Burlington Downtown Parking Advisory Committee Meeting

Minutes

Meeting #:
Date:	Thursday, September 16, 2021
Time:	8:30 A.m. - 10:30 A.m.
Location:	Virtual

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1.

Members Present:

Brian Dean (Chair), Andrew Pawlowsky, Barry Glazier, Jennifer Conforzi, Joe Gaetan, Kim Johnny, Natalie Pierre

2.

Member Regrets:

Kristene Smith, Susan Morrissey

3.

Others Present:

Councillor Lisa Kearns, Todd Evershed, Mike Weir, Steve Lucas, Kaylan Edgcumbe, Samantha Romlewski, Trevor Clark, Stephen Camm, Georgie Gartside (Clerk)

4.

Declarations of Interest:

None.

5.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair:

Georgie advised that the committee's Terms of Reference requires a Chair and Vice Chair to be elected until the end of the term (December 31, 2021) to fill the vacancies for both positions. Members are required to serve at least one year on the committee prior to assuming the role of Chair or Vice Chair. Georgie proceeded with the election.

On motion, Brian Dean and Andrew Pawlowsky were elected as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the Downtown Parking Committee until December 31, 2021.

At the January 2022 meeting, an election for both positions will take place again with the Chair and Vice Chair to serve a two-year term.

6.

Approval of Minutes:

6.1

Approve the minutes from the meeting held May 20, 2021

Moved by: Jennifer Conforzi

Carried, as amended, to remove "Kristene Smith" under Members present. Updated minutes attached.

7.

Consent Items:

The following two items will be discussed at the next meeting, with the current budget review being added to the regular agenda:

7.1

2020/2021 Current Budget Review

7.2

Monthly Permit Review/Occupancy Summary

8.

Regular Items:

8.1

Burlington's MTSA Project

Samantha Romlewski, Planner II, gave a presentation about the Major Transit Station Areas project. To stay up to date and to view the background report, visit and subscribe to the project page: https://www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/mtsa.

Steve Lucas, Transportation Planning Technologist, provided details on the connections between the Major Transit Station Areas and the Integrated Mobility Plan. To stay up to date and to view further details about the city's Integrated Mobility Plan, visit and subscribe to the project page: https://www.getinvolvedburlington.ca/imp.

Questions:

Is there a requirement by the Province or the Region of Halton for the city to update its Official Plan over a certain amount of time and how does that timeline align with the MTSA work?
Samantha advised that the city is required to review its Official Plan every five years. The new Official Plan was adopted late last year and is currently under appeal. The Region of Halton's Official Plan Amendment 48 was recently adopted and the city's Official Plan, including the MTSA work, must align to it. This will require some amendments to the city's Official Plan.

Do the provincial or regional policies include anything specific related to parking?
Steve said higher levels of government set out the policies related to transportation networks. The MTSA areas will have higher densities with mixed uses and the parking rates will differ inside and outside of the MTSA areas. Transportation staff are undertaking counts and studies to get an accurate value of how residents and businesses use these facilities. The parking rates will be determined later through the development of the MTSAs.

8.2

PXO crossings in downtown

Jeff Black, Manager of Traffic Operations and Signals, provided the following update electronically:

• Brant Street PXO implementation is complete
• Elgin Promenade PXOs (Elizabeth Street, Pearl Street, Martha Street) will be completed in conjunction with the Elgin Promenade construction

8.3

90 Minutes Free Parking

Brian provided the following information about the 90-minute free parking program:

• Last fall, the free parking in December program was discontinued for all downtown parking facilities
• BDBA members were asked what other programs they would like to see and the 90-minute free parking program was suggested
• A staff report was presented and approved by City Council in November 2020 to implement the 90-minute free parking program until April 20, 2021
• On April 20, 2021 Council approved a 6-month extension of the program and asked staff to report back in October 2021
• BDBA Board members are not interested in continuing the program

Kaylan Edgcumbe, Manager of Integrated Mobility, advised that staff will prepare a report for the November 9 Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee meeting recommending that the 90-minute free parking program be discontinued.

8.4

20 Minute Free Curbside Pick-up Program

Mike Weir, Downtown Parking Coordinator, said there are a lot of parking enforcement issues related to this program and asked the committee how they would like to proceed. 

Comments on the program:

• got the sense that it is a welcomed program
• well received and effective
• not advantageous and parking spots are being abused

The committee agreed to leave the program in place until the end of the year with a report back in Q1 of 2022 with the financial impact.

8.5

Parking Needs Assessment Update

Kaylan said the goal of the parking needs assessment is to help inform where a new parking structure would be needed. A planning study will be undertaken to see how people will be working post pandemic; will it be the traditional 9-5 workday or hybrid workplaces that allow more people to work from home. Parking pucks will need to be redeployed in the lots to gather data.

Kaylan will continue to keep the committee updated and this item will be added to the next agenda.

8.6

Downtown Development Updates

Todd Evershed, Urban Designer, provided the following development updates:

Regional Official Plan Amendment 48:

• adopted in July and looks at a regional urban structure
• downtown is no longer designated as an urban growth centre or MTSA; now designated as a regional node
• Provincial Minister still required to approve Regional Official Plan
• will have policy implications with respect to the city's new Official Plan and then the Zoning By-law

535 Brant Street:

• just south of No Frills plaza - includes Scotia Bank to Joe Dog’s
• proposal for 25-storey mixed use tower with at-grade commercial uses
• access off Brant Street to underground parking facility
• statutory public meeting was held in September
• staff will continue to process the application
• Further details - www.burlington.ca/535brant

Concerns were shared about the parking supply in developments that negatively impact the city parking supply. Steve said planning staff are studying the actual parking needs for residents, visitors and service vehicles to determine what the new parking rates should be for future developments.

407 Martha Street:

• presented to Community Planning, Regulation and Mobility Committee on September 14, 2021
• lands are located just south of Centennial Multi-use Trail
• proposal for 11-storey residential building, 130 units, 167 parking spaces with 4 levels of underground parking
• Further details: www.burlington.ca/407martha

2020 Lakeshore Road - Waterfront Hotel:

• pre-meeting held with community which was a requirement prior to application being submitted; close to 100 attendees
• formal development application to come forward
• 2 towers, 35 storeys and 30 storeys, on a shared podium
• glass atrium of about 4 storeys with public access through the site
• Further details: www.burlington.ca/2020lakeshore

Question:

What is the proposed parking for the development?
Todd said the development will have underground parking and some layby parking at grade on Lakeshore Road. The entrance to the underground parking would be off Elizabeth Street.

Concerns were shared related to parking pressures east of Brant Street with the new developments underway and upcoming developments.

8.7

Green Parking Lot Design Guidelines Update

Kaylan said this initiative involves developing greening guidelines for all municipal parking lots as well as asking developers to abide by the greening guidelines. Staff put out a Request for Proposals for an outside firm to develop the guidelines, but the costs were prohibitive. Staff will do a best practice review and undertake the work internally next year. There will be a full engagement plan, including feedback from the committee and the development community.

Staff were looking at ways to green the new lot on Caroline Street, just east of Brant Street, and had hoped to plant some trees. However, with the new development proposal at 535 Brant Street, greening will be delayed until the impacts from the development are known.

8.8

Electronic Parking Signs

Mike provided the following update:

• electronic occupancy signs are installed in all parking lots and show how many spaces are available
• signs were turned off because equipment wasn't working properly
• beginning October 1, parking puck sensors will be put back in parking spots
• once all pucks are installed, vendor will get signs back up and running to accurately reflect available parking spaces
• will start with Lot 4, across from Village Square and Lot 7, behind Upper Canada Place

Questions:

When will all pucks be installed?
Mike said the vendor is procuring more pucks from Spain and unsure when all pucks will be installed. It is also a weather sensitive job so some of the other lots may have to wait until spring.

Will there be an education sign, if a lot is full, saying there are spots available in the parking garage?
Mike said there are currently static signs in lots stating there is parking available in the garage; will explore if the electronic signs can do this.
There are three wayfinding signs on the main arteries as well, travelling east and west on Lakeshore and south on Brant. Those will be back up and running to show the number of parking spaces available in the lots.

How many surface lots need pucks?
Mike said eight parking lots need pucks. The parking garage is not conducive to pucks as you can’t drill into the concrete. Will be looking into other technology, possibly cameras counting cars going in and out.

This item will be added to next month's agenda for a further update. 

8.9

Upcoming and in Progress Committee Reports Related to Parking

Kaylan said a report will be prepared for November related to the 90-minute free parking program and a report will be prepared for December related to parking at Beachway Park.

9.

Other Business:

9.1

Parking Agreements

Barry requested clarity on whether the city has agreements in place regarding the three privately owned lots on Elizabeth Street, Pearl Street and Old Lakeshore Road.

Kaylan said there are agreements regarding the lots on Elizabeth Street and Pearl Street, not Old Lakeshore Road, and will obtain further details from legal staff to share with the committee.

10.

Adjournment:

Chair adjourned the meeting at 10:31 a.m.