Amendments to Parking Meter Operation

on Spadina Avenue, Between Queen Street

and Spadina Crescent.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee recommends the adoption of the report (March 27, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead, Transportation.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Interim Functional Lead, Transportation, to submit a report to the Urban Environment and Development Committee regarding the parking meters which are activated on Sundays.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee submits the following report (March 27, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead, Transportation:

Purpose:

To extend the hours of parking meter operation on Spadina Avenue, between Queen Street and Spadina Crescent, to encompass evenings, Sundays and Public Holidays.

Funding Sources:

All costs associated with the proposed changes to the parking meter operation are contained in the Transportation Department's 1998 Current Budget estimates.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the parking regulations listed in Appendix 1 of this report be rescinded;

(2)the parking regulations listed in Appendix 2 of this report be enacted; and

(3)the appropriate by-laws be amended accordingly.

Background:

At its meeting of September 25, 1997, the Metropolitan Council had before it Clause No. 23 of Report No. 19 of The Metropolitan Planning and Transportation Committee, entitled "Proposed Increase to Parking Meter Rate on Spadina Avenue, from Queen Street West to Spadina Crescent". This report contained a recommendation that meter rates on Spadina Avenue, from Queen Street West to Spadina Crescent, be increased from $1.00 per hour to $4.00 per hour. This rate was requested by the former City of Toronto Council.

The Metropolitan Council approved this report after amending the recommendation as follows:

"the parking meter rate on Spadina Avenue between Queen Street West and Spadina Crescent be increased from the present rate of $1.00 per hour to $2.00 per hour".

In a supplementary report Toronto City Council, at its meeting held on September 22-23, 1997, adopted, as amended, Clause No. 55 of Report No. 11 of The City Services Committee, entitled "Increase in Parking Meter Rates - Spadina Avenue from Queen Street West to Spadina Crescent (Ward 5)", which recommended as follows:

(1)that the Metropolitan Corporation be requested to authorize the adjustment of the "Parking Meter Operational Hours" of the existing parking meters on both sides of Spadina Avenue, from Queen Street West to Spadina Crescent East and West, to encompass evenings, Sundays and Public Holidays at the rate of $4.00 per hour, as follows:

(a)Spadina Avenue from Queen Street to College Street:

(i)from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., daily, for a maximum period of one hour; and

(ii)from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., daily, for a maximum period of three hours;

(b)on the east side of Spadina Avenue, from College Street to Spadina Crescent East:

(i)from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, for a maximum period of one hour;

(ii)from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, for a maximum period of two and a half hours;

(iii)from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, for a maximum period of one hour; and

(iv)from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, for a maximum period of three hours; and

(c)on the west side of Spadina Avenue, from College Street to Spadina Crescent West:

(i)from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, for a maximum period of one hour:

(ii)from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, for a maximum period of three hours;

(iii)from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, for a maximum period of one hour; and

(iv)from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, for a maximum period of three hours.

This report deals with the request to extend the hours of parking meter operation on Spadina Avenue, between Queen Street West and Spadina Crescent, to encompass evenings, Sundays and Public Holidays. As indicated, the rate issue was dealt with by the former Metropolitan Council on September 25, 1997.

Discussion:

Spadina Avenue, between Queen Street West and Spadina Crescent, is a four-lane, north-south roadway. All of the existing metered parking on Spadina Avenue from Queen Street West to College Street is contained in parking bays, and is therefore exempt from the peak period parking regulations on Spadina Avenue. On this section of Spadina Avenue parking is permitted between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday at a rate of $2.00 per hour. The parking meters on the east side of Spadina Avenue, from College Street to Spadina Crescent East, are subject to the "No Stopping" regulation from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., while the parking meters on the west side are regulated by "No Stopping" from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m..

Presently, three-hour parking is permitted free of charge during evenings, Sundays and Public Holidays on Spadina Avenue, between Queen Street West and Spadina Crescent.

The parking meters on the subject section of Spadina Avenue are extensively used during all periods of the day and evening primarily because of the commercial and entertainment destinations on the street.

The extension of the parking meter operation to include evenings, Sundays and Public Holidays would encourage parking turnover, and assist in enforcement of the time limit, in this area of high parking demand. This will not jeopardize the operational efficiency or safety of the street.

The extended hours of operation of parking meters to include evenings, and/or Sundays and/or Public Holidays has been implemented in the past on the major arterials and other streets listed in Appendix 3 of this report

Conclusion:

The proposed extension of the parking meter operation will not negatively impact traffic operations on Spadina Avenue, between Queen Street West and Spadina Crescent.

Contact Name:

Ms. Jacqueline White, Acting Manager, Central Traffic Region, 397-5021.

Appendix 1

Regulations to be Rescinded

Parking Meters

Parking for Restricted Periods

(Schedule X of Uniform Traffic By-law)

Appendix 2

Regulations to be Enacted

Parking Meters

Parking for Restricted Periods

(Schedule X of Uniform Traffic By-law)

Appendix 3

Parking Meters that Operate Evenings and/or Sundays and/or Public Holidays

A list of roadways within the City of Toronto that have parking meters that operate during evening hours and/or on Sundays and/or Public Holidays is as follows:

Former Metro Roads:

Adelaide Street

Spadina Road

Former City of Toronto Roads:

Gerrard Street East

King Street West

Sherbourne Street

Lower Sherbourne Street

Spadina Road

The Esplanade

St. George Street

Cumberland Street

Scollard Street

Asquith Avenue

Augusta Avenue

Baldwin Street

Bedford Road

Christie Street

Dupont Street

Geary Avenue

McAlpine Street

Murray Street

Prince Arthur Avenue

Walker Avenue

Wilton Street

Former City of York Roads:

Buttonwood Avenue (Hospital location)

Church Street

Pine Street

Woodward Avenue

(A copy of the location plan, which was appended to the foregoing report, has been forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the April 20, 1998 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee, and a copy thereof is also on file in the office of the City Clerk.)