar to the height limit proposed for commercial vehicles motor homes should not be allowed to park on a driveway since they are generally the same height as commercial vehicles that are proposed to be prohibited due to height the size of these recreational vehicles adjacent to our property are a safety issue
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