By the end of this year, St. Albert may have a residential parking pass pilot program in some high-conflict areas; the hospital and some local schools.
Council unanimously approved a motion directing administration to establish a pilot program for council approval by the end of 2016, focusing on three specific areas: near the hospital, near Bellerose Composite High School, and near St. Albert Catholic High School.
But administration may have little research to back up the plan. Immediately before approving the pilot program for $14,000, council narrowly rejected a similar motion calling for a $30,000 best-practices study to be completed in early 2018.
“While there’s a lot of details to be ironed out, the only way to really know how to do this is to get started and see how it works,” Coun. Sheena Hughes, who brought forward the pilot program motion. “Anything else will be further delays and talking about it.”
Mayor Nolan Crouse, along with councillors Cathy Heron and Wes Brodhead, favoured the study arguing there was benefit in getting a solid idea of what other municipalities had experienced to understand all the ramifications of residential parking passes.
“I don’t think it’s $30,000 poorly spent,” Brodhead said. “I think this is good money we’re going to get good information from, and we can implement this program.”
Councillors Bob Russell and Cam MacKay opposed the study, arguing it wasn’t needed to get a pilot program going and the money would be best spend elsewhere.
Coun. Tim Osborne said he was opposed to the study because it was important to get this program going as soon as possible, and waiting a year and half for a study to come back would be too long.
But despite not having a best-practices study in hand, councillors were all supportive of seeing the pilot program go ahead, but some did express hesitation about what it would mean.
Interim city manager Chris Jardine confirmed there are limited staff resources available, and coming up with a parking pass pilot program would mean some efforts with respect to traffic calming and implementation of measures called for in the Safe Journeys to Schools report would be delayed.
Brodhead said he was concerned council was “handing administration a nightmare” without a best practice strategy, but nonetheless voted to move forward.
“Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet, and if you get burned you get burned,” he said. “Nonetheless, we’re responding to the requests of residents.”
One such resident, Lynda Holden, addressed councillors before they debated the issue, saying the situation on Michener Place is very difficult for residents to deal with and asking council to “rectify a long-overdue concern of the taxpayer.”
In response to parking concerns, the city implemented no-parking zones during school hours, but this has caused many problems – contractors and visitors who park on the crescent are often ticketed, despite having legitimate business at a residence.
“I really believe we can work together to solve this issue,” she said.
Affected streets
Near St. Albert Catholic High School: Michener Place, Marion Crescent and most of Malmo Avenue.<br />Near the hospital: Ellesmere Drive, Eastbourne Close, Evans Place, Elmwood Place, Eton Terrace, Ellis Court, Edgemont Point and Invermere Place.<br />Near Bellerose Composite High School: Dunfield Crescent, DeSevigny Place, Duvall Court and Darwell Terrace.
