In a move that’s going to hit commuters hardest, Victoria city staff are recommending boosting long-term parkade and parking lot rates in an effort to free up spaces for short-term users.
While the intent is to free up parking spaces for short-term users, the proposed fee increases have the potential to add $50,000 a month in parking revenue to city coffers.
Staff say they don’t expect to generate anywhere near that much, as the higher long-term rates are expected to be offset by lower usage.
“Given where we are now, I don’t think there’s an alternative,” said Coun. Geoff Young.
“We have an explicit policy of encouraging short-term use [of parkades] by shoppers; by clients of banks, lawyers, hairdressers etc. That’s what we’re reflecting in that policy and that’s why we have the first hour free and the escalating rates and why we charge a bit of a premium for the monthly parkers.”
In late 2014, the city made the first hour in parkades free and stopped charging after 6 p.m. in the hope of increasing use of parkades. Since then, parkade use is up 60 per cent, and while on-street parking availability has improved, city parkades are now typically full between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays.
Staff suggest continuing to offer the first hour free, charging $2 for the second and third hours, and boosting the rate to $3 per hour for the fourth hour and beyond. The daily maximum would increase to $14.50 for all city parkades except Yates Street, where it would be $16.
Parking is currently free for the first hour and $2 an hour after that to a maximum of $12 except for in the Yates parkade, where the maximum is $14.
Staff also recommend increasing monthly parking rates to bring them closer to the average $195 monthly fee charged by private parkades. Last time the long-term fees were adjusted was 2007.
Proposed monthly parkade rates are:
• Centennial Square — $150, up from $110
• Johnson Street — $170, up from $140
• Yates Street and Broughton Street — $200, up from $160
• View Street — $200, up from $175
The staff report says parkades were built for shoppers and visitors. While some commuters can be accommodated, there is not the capacity to accommodate everyone.
Of the 1,856 spaces, about 30 per cent are used by monthly parkers, leaving 70 per cent for daily parkers. Seventy-five per cent of the daily parkers stay less than three hours, 13 per cent stay three to seven hours and 12 per cent park all day.
Coun. Chris Coleman said the city has to start thinking about more parkades.
“I think the city should look at either on our own or in partnership building one or two more parkades because they are revenue generators,” Coleman said.
The city netted $9.95 million on parking operations in 2016 — almost $1.5 million more than it budgeted. Expenses were slightly more than budget but dropped slightly from 2015.
In addition to the parkade changes, staff are suggesting increases to city-owned surface lot charges. While the current $1.50 hourly fee (to a $10 maximum) at Royal Athletic Park would stay the same, the $70 monthly would increase to $100. At the Wharf Street and Royal Theatre lots, the hourly rate would increase to $2.50 from $2.25, and the daily maximum to $15 from $13.50. The monthly fee at Wharf Street is proposed to increase to $150 from $125. (There is no monthly parking at Royal Athletic Park.)
City staff are asking to be given more flexibility in setting street parking rates, giving them the ability to manage capacity “on a block-by-block” basis to ensure parking is available.
It’s suggested the fee at 20-minute meters be increased to $1 from 50 cents.
