STAFF REPORT

January 26, 2000

To: Toronto Community Council

From: Director, Transportation Services District 1

Subject: College Street, fronting Premises No. 864 - Proposed Commercial Loading Zone.

(Trinity-Niagara - Ward 20)

Purpose:

To report on a request from the tenant of Premises No. 864 College Street, for the implementation of a Commercial Loading Zone at this address.

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Comments:

On behalf of the management of Chiado Restaurant, Premises No. 864 College Street, Trinity-Niagara Councillors Joe Pantalone and Mario Silva have requested that Transportation Services' staff report to the Toronto Community Council on the feasibility of implementing a Commercial Loading Zone fronting Premises No. 864 College Street.

Parking (controlled by ten parking meters) is permitted on the north side of College Street, between Concord Avenue and Delaware Avenue, for a maximum period of two hours from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and for a maximum period of three hours from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Friday; for a maximum period of two hours from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and for a maximum period of three hours from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday; and for a maximum period of three hours from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sunday. Stopping is prohibited from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. At other times, parking is permitted for a maximum period of three hours.

Transportation Services' staff have investigated establishing a Commercial Loading Zone fronting Premises No. 864 College Street. One parking meter stall would have to be removed. The following is also noted:

(a) Premises No. 864 College Street (Chiado Restaurant) would be responsible for all incurred costs associated with the installation of a Commercial Loading Zone fronting the property;

(b) A Commercial Loading Zone is a public facility, which may be used by anyone for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading passengers and/or merchandise;

(c) No one, including the applicant, has exclusive rights to the Commercial Loading Zone or is permitted to park a vehicle at anytime in such a facility. Accordingly, should any vehicle appear to be parked, it would be subject to immediate tagging and/or towing;

(d) No loading or unloading of merchandise can take place in the Commercial Loading Zone during the "No Stopping" period (from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday); and

(e) The installation of a Commercial Loading Zone requires the approval of City Council and, in situations where metered spaces must be removed, the applicant is required to reimburse the City for an amount equivalent to the annual loss of revenue which would have been generated, in this instance, by parking meters.

In addition, many similar establishments throughout the City are located mid-block and do not have access to loading alternative.

The current hours of operation of the parking meters fronting Premises No. 864 College Street are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Friday; from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturdays; and from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sundays, at a rate of $1.00 per hour. The annual fee for a Commercial Loading Zone at this location based on lost parking meter revenue would be $3,952.00 per metered space required (as noted above, one metered space would have to be removed), in addition to a one-time fee of $150.00 for the removal of the parking meter and post, payable to the Toronto Parking Authority.

Additionally, there is a yearly licencing fee of $225.00 (the fee is subject to yearly review by City Council) and a one-time fee of $120.00 for the installation of signs and posts, to be billed by the City of Toronto, Transportation Services.

Should Toronto Community Council wish to proceed with the implementation of a Commercial Loading Zone fronting Premises No. 864 College Street, the following recommendations should be adopted:

(1) That parking be prohibited on the north side of College Street, from Concord Avenue to a point 19 metres west;

(2) That an annual fee for lost parking metre revenue in the amount of $3,952.00 be payable to the Toronto Parking Authority;

(3) That a one-time fee of $150.00 for the removal of the parking meter and post be payable to the Toronto Parking Authority;

(4) That a yearly licencing fee of $225.00 (the fee subject to yearly review by Toronto City Council), be billed by the City of Toronto, Transportation Services;

(5) That a one-time fee of $120.00 for the installation of signs and posts, be billed by the City of Toronto, Transportation Services; and

(6) That the appropriate City Officials be requested to take whatever action is necessary to give effect thereto, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that are required.

Councillors Joe Pantalone and Mario Silva, in their joint letter dated December 8, 1999, requested the annual fees associated with the proposed Commercial Loading Zone be waived. In this regard, I note that there is a posted "No Parking" area directly to the east of the subject property which allows legal loading and unloading within close proximity of the aforementioned property (approximately 5 metres further to the east than the requested Commercial Loading Zone). This area is currently being used for commercial loading, and if the request for the Commercial Loading Zone were to be refused, there would be no lost revenue costs charged to the proprietors at Premises No. 864 College Street nor would there be a loss of a parking meter space in an area where parking availability is at a premium. However, if the proprietor at Premises No. 864 College Street wishes to have the convenience of a loading area directly in front of his building, rather than to continue his loading activities in the existing parking prohibited area located approximately 5 metres to the east of his property, he should be prepared to incur all the costs noted above.

Contact:

Bob Runnings, Traffic Investigator

Telephone: (416) 392-7771

Fax: (416) 392-0816

E-mail: rrunning@toronto.ca

Director.

RJR/br

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