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CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA REPORT
Subject:
DOWNTOWN PARKING STUDY
Recommendation(s)
That the “Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan Parking Management Technical
Study” provided as Attachment 1 to the “Downtown Parking Study” report dated
October 20, 2014, be referred for input and feedback until December 31, 2014, and
that the final Technical Study and Work Program be presented to Council by March
31, 2015.
Purpose of Report
The purpose of this report is to provide Council with the draft “Downtown Area
Redevelopment Plan Parking Management Technical Study”. A six-week referral
period has been proposed to inform, and to gather information from potentially
affected parties.
Council Direction
Council approved Bylaw 5/2010, the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan
(DARP), in August 2010. The Implementation Strategy for the DARP included as a
recommendation a future study to develop a Downtown Parking Strategy (now
called Downtown Parking Technical Study and Work Program) to support and
supplement the plan.
Background and Discussion
The goal of the DARP Parking Management Technical Study is to inform a Work
Program for future parking management in downtown St. Albert over the next 25
years. The Technical Study and Work Program will be used to assist in developing
downtown parking regulations, parking management strategies, and parkade
development. The DARP Parking Management Technical Study supports
alternative travel modes and a high quality public realm by focusing on a holistic
parking management model that includes vehicles, transit, bicycling, and walking.
The DARP Parking Management Technical Study has the following objectives:
•
Assess the demand for short and long-term parking within downtown
St. Albert and suggest ways to address the imbalances;
City Council Agenda
October 20, 2014 / Page 1
File No.: 9170-15
•
•
•
•
•
Project future parking demand scenarios and suggest ways to address
these future imbalances, including Transportation Demand Management;
Provide a comparative review of land use bylaw parking requirements from
other similar sized municipalities;
Provide an overview of potential parking management strategies, programs,
and technologies that could be implemented;
Identify potential locations for parking garages, and;
Identify triggers and technology for implementing paid parking
The study used literature review, and comparison of practices in other
communities, as well as a review of current conditions. Principle findings of the
study are an abundance of free parking downtown, and the need for appropriate
staff, public, and visitor parking in the core of downtown.
As of July 2013, there were 2,465 surface parking stalls within the downtown
(including 825 private spaces) in an 48.8 Ha (120.61 Ac) area. Excluding parkland
and parking lots north of the Sturgeon River, there were 2,362 stalls on 31.49 Ha
(77.78 Ac). The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan had anticipated the need for
up to 3,500 parking stalls at build-out. That number is likely high given comparison
to other communities, and does not take into account opportunities for shared
parking, reduced parking requirements, etc.
Downtown Parking Supply
6%
Designated City Staff Parking
(138)
Free Public Parking 6 St. Anne
(193)
6%
36%
11%
Other Free Public Parking (252)
On Street Parking (145)
Grandin Mall Parking (719)
5%
32%
30 SWCA (90)
4%
Mission Parking (103)
City Council Agenda
October 20, 2014 / Page 2
File No.: 9170-15
Recommendations of the study include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The development of separate parking requirements for downtown.
Reductions in required parking
Opportunities for shared parking
Consider parking maximums
Concentrate parking in central areas of downtown
Improve multimodal connections
Parkade structure locations & requirements
Stakeholder Communications or Engagement
During the referral period, public engagement will take place on Levels 1 (inform)
and 2 (consult) with internal departments, the public, and downtown business
groups, per the attached public engagement plan. Feedback will be incorporated
into the final Study and Work Program.
Implications of Recommendation(s)
a) Financial:
• None at this time.
b) Legal / Risk:
• None at this time.
c) Program or Service:
• None at this time.
d) Organizational:
• None at this time.
Alternatives and Implications Considered
If Council does not wish to support the recommendation, the following alternatives
could be considered:
a) Receive the document, and do not refer (do nothing).
Strategic Connections
a) Council’s Strategic Outcomes and Priorities (See Policy C-CG-02)
•
•
CULTIVATE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY: A diversified, robust and resilient
economic foundation to support growth and community service delivery.
CULTIVATE A HISTORIC, CREATIVE, AND ACTIVE COMMUNITY: A vibrant and
involved community with a variety of culture, recreation and heritage opportunities.
City Council Agenda
October 20, 2014 / Page 3
File No.: 9170-15
•
•
•
•
CULTIVATE A GREEN COMMUNITY: A healthy natural environment for future
generations that preserves and promotes enjoyment, conservation and responsible
development.
CULTIVATE EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT: A responsive, accountable
government that delivers value to the community.
CULTIVATE SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES: A growing
community that has balanced development and management of civic facilities,
transportation networks and related services.
CULTIVATE A SAFE, HEALTHY AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY: A community
that provides opportunities for everyone to realize their potential in a thinking,
caring and connected way.
b) Long Term Plans (e.g. MDP, Social Master Plan, Cultural Master Plan, etc.)
• Municipal Development Plan
• Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan
• Downtown Implementation Strategy
c) Corporate Objectives (See Corporate Business Plan)
• N/A
d) Council Policies
• N/A
e) Other Plans or Initiatives (Business Plans, Implementation Strategies, etc.)
• N/A
Attachment(s)
1. Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan Parking Management Technical Study
(DRAFT), dated October 8, 2014
2. Downtown Parking Background Report (DRAFT), dated October 2014
3. Public Engagement Plan
Originating Department(s):
Author(s):
General Manager Approval:
City Manager Signature:
Planning & Development
Adryan Slaght, Manager, Planning Branch
Patrick Draper, GM, Planning & Engineering (Acting)
Date:
City Council Agenda
October 20, 2014 / Page 4
File No.: 9170-15
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area
Redevelopment Plan
Parking Management
Technical Study
(DRAFT)
October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .......................................................................................................................................... i
Chapter 1.0 – INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
Study Background ............................................................................................... 1
Study Purpose..................................................................................................... 2
Study Rationale ................................................................................................... 2
Study Goals and Objectives .................................................................................2
Study Methodology ............................................................................................. 3
Report Organization ........................................................................................... 4
Chapter 2.0 OVERARCHING POLICY FRAMEWORK.................................................................... 5
2.1
Strategic Plans .................................................................................................... 5
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
2.1.5
2.2
Capital Region Growth Plan .......................................................................................... 5
Municipal Development Plan ......................................................................................... 6
Transportation Master Plan .......................................................................................... 6
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP) ............................................................... 6
Land Use Bylaw ............................................................................................................. 7
Overarching Policy Framework ............................................................................7
Chapter 3.0 - The Role of Downtown Parking ............................................................................... 9
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
The Role of Downtown Parking ...........................................................................9
Guiding Themes and Principles .........................................................................10
Previous Initiatives ............................................................................................ 11
Current Initiatives ............................................................................................. 11
3.4.1
3.4.2
3.4.3
3.4.4
3.4.5
3.4.6
Pilot Project - Angled Parking on Perron Street .......................................................... 11
Pilot Project: Pop-up Patios ......................................................................................... 12
Pilot Project: Downtown Staff Parking ........................................................................ 12
Re-Alignment of St. Anne Street ................................................................................. 12
LRT Functional Alignment Study ................................................................................. 12
Other Notable Projects................................................................................................ 12
Chapter 4.0 – SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS – EXISTING AREA CONDITIONS..................... 15
4.1
Land Use and Urban Design ..............................................................................15
4.1.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
Existing Downtown Land Use Pattern and Urban Design ........................................... 16
Areas of Significant Parking Influence ...............................................................17
Purpose of the Inventory Analysis .....................................................................18
Parking Supply .................................................................................................. 18
4.4.1
4.4.2
4.4.3
6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot ..................................................................................... 18
Tache Street Parking Lot ............................................................................................ 19
St. Thomas Street On-Street Parking .......................................................................... 20
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
4.4.4
4.4.5
4.5
4.6
Scope of Survey and Methodology.....................................................................21
On and Off-Street Parking Characteristics .........................................................22
4.6.1
4.6.2
4.6.3
4.6.4
4.6.5
4.6.6
4.7
4.8
St. Michael Street On-Street Parking .......................................................................... 20
Perron Street On-Street Parking ................................................................................. 20
6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot ..................................................................................... 23
Tache Street Parking Lot ............................................................................................ 24
St. Thomas On-Street Parking .................................................................................... 25
St. Michael On-Street Parking ..................................................................................... 25
Perron Street On-Street Parking ................................................................................. 26
Summary Observations of Existing Parking Conditions ............................................. 27
Bicycle Facilities ................................................................................................ 27
Transit Service .................................................................................................. 30
4.8.1
4.9
Pedestrian Facilities .................................................................................................... 31
Factors Influencing Parking Supply and Demand .............................................32
4.9.1
4.9.2
4.9.3
4.9.4
4.9.5
Transportation Modes ................................................................................................. 32
Proximity to Transit .................................................................................................... 34
Household Income ....................................................................................................... 34
Land Use Patterns ....................................................................................................... 34
Cost and Availability of Parking in Downtown St. Albert .......................................... 35
4.10 Existing Parking Demand Ratios .......................................................................36
Chapter 5.0 – FUTURE AREA CONDITIONS –PARKING DEMAND ANALYSIS .............. 37
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 37
Population and Employment Growth .................................................................37
Future Parking Supply ....................................................................................... 37
Accommodating Future Parking Demands .........................................................38
Chapter 6.0 – COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING
REQUIREMENTS................................................................................................................................................ 40
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
Overview of Land Use Bylaw ..............................................................................40
Benchmarking Overview ....................................................................................42
Methodology .................................................................................................... 43
Benchmarking Residential Uses Parking Requirements ......................................45
6.4.1
6.5
Benchmarking Non-Residential Use Parking Requirements (Commercial Uses) ...47
6.5.1
6.5.2
6.5.3
6.5.4
6.5.5
6.5.6
6.6
Parking Requirement Modifications for Residential land Uses ................................... 46
Day Care ..................................................................................................................... 47
Drinking Establishment .............................................................................................. 47
Office ........................................................................................................................... 48
Restaurant .................................................................................................................. 48
Retail Sales .................................................................................................................. 48
Parking requirement Modifications for Non-Residential Parking ............................... 49
Comparative Review of Loading and Unloading Requirements ...........................50
Chapter 7.0– PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES and PROGRAMS .......................... 52
7.1
7.2
Parking Policy Review........................................................................................52
Benefits Associated with Parking Management ..................................................53
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study
7.3
7.4
7.5
7.6
Parking Management Policies – Issue Identification ...........................................53
Parking Management Best Practices ..................................................................54
Conventional Parking Management Strategies / Regulations .............................54
Innovative Parking Management Strategies Policy Actions .................................55
7.6.1
7.6.2
7.6.3
7.6.4
7.6.5
7.7
Controlling Parking Demand (Transportation Demand Management Tactics) .....56
7.7.1
7.7.2
7.7.3
7.7.4
7.8
7.9
7.10
7.11
Limiting Parking Supply by Modifying Land Use Bylaw Parking Regulations ............ 55
Reduced Minimum Parking Requirements .................................................................. 55
Parking Maximums ..................................................................................................... 56
Shared Parking ........................................................................................................... 56
Improved Parking Design ........................................................................................... 56
Transportation Demand Management Programs ...................................................... 57
Maintain a Consistent Stall Supply ............................................................................. 57
Paid Parking ................................................................................................................ 57
Unbundled Parking ..................................................................................................... 58
Implementation ................................................................................................ 59
Special Event Parking ........................................................................................31
On-Street Parking.............................................................................................. 58
Synopsis of Possible Parking Management Strategies ........................................59
Chapter 8.0 –PARKING DESIGN and POTENTIAL PARKADE LOCATIONS .................... 61
8.1
8.2
8.3
8.4
Location of Centralized Parking Garage Facilities ..............................................61
Synopsis of Possible Parking Design Strategies .................................................61
Criteria for Selecting Candidate Parkade Locations ............................................63
Potential Parking Garage Sites...........................................................................64
8.4.1
8.4.2
8.4.3
8.4.4
8.4.5
8.5
8.6
8.7
Site
Site
Site
Site
Site
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6 St. Anne Street Site ....................................................................................... 64
St. Michael Street Site ..................................................................................... 66
St. Anne Street Site .......................................................................................... 66
St. Thomas Street Site .................................................................................... 68
Grandin Road /Tache Street Site ..................................................................... 68
Establishing Parking Facility Site Evaluation Parameters and Criteria .................70
Parkade Facility Site Evaluation .........................................................................70
Preliminary Cost Estimates................................................................................71
Chapter 9.0 – PARKING PRICING, TECHNOLOGY, AND ENFORCEMENT ..................... 73
9.1
9.2
9.3
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 73
Revenue Control Equipment ..............................................................................74
Parking Enforcement.........................................................................................74
Chapter 10.0 –CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................. 75
10.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 75
10.2 Key Study Findings ........................................................................................... 76
10.3 Study Recommendations...................................................................................77
Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................................... 81
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Exhibits
Exhibit
Exhibit
Exhibit
Exhibit
4-1:
4-2:
6-1:
8-1:
Location of Bicycle Facilities in Downtown St. Albert......................................... 29
Transit Facilities ..................................................................................................... 33
Downtown Land Use Districts ............................................................................... 40
Potential Parking Garage Locations (source DARP, 2012) ................................. 65
Tables
Table 1-1: DARP Parking Management Study Schedule ....................................................................4
Table 4-1: Existing 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot Inventory..........................................................19
Table 4-2: Existing Tache Street Parking Lot Inventory ..................................................................19
Table 4-3: Existing St. Michael Street Curbside Parking Inventory .............................................20
Table 4-4: Existing Perron Street Curbside Parking Inventory ......................................................20
Table 4-5: Existing Area Parking Inventory ........................................................................................21
Table 4-6: Parking Survey Data Collection Schedule .......................................................................21
Table 4-7: 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot Characteristics ................................................................23
Table 4-8: Tache Street Lot Parking Characteristics ........................................................................24
Table 4-9: St. Thomas Street Parking Characteristics ....................................................................25
Table 4-10: St. Michael Street Parking Characteristics ...................................................................25
Table 4-11: Perron Street Parking Characteristics ............................................................................26
Table 4-11: Perron Street Parking Characteristics ............................................................................28
Table 4-12: Perron Street Parking Characteristics ............................................................................30
Table 4-13: Summary of Private and Public Parking Spaces in Downtown St. Albert ...........35
Table 6-1: Benchmark Municipalities ...................................................................................................42
Table 6-2: Overview of Selected Municipality Parking Regulations .............................................45
Table 6-3: Multi-family Parking Requirements ...................................................................................46
Table 6-4: Loading and Unloading Parking Requirements .............................................................50
Table 7-1: Special Event Attendance .....................................................................................................31
Table 8-1: Potential Parkade Site 1 .........................................................................................................64
Table 8-2: Potential Parkade Site 2 .........................................................................................................66
Table 8-3: Potential Parkade Site 3 .........................................................................................................66
Table 8-4: Potential Parkade Site 4 .........................................................................................................68
Table 8-5: Potential Parkade Site 5 .........................................................................................................68
Table 8-6: Parkade Site Selection Criteria .............................................................................................70
Table 10-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework.......78
Table 10-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
(Continued) ......................................................................................................................................................79
Table 10-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
(Continued) ......................................................................................................................................................80
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Executive Summary
ES.1
Preface
The City of St. Albert Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP) Bylaw 5/2010 will guide private and
public development within the downtown area over the next 25 years. The DARP seeks to create a high
quality urban experience by intensifying land uses, and enhancing economic vitality, walkability, and
urban design. Parking is a vital component of the DARP, as it impacts the quality of the public realm,
redevelopment opportunities, and the business environment.
The DARP provides high-level direction on the location and design of parking, and recommends the
completion of a Parking Management Study as a supporting document. The DARP Parking Management
Technical Study provides a review of existing parking conditions in downtown St. Albert, and discusses
future parking demand, parking management strategies, parking design and potential parkade locations.
The DARP Parking Management Technical Study will be further refined through the execution of the
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan Parking management Implementation Plan.
ES.2
Why is Parking So Important
Parking is an integral component of the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan, as it impacts the quality of
the public realm, redevelopment opportunities, and the business environment. Ensuring the adequate
provision of downtown parking without detracting from the public realm and redevelopment opportunities
requires appropriate parking management strategies. The goal of the DARP Parking Management
Technical Study is to explore parking management strategies to ensure the optimal supply of parking in
downtown St. Albert.
The goal of the DARP Parking Management Technical Study was to develop a vision and framework for
future parking management in downtown St. Albert over the next 25 years. The framework is based on a
holistic parking management model that encompasses vehicles, transit, bicycling and walking. The
framework will be further refined through the DARP Parking Implementation Plan, which will develop
specific downtown parking regulations, parking management strategies, and parkade development.
The DARP Parking Management Technical Study had the following objectives:
•
Assess the demand for short and long-term parking within downtown St. Albert and suggest ways
to address the imbalances;
•
Project future parking demand scenarios and suggest ways to address these future imbalances,
including Transportation Demand Management;
•
Provide a comparative review of land use bylaw parking requirements from other similar sized
municipalities;
•
Provide an overview of potential parking management strategies, programs, and technologies that
could be implemented;
•
Identify potential locations for parking garages, and;
•
Identify triggers and technology for implementing paid parking.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Page i
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
ES.3
Study Overview
The DARP Parking Management Technical Study is based on a literature review; review of existing parking
conditions including a parking utilization survey of select on-street and off-street parking facilities;
comparative review of land use bylaw parking requirements from other similar sized municipalities; and
future parking demand projections.
The literature review found a variety of innovative parking management strategies and technologies
implemented by municipalities across North America. Parking management strategies aim to maximize the
efficiency of parking facilities by limiting parking supply and demand. According to the literature review,
strategies for limiting parking supply include reduced minimum parking requirements, parking
maximums, and shared parking. Strategies which limit parking demand include the provision of alternative
transportation modes, and pricing and unbundling parking. The literature review also discusses innovative
parking technology. Technology can improve the efficiency, utilization and customer experience in
parking facilities. Popular forms of technology include customer payment online or by phone, real time
communication of parking availability and pricing, parking guidance systems, energy efficient lighting,
electric car charging stations, and renewable energy installation such as solar panels.
The comparative review of land use bylaw parking requirements found Airdrie, Bellingham (WA), Red Deer,
and St. Albert’s parking requirements are based on parking minimums and use class. None of the
municipalities have parking maximums. Bellingham and Red Deer in particular provide more opportunities
for reduced parking in the downtown areas. Bellingham will be the only municipality to have entirely
separate parking requirements for the downtown once their Downtown District Development Regulations
are adopted. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development Regulations also has parking
reductions for affordable housing, seniors housing, and Transportation Demand Management Programs.
Downtown Red Deer is largely districted as City Centre District (C1), which does not require parking unless
there is a residential component. St. Albert is the only municipality to not provide opportunities for
shared parking.
ES4.
Key Study Findings
The review of existing parking conditions in downtown St. Albert found an abundance of free surface
parking scattered throughout the downtown St. Albert. There are a variety of factors that influence the
supply and demand of parking in downtown St. Albert. Downtown St. Albert has a relatively low residential
density, with frequent gaps in development along key streets. Downtown St. Albert lacks bicycle paths,
strong connections to the trail system, regular transit service during non-peak hours, sufficient and highquality bicycle parking, and the quality of the pedestrian realm varies greatly downtown. For example
Perron, St. Michael and St. Thomas Street provide a comfortable pedestrian environment, while the
approaches into downtown along Sir Winston Churchill and St. Anne Street are auto-oriented.
The parking utilization survey found parking enforcement is not an issue, and public and visitor parking
needs to be concentrated in the central core. According to the parking utilization survey, the Tache Street
Parking Lot has significantly lower peak parking utilization than the 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot, and onstreet parking is well utilized and is primarily utilized for short duration trips of one hour or less.
The DARP Parking Management Technical Study has determined that there are significant opportunities to
improve current and future parking management strategies in downtown St. Albert.
Page ii
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The following major findings are highlighted:
•
Parking regulations and practices should reflect the Municipal Development Plan and
Transportation Master Plan sustainable growth initiatives and increased transit use policies.
Combining land use and transportation policies with appropriate parking management methods
will assist in promoting sustainable development in the City;
•
Reviewing the St. Albert Land Use Bylaw Parking Regulations to ensure it aligns with the goals of
the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan, and more effectively manages parking. Shared parking,
Transportation Demand Management Programs, parking reductions for senior’s homes and
affordable housing, and parking maximums should be considered.
•
Through the use of parking management, Land Use Bylaw parking requirements can be modified
to more appropriately compliment the land use and development activity that they are intended to
support. Parking requirements should be developed to allow flexibility in application and
acknowledge variables affecting parking demand including development density, transit
availability, auto ownership trends and household income. Flexibility in parking standards can
expedite the planning process by limiting Land Use Bylaw variances. Some of the circumstances in
which flexibility in parking requirements may be appropriate include shared use parking
opportunities, locational attributes and developments that incorporate transportation demand
management initiatives.
•
The existing Land Use Bylaw groups a number of establishments within a single commercial use
class category. Parking requirements for these uses are based on the floor area of the
establishment. While the generality of parking requirements can be beneficial to the review and
approval process, it does not encourage use of more efficient parking management strategies that
take advantage of shared use/ synergistic parking programs and on-street parking supplies;
•
Pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure should be improved. Improving connections to the
trail system and approaches into St. Albert should be explored. Additional bicycle facilities and
transit shelters should be provided in key locations.
•
There is an abundance of free parking scattered throughout St. Albert. The high demand for
parking is driven by high car ownership, a lack of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, irregular
transit during non-peak hours and low residential density.
•
Public and visitor parking needs to be concentrated in the central core. Based on the completion
of a series of parking utilizations surveys, the Tache Street Parking Lot has significantly lower
peak parking utilization than the 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot and on-street parking is well
utilized and is primarily utilized for short duration trips of one hour or less.
•
On street and the parking lot located at 6 St. Anne Street should be reserved for short term users
such as customers and visitors. Parking for employees and other long term parking users should
be designated in the Tache Street Parking Lot and other less convenient parking lots.
•
Adopting innovative parking technologies to improve the efficiency, utilization, costs and
customer experience in parking facilities. Popular forms of technology include customer payment
online or by phone, real time communication of parking availability and pricing, parking guidance
systems, energy efficient lighting, electric car charging stations, and renewable energy installation
such as solar panels.
•
City of St. Albert representatives identified that the combined employment projections
(professional office, retail, service) could represent about 2,000 positions in 2042, representing
an increase of approximately 1,100 employees over the next 25 to 30 years. New office and
commercial employment positions would require about 40,000 m2 (420,000 ft2) of new building
floor area. The current land Use Bylaw would suggest that an appropriate parking index for these
types of land uses could be one space per 45 m2 of floor area. Based on this parking index, an
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Page iii
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
additional 40,000 m2 (420,000 ft2) would require about 800 to 900 additional (new) parking
spaces could be required.
•
Based on the preliminary review of the five candidate parkade sites in combination with the review
of a series parkade evaluation criteria, it has been concluded at a preliminary level of planning
that the construction and operation of parking garages on Site 1 (6 St. Anne Street Lot) and on Site
4 (St. Thomas Street Site) would represent appropriate options at this time. It is noted that any
parkade development on Site 1 would displace existing parking spaces which should be included
in any new parking garage.
•
These two parking garage sites have been identified as being desirable development parcels for a
parkade as compared to the other sites explored. The sites would allow for functionally superior
parking garages that could exhibit the following attributes:
o
proximity to the Civic Plaza, Perron Street commercial activity and Millennium Park;
o
provides opportunities for shared use parking;
o
ability to develop an efficient design (site shape and size);
o
ease of site access and pedestrian access;
o
would provide opportunities to consider ground floor commercial land uses that could be
incorporated into the design of the parkade structure;
o
economical from a cost per space perspective;
o
compatible with adjacent developments;
o
ease of constructability;
o
ability to be constructed in association with new government or private developments,
and;
o
•
E.S.5
ability to be expanded vertically or horizontally to accommodate future demands.
Based on the review of the City’s current loading and unloading requirements, there is no
compelling reason to modify current requirements at this time. Consideration could be given to
identifying establishments where no loading requirement would be required.
Summary of Recommendations
A city’s downtown is its heart. Successful downtowns embrace innovation, creativity, and diversity. The
Downtown ARP seeks to build upon current assets located within the Downtown area of the City while
creating a downtown that will lead St. Albert into the future. The implementation of the St. Albert
Downtown ARP provides an excellent opportunity to pilot innovative parking management strategies and
technologies.
There are a variety of exciting and innovative pilot projects currently occurring in downtown St. Albert,
including pop-up patios and angled parking on Perron Street. The Downtown ARP Parking Management
Technical Study will build upon these innovations. The DARP Parking Management Technical Study
recommends implementing a variety of innovative and parking management strategies and technologies
over the next 25 years.
To assist and guide the City of St. Albert in developing sustainable growth principles related to parking in
the city’s downtown area, a number of study recommendations are advanced as presented in Table ES-1.It
is expected that the recommended strategies will continue to evolve after the conclusion of this project.
They will however provide insight and direction into the development of new and modified regulations to
better manage on and off street parking within the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan area.
Page iv
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Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table ES-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
Short Term Action Strategies
(1 to 5 years)
Undertake a comprehensive
Downtown On and Off-Street
Parking Supply and Demand
Study
Review St. Albert Land Use
Bylaw parking regulations and
incorporate separate parking
requirements for the downtown
area (area based parking
management strategy) which
limit and control parking
demands and which identify the
location of new parking facilities.
•
Consider reducing,
eliminating or establishing
maximum parking
requirements for selected land
uses;
•
Incorporate reduced parking
requirements due to reflect
proximity to transit;
•
Incorporate shared use
parking options;
•
Incorporate Transportation
Demand Management
regulations.
Rationale
•
It has been 13 years since the City of St.
Albert completed a comprehensive review of
parking demand and supply characteristics
within the downtown area, and;
•
Although the completion of selected parking
supply and utilization surveys provided a
snapshot of existing downtown parking
characteristics, the completion of a
comprehensive parking supply and demand
study would provide the basis and framework
for more detailed discussions regarding
future parking demand requirements, how
and where to best accommodate future
parking demands and if paid parking should
be considered in existing or new facilities
•
As the DARP is implemented, downtown
development patterns will differ significantly
from other neighbourhoods in terms of
density, multi-modal transportation and
urban design. It is anticipated the DARP will
increase walkability and alternative
transportation modes;
•
Encourage increased transit utilization and
alternative transportation modes to reduce
off-street parking;
•
Increased residential population downtown
will lead to more foot traffic for several stores
and services, reducing automobile use;
•
Developments in close proximity to transit
and or implement Transportation Demand
Management Strategies can reduce parking
demands;
•
Residents of affordable and seniors housing
generally own fewer vehicles and thus have
reduced parking demand;
•
Take advantage of developments with
different peak parking demand times.
•
Reduce the potential oversupply of parking by
recognizing senior automobile ownership
characteristics, and;
•
Reduce the overall visual impact of parking
facilities on the river and trail system.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Resources
Municipal staff
and Outside
consultants
Municipal staff
and Outside
consultants
Page v
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table ES-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
(Continued)
Short Term Action Strategies
(1 to 5 years)
Improve multi-modal connections
and alternative transportation
options
•
Improve bicycle and
pedestrian connections
(including the trail system)
into downtown St. Albert with
dedicated and well signed
pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure, way finding
signing and other
enhancements.
• Provide more heated bus
shelters, particularly in areas
with higher residential density
and commercial areas.
• Improve the quality of bicycle
racks.
Dedicate the 6 St. Anne Street
parking lot for short term users
such as customers and visitors
Rationale
•
Maximizes use of parking facilities for
community events such as farmers markets,
sporting events, etc.;
•
Reduces the environmental impact of parking
facilities;
•
Increases number of bicycle facilities, and
ensures they are provided by the developer
as opposed to the city;
•
Encourage residents to access downtown St.
Albert on foot or bicycle, especially during
the farmers market and other events;
•
Improve the ridership experience, especially
during the winter months, and;
•
Resources
Municipal Staff
Increases the use and visibility of cycling.
Municipal Staff
•
Additional parking for customers and visitors
will be available at 6 St. Anne Street, and;
•
Encourage parking turnover.
•
Encourage parking turnover by implementing
and enforcing time limits.
Municipal Staff
•
To confirm the location of candidate parking
garage locations including stand alone and
development associated parking options;
Municipal Staff
and Outside
Consultants
•
To identify the ability of the candidate sites
to accommodate anticipated parking demand
requirements, and;
•
To confirm time frames for the construction
of a new or multiple parking garages.
•
Relocate employee parking
from 6 St. Anne to the Tache
Street parking lot; and;
• Place time restrictions on
additional parking spots in 6
St. Anne Street.
Review on-street parking
regulations
•
Review time limits for on
street parking spaces.
Complete a Parking Garage Site
Selection Study
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table ES-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
(Continued)
Medium Term Action Strategies
(5 to 10 years)
Rationale
Resources
Municipal Staff and
Outside Consultants
•
New parking technologies will improve the
efficiency, utilization and customer
experience in parking facilities, and;
•
Frees land up for redevelopment and
reduces impact of parking on the public
realm.
•
To improve parking utilization
characteristics by improving parking
turnover; and;
•
To generate additional income from
parking services.
•
Incorporate opportunities for Low Impact
Development techniques;
•
Require bicycle parking with all
developments, including parking facilities,
and;
•
Incorporate community uses into surface
parking facilities.
Monitor on and off-street parking
characteristics (parking
utilization studies, i.e. Every five
years)
Confirm the need for a new
parking garage
•
Develop a historical data base of parking
supply and parking demand
characteristics.
Municipal Staff and
Outside Consultants
•
To accommodate anticipated increased
parking demands
Municipal Staff and
Outside Consultants
Develop parking garage funding
strategies
•
To expedite and prepare for the
construction of future parking garages
Municipal Staff
Incorporate innovative parking
technology into City owned
parking facilities
•
Include opportunities for
customers to reserve and pay
for parking online or by
phone, real time
communication of parking
availability and pricing, and
parking guidance systems.
Assess the merits and benefits
associated with implementing
paid on and off-street parking
•
Include a review of candidate
parking revenue control
technologies and preliminary
implementation costs and
revenue, and;
• Review enforcement
requirements.
Review off-street parking design
guidelines and standards
Long Term Action Strategies
(Beyond 10 years)
Monitor on and off-street parking
characteristics (parking
utilization studies, i.e. Every five
years)
Construct a new parking garage
Rationale
Municipal Staff and
Outside Consultants
Municipal Staff and
Outside Consultants
Resources
•
Develop a historical data base of parking
supply and parking demand
characteristics.
Municipal Staff and
Outside Consultants
•
To accommodate anticipated increased
parking demands
Municipal Staff and
Outside Consultants
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Page vii
ATTACHMENT 1
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The landscape in the downtown area of the City of St. Albert is changing and will continue
to change in the future. New commercial, institutional and residential development
activity in the central business district will impact the supply and use of on and off street
parking facilities. Changes in land use activity and their impacts on parking provides the
City of St. Albert with an opportunity to improve City parking services and enhance
citizen and visitor parking related experiences.
Chapter 1.0 – INTRODUCTION
1.1
Study Background
In 2010, the City of St. Albert adopted the Downtown Area Redevelopment
Plan, Bylaw 5/2010. The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP)
provides a framework and roadmap to guide public and private
development within the downtown area over the next 25 years. DARP is
based on nine principles and a physical concept, which seek to improve
DARP Principle 3: “Ensure
convenient access to the
downtown by facilitating all
modes of movement and
providing new parking facilities.”
the livability, connectivity, economy, and aesthetics of downtown St. Albert
(Schedule A).
One of the key items in the overall development of the downtown plan is a
comprehensive strategy to address parking within the plan area. DARP provides clear direction and the
foundation for the thoughtful management of parking within the central business district of the City of
St. Albert. Parking accommodation represents a significant element of the area’s physical environment.
To ensure the success of the downtown area, DARP provides high-level direction on the location and
design of parking. As indicated within the DARP Implementation Strategy, the development of a more
detailed parking strategy is required that includes the following key tasks:
•
Updated analysis of existing parking supply and demand;
•
Assessment of existing parking locations;
•
Projection of future parking demands;
•
Analysis of the potential for additional on-street parking, and new and improved parking facilities.
•
Development of a general phasing plan for parking;
•
Exploration of a cash-in-lieu policy for commercial development to assist with the development of
parking structures;
•
Recommendations regarding the management and operations of public parking facilities;
•
General recommendations for the potential location and size of future off street parking facilities,
and;
•
Coordination of the overall parking management strategy with other downtown civic and
community facility strategies.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan Parking Management Technical Study seeks to address the above
tasks. This study will also serve to inform two additional studies identified in the DARP Implementation
Strategy including:
•
Gateways and Approaches; and
•
Pedestrian, Bike, and Transit Studies.
1.2
Study Purpose
While the City of St. Albert is committed to a more vibrant and friendly downtown, the City also recognizes
the importance of mixed-use development activity and the various demands for parking in the downtown
area. In this regard, the City is working to attract more diverse business users that include retail, office,
and residential land uses. Currently, the downtown has many different users each with their own parking
demands.
The unique nature of the City’s downtown area requires supplemental strategies and policies to achieve an
economically viable and healthy downtown area. The primary purpose of the Parking Management Study
was to develop a comprehensive and effective parking management plan for the City’s downtown area to
maximize the parking supply and strategically support the development of a vibrant, growing and
attractive destination for shopping, working, living, recreating, and entertainment.
1.3
Study Rationale
The DARP Parking Management Study was completed as a supporting document to the Downtown Area
Redevelopment Plan. This document assesses and provides recommendations for more effectively
managing current downtown parking, identifying strategies for addressing future parking demands, and
determining complementary and supplementary parking studies that could be considered.
A basic tenant of the DARP Parking Management Study is to manage parking in the downtown area to
assure that priority land uses are supported with an effective and efficient parking infrastructure that
caters to the needs of all population user groups including residents, employees and visitors. The DARP
Parking Management Study will consider public and private, and on-street and off-street parking.
1.4
Study Goals and Objectives
The central theme of the study is to develop
a vision and framework for future parking
management in downtown St. Albert. The
framework will be used to assist in
developing downtown parking regulations
and requirements for downtown St. Albert
over the next 25 years. The DARP Parking
Management Technical Study will be further
refined through the DARP Parking
Implementation Plan.
Page 2
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The DARP Parking Management Technical Study acknowledges and recognizes the size, unique character,
and evolving lifestyle preferences of St. Albert residents. The study also reflects a paradigm shift from
traditional parking management in North America. The Parking Management Study is committed to the
creation of a more vibrant and friendly downtown, and does not view parking enhancements as a standalone solution in and of itself. The key to a successful downtown parking plan is one that also promotes
alternative transportation modes.
The DARP Parking Management Study will seek to support alternative travel modes and a high quality
public realm by developing a holistic parking management model that includes vehicles, transit, bicycling,
and walking. The following objectives were identified:
•
Assess the demand for short and long-term parking within downtown St. Albert and suggest ways
to address the imbalances;
•
Project future parking demand scenarios and suggest ways to address these future imbalances,
including Transportation Demand Management;
•
Provide a comparative review of land use bylaw parking requirements from other similar sized
municipalities;
•
Provide an overview of potential parking management strategies, programs, and technologies that
could be implemented including parking for the disabled;
•
Identify potential locations for parking garages, and;
•
Identify triggers and technology for implementing paid parking.
1.5
Study Methodology
The DARP Parking Management Study was sponsored and undertaken by the City of St. Albert Planning
Department. Bunt & Associates provided advisory services during the completion of the study. The study
occurred through a number of steps over the period of approximately 12 months.
In advance of completing the DARP Parking Management Study, a number of complementary tasks and
assignments were completed:
•
Development of the Downtown Parking Strategy Terms of Reference to guide the project. The
Terms of Reference established the goal and objective of the Parking Management Study. The
Terms of Reference identified the following goal: to ensure the effective provision and
management of parking resources and to consider possible modifications to the existing policy
framework and the availability of alternative mobility options (and required improvements) to
access the Downtown. The objectives identified in the Terms of Reference ensured an appropriate
supply of parking is maintained to meet the needs of businesses, residents, and patrons in the
Downtown.
•
Development of a Parking Management Best Practices document that looks at a variety of North
American cities. Cities were selected based on their innovative approaches.
•
Two surveys conducted with downtown business owners in 2011 and 2013.
Table 1-1 on the following page presents a summary of the tasks and respective time frames included in
the project.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table 1-1:
DARP Parking Management Study Schedule
Time Frame
March - May 2013
•
Task
Terms of Reference Developed
May - June 2013
•
Draft Best Practices Report
June - August 2013
•
Develop a draft Mixed-Use Parking Schedule
•
Downtown businesses Survey conducted (response rate
43%)
September 2013 - June 2014
•
Draft DARP – Parking Management Study
October 2014
•
Finalized DARP Parking Management Technical Study
November 2014
•
Public engagement
March 2015
•
Draft DARP Parking Management Implementation Plan
1.6
Report Organization
The report addresses the project scope in eight main sections:
•
Chapter One: Introduction – provides an overview of the DARP Parking Management Technical
Study purpose, goals, objectives, and methodology.
•
Chapter Two: Overarching Policy Framework – reviews the relationship between the DARP
Parking Management Study and the overarching policy context. The chapter includes a review of
the Municipal Development Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Downtown Area Redevelopment
Plan, and Land Use Bylaw.
•
Chapter Three: The Role of Downtown Parking – discusses the role of downtown parking in the
local economy, and guiding principles for the DARP Parking Management Study. Previous parking
initiatives and future pilot projects are also discussed.
•
Chapter Four: Situational Analysis – Existing Area Conditions – reviews the downtown parking
inventory and utilization at select sites. The location and design features of parking are also
reviewed.
•
Chapter Five: Future Area Conditions – Parking Demand Analysis – discusses future parking
projected demands for the horizon year.
•
Chapter Six: Comparative Review of Off- Street Parking and Loading Requirements – presents a
comparative review of City of St. Albert Land Use Bylaw parking regulations with a number of
selected municipalities.
•
Chapter 7: Parking Management Strategies and Programs – reviews potential parking
management strategies, programs, and technologies for addressing current and future parking
demand.
•
Chapter Eight: Parking Design Practices and Potential Parkade Locations – reviews best practices
for parking development, design, and siting. Potential parkade locations in downtown St. Albert
are also discussed.
•
Chapter Nine: Parking Pricing, Technology, and Enforcement – identifies triggers for
implementing paid parking, as well as technology and enforcement options.
•
Chapter Ten: Conclusions and Recommendations – provides recommendations for implementing
the DARP Parking Strategy.
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Moneysense magazine ranked the City of St. Albert as the number one place to live in
Canada based on a variety of indicators (Brown, 2014). To build upon this distinction, the
City of St. Albert's strategic plans and land use bylaw strive to achieve a highly liveable
community. The ability to manage the downtown’s future parking supply and the
location, design, and footprint of parking facilities all impact design aesthetics,
transportation options, and urban form, and are key to ensuring the long-term viability of
downtown St. Albert.
Chapter 2.0
2.1
OVERARCHING POLICY FRAMEWORK
Strategic Plans
To enhance the livability of St. Albert, the Municipal Development Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Area
Structure Plans and Redevelopment Plans and the Land Use Bylaw encourage more compact urban form,
higher design standards, and multimodal transportation options.
Based on a review of the City’s strategic plans, there is a relationship between the overarching citywide
land use goals and objectives and parking planning and management. The Capital Region Growth Plan,
Municipal Development Plan, Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan and Transportation Master Plan guide
development in downtown St. Albert and include policies that direct and inform parking decisions.
2.1.1
Capital Region Growth Plan
The Capital Region Board was established in 2008 by the Government of Alberta to coordinate planning
and development decisions within the Capital Region. The City of St. Albert is referenced as a Priority
Growth Area B within the priority growth area. Many of the policies adopted by the City’s Municipal
Development Plan (CityPlan) to ensure Capital Region Growth Plan conformance support development that
could potentially decrease the demand for parking in Downtown St. Albert. These policies include:
•
Require all new residential areas of the City to meet the minimum residential target density of 30
units per net residential hectare. Higher residential densities will support more frequent transit;
•
Support multi-use corridors and recreation corridors. This will support more trips to and from
downtown on foot or bicycle, and;
•
Consider a Park and Ride facility near the northwest junction of Anthony Henday Drive and
St. Albert Trail, and near St. Albert Trail north of Villeneuve Road. The northern site is also
proposed to be developed into a Transit Oriented Development. The use of park and ride facilities
may be a good option for employees commuting to St. Albert from Edmonton and surrounding
communities, and to lower the demand for parking downtown.
The Capital Region Board is currently updating the plan.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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2.1.2
Municipal Development Plan
CityPlan is the Municipal Development Plan (MDP) for St. Albert. It provides direction to guide the City’s
growth to a population of 105,000 by 2029.
Section 6.0 of CityPlan speaks to downtown development. According to the Downtown Area
Redevelopment Plan (Section 6.1), the City of St. Albert’s downtown should be developed as a specialized
retail, service, residential and gathering place. To achieve this, the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan
(Section 6.2), recommends addressing downtown parking management, improving public spaces and
linkages for bicycle and pedestrians, and promoting a larger variety of retailers.
The DARP Parking Strategy will not only address parking management, but also indirectly improve public
space, business development, and bicycle and pedestrian linkages. As part of the DARP Implementation
Strategy, CityPlan will have to be amended. The City’s Municipal Development Plan is tentatively
scheduled to be updated in 2015.
2.1.3
Transportation Master Plan
The City of St. Albert has recently initiated the preparation of an updated Transportation Master Plan
(TMP). The TMP will provide direction for all transportation modes over the next 25 years, and is focused
on multimodal transportation modes. The TMP seeks to encourage more trips by cycling, walking, and
transit by improving linkages, transit, and pedestrian and cycling facilities. As part of the DARP, the cross
sections of several streets will be altered to create a more pedestrian friendly environment, provide onstreet parking, and improve the public realm. Scheduled for completion in 2015, the TMP update will be
the City’s first comprehensive multi-modal transportation plan.
A number of major elements will be reviewed as part of the overall Transportation Master Plan process
including provision of parking.
2.1.4
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP)
“In a nutshell, people do not come
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan has undergone three
downtown to park. People come
different versions since the original DARP was approved in 1982.
downtown to experience an
The 1982 DARP envisioned St. Albert’s government and cultural
environment that is unique, active,
heart as it exists today in St. Albert Place. The original DARP also
and diverse (City of Redmond,
foresaw higher residential and employment densities.
2008, 5).”
The downtown Area Redevelopment Plan was re-envisioned in
1990 (Bylaw 11/90) and reflected a desire to see a less intensely
developed core reflecting the Council of the day’s desire for greater focus on single-family residential
development. The current plan re-envisioned downtown for a third time, with a shift back towards higher
densities and mixed uses within its boundaries.
City Council approved the third vision of the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan in 2010, and received
the DARP Implementation Plan in 2011. According to the current plan, there is not a lack of parking
downtown, but the location and management of parking needs to be addressed. The abundance of large,
dispersed surface parking lots detracts from the public realm and becomes congested during events. To
address this, the current Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (Section 4.2.8, Parking Design) recommends
maximizing on-street parking opportunities, consolidating parking in shared parking structures with liner
buildings, and screening surface parking behind buildings (Appendix A).
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The DARP Implementation Strategy recommends the approach, sequence of development and key projects
to implement the DARP. To implement the DARP Bylaw 5/2010, the Municipal Development Plan Bylaw
15/2007 and Land Use Bylaw 9/2005 have to be amended to incorporate the New Downtown District (DD)
and Downtown Urban Design Guidelines (2.2.5) into the Land Use Bylaw
2.1.5
Land Use Bylaw
The Land Use Bylaw regulates the amount of parking according to land use, stall dimensions, on-site
loading requirements, and the provision of disabled parking and bicycle parking. Land Use Bylaw 9/2005
uses minimum parking requirements for each land use. As a result, parking is generally abundant and
free for all vehicle trips to downtown St. Albert.
Land use policies enshrined in the City’ Land Use Bylaw and other strategic documents should be
accompanied by mobility management and parking management strategies that support the establishment
of a more pedestrian friendly environment by reducing vehicular trip making activity and long-term
parking while promoting alternative transportation modes.
2.2
Overarching Policy Framework
Developing updated and appropriate parking policies to support the principals enshrined within the City’s
strategic plans will require a new attitude regarding parking supply and management. Parking locational
attributes, cost, supply, enforcement, and parking utilization characteristics must be considered. For the
City of St. Albert, changes in parking planning with a new focus on capacity, utilization, and enforcement
of the parking system, and how to best use available parking resources is required.
The following presents a summary of these overarching elements that relate to parking accommodation
and management, and which will form the basis for parking related policy planning:
•
Provide and maintain an appropriate supply of affordable, secure, accessible, convenient, and
appealing public parking spaces;
•
Provide and promote affordable short-term parking services and fair and consistent enforcement
services that support local businesses, institutions, and tourism;
•
Make the best use of limited street space and seek balance among competing uses, and;
•
Research and consider the implementation of new parking control technologies that have the
potential to ease the enforcement process, better utilize on-street parking space, and provide a
better service to customers.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The downtown core in the City of St. Albert represents one of the largest employment
hubs in the City and plays a significant role in the economic success of the City. The ability
to manage parking activity in the downtown area to serve all user groups is fundamental
to ensuring the long-term viability of the downtown core.
Chapter 3.0 - The Role of Downtown Parking
3.1
The Role of Downtown Parking
Parking plays a key role in the economic vitality of downtowns.
Businesses require sufficient parking to maintain and attract new
customers and employees. High priority users in most downtown
environments are customers and visitors. A review of the literature
suggests that the most beneficial trips to the downtown economy
take two to four hours in duration. During this period, customers
and visitors are exposed to a range of shopping and entertainment
“Too much parking can
lead to the degradation of
urban spaces while too
little parking can affect the
viability of commercial
activities (IBI Group, 2008,
1).”
options only possible due to the proximity and mobility options
found in mixed-use areas like downtown.
The availability of on-street parking is critical for customers and visitors, since the majority of trips are
short in duration. On-street parking in front of stores should be reserved for these users, especially since
the supply of on-street parking is limited by the configuration of the blocks and amount of street frontage.
Street frontage, while fundamental to the vibrancy of the public realm and on-street parking provision, is
an inherent factor that contributes to municipal tax revenues. Narrow street frontage allows for more
businesses per block. Parking that is located in less convenient locations should be reserved for
employees, who tend to be parked for the full day.
http://lancasteronline.com/lancaster/news/lancasterpennsylvania-s-most-walkable-city/article_9283b498e988-5fb4-b32ffb9d20b67e55.html?mode=image&photo=0
Ensuring parking meets the needs of existing and new
users without detracting from the urban form is critical.
Downtown development patterns have higher intensity
land uses, higher quality urban form, and higher land
values. As a result, downtown development tends to
favour parking garages as opposed to large tracts of
surface parking. Expansive surface parking areas detract
from the urban form and mobility, increase travel times
and as a result, do not encourage the critical mass of
foot traffic required for a successful downtown. If the
downtown environment is well designed, people will want
Lancaster was voted Pennsylvania’s most
walkable city.
to walk.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
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ATTACHMENT 1
http://airstreammemories.blogspot.ca/2010/05/westwa
rd-ho-our-first-boondock.html
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The accompanying photos depict walking in a downtown
urban environment versus a typical big box store parking
lot.
Land tends to be more valuable in downtown
environments in comparison to suburban lands. As
downtowns grow and revitalize, the demand for land to
develop eventually phases out surface parking lots.
“Urban land tends to be more expensive than suburban
and rural land, and structured parking tends to be cost-
Typical parking lot at big box stores
effective only when land prices are greater than $1M per
The St. Albert downtown area has an abundance of
surface parking, which is a significant untapped revenue
source for the City. Parking lots are generally viewed by
City of St. Albert Property Tax and Assessment
Department as holding properties, and therefore assessed
as vacant land.
3.2
Guiding Themes and Principles
Woonerf
with parking
The guiding principles for the DARP Parking Management Technical Study
are based
on the DARP
http://transportehumano.files.wordpress.com/2009
/04/woonerf-a.jpg
acre (Weinberger, R., Kaehny, J. and Rufo, M., 2010, 31).”
principles, and will be used to identify and evaluate potential parking strategies. The guiding principles
are based on the premise that continued development of the downtown core will require an integrated
toolbox of parking management strategies which will assist in continuing to stimulate growth and
development within the downtown area.
These principles include:
Urban Design: The quality of the parking facilities (surface and structures) shall enhance urban
aesthetics, security, and convenience;
•
Innovative approaches: Parking supply and management shall use innovative solutions whenever
feasible;
•
Flexibility: Parking standards and policies shall be flexible to adapt to the changing landscape of
downtown development;
•
Multimodal connectivity and access: Parking will be managed and designed to support
transportation linkages and all travel modes (bicycle
parking, pedestrian connections, etc.);
•
Efficient utilization: On-street, surface, and
structured parking facilities should be sized and
managed so spaces are frequently occupied;
•
Integration with other plans: Parking supply and
management should complement the Transportation
Master Plan, Municipal Development Plan, and other
relevant plans;
•
Reduced environmental impacts: Parking footprints
will be limited and incorporate sustainable design
Page 10
http://inhabitat.com/first-leed-certified-parkinggarage/
•
Santa Monica Civic Center Parking Structure
is the first LEED certified parking garage
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
features to reduce storm water management costs, water pollution, and heat island effects;
•
Priority User: Customers and visitors should have first priority for on-street parking. Customers
and visitors inject revenue into downtowns by shopping, dining, and recreating. They generally
have short-term stays that result in high parking turnover. Employee parking will be managed to
ensure it does not conflict with customer parking, and multiple transportation options will be
offered to employees;
•
Incentives for shared parking in areas where parking is underutilized: Shared-use agreements
shall be encouraged between different users to maximize existing parking facilities; and,
•
Improve pedestrian accessibility: Create a system that that will result in a “park only once”
process.
In general, the DARP Parking Management Technical Study represents a flexible parking plan which will
provide the City of St. Albert with medium and longer-term solutions (and decision-making guidelines and
triggers) to ensure that parking management strategies, tactics, and programs are implemented in a
manner that best serves the unique and changing nature of the downtown environment.
3.3
Previous Initiatives
Parking issues in Downtown St. Albert are not new. Concern over parking shortages and other issues have
been on Council agendas since the 1970’s.
The Off-site Parking Levy (OPL) was established in 1978 to allow development that is located on a site
within the Downtown area of St. Albert to defer parking requirements by paying a fee per each stall into
the Off-Site Parking Reserve Fund. The purpose of the Off-Site Parking Reserve Fund was to hold
contributions from development to meet the future cost of providing off-street parking facilities. The fund
would be used at an unspecified future time to build a Parking Structure in the downtown.
The previous Land Use Bylaw (18/94) was amended to allow Development Officers to adjust on-site
parking requirements if a parking study was conducted for new developments located in the Downtown
area. The Bylaw also authorized Development Officers to approve off-site parking in place of on-site
parking, and to determine the percentage of required parking stalls that can be eliminated through the
Off-site Parking Levy (OPL) which was discontinued in 1995.
Contributions to the OPL did not result in sites or stalls being designated for parking. Rather, a future
municipal centrally located parking lot was to be developed. Both the OPL and parking waivers are
referenced in the current Land Use Bylaw. However, there have not been fees and charges identified in the
Master Rates Bylaw since 1995. Without inclusion in the Master Rates Bylaw, the City is unable to collect
the OPL.
As of February 28, 1995 when the Off-site Parking Reserve Fund account was closed, there was a balance
of $142,480.20. These funds were used in combination with Federal Infrastructure Program funding to
complete the existing surface parking lot located at 6 St. Anne Street; which was constructed in the spring
of 1995.
3.4
3.4.1
Current Initiatives
Pilot Project - Angled Parking on Perron Street
In June 2014, The Economic Development and Planning and
Engineering Divisions implemented an Angled Parking Pilot Project on
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Angled parking on Perron Street
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Perron Street. Reduced speed limits (40km/hour) on Perron Street, St. Thomas Street, and St. Michael
Street were implemented at the same time. A total of 29 additional parking spots were created through
the implementation of angled parking. The project will conclude May 2015. Measures of success include a
reduction in collisions, increase of pedestrians, reduction of speed, and supportive feedback from the
downtown community.
3.4.2
Pilot Project: Pop-up Patios
A pop-up patio is an extension of a business activity into the adjacent public right of way that replaces onstreet parking spaces to accommodate pedestrian and other temporary activities. The intent of the project
is to encourage the use of public space, and enhance the vitality of the street. The pop-up patio pilot will
remove a limited number of on-street parking spaces and extend the public realm into the street. Pop-up
patios may be used for eating and drinking services, seating for the public, or space for retail activities.
The City’s pop-up patio pilot project operated from May 17, 2014 to October 14, 2014, on both sides of
Perron Street. The project success will be measured by feedback from the public and businesses.
3.4.3
Pilot Project: Downtown Staff Parking
This project will explore the viability of providing designated parking for employees of downtown
businesses.
3.4.4
Re-Alignment of St. Anne Street
A major DARP implementation project is the
realignment of St. Anne Street. St. Anne Street will
be narrowed, realigned, and extended to the west to
Tache Street and then to Sir Winston Churchill
Avenue. Proposed alternatives will be presented to
Council and the public in fall 2014. Phase 1 of the
project includes the extension of St. Anne Street to
Tache Street.
The goal is to provide more mobility options, better
frontage for new development and a better
relationship to the riverfront. This capital project
received funding for design from City Council for
2014/2015. Engineering will be completed in late
2014/early 2015 with construction potentially beginning
St. Anne Street Re-alignment
in
the spring of 2015.
3.4.5
LRT Functional Alignment Study
On May 21, 2013 Council approved the Terms of Reference for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Functional
Alignment Study. The purpose of the study is to explore an LRT line from the Campbell Road Transit
Centre/Park and Ride to the northern boundary of St. Albert. The study will identify possible routes, costs,
and feasibility.
3.4.6
Other Notable Projects
The following projects will potentially impact how the DARP unfold, and overall downtown parking:
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
•
The Mayor has announced plans to develop a civic building and parkade on St. Thomas street with
500 to 600 parking stalls, and;
•
A downtown developer (Amacon) is developing a new master plan for Grandin Mall that is
proposing an urban village with 17 buildings, including three high-rise towers for up to 2,800
people. The complex is also slated to contain boutique shops, a grocery store, and an
underground parkade.
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
To develop a parking program for the downtown area, it is first necessary to understand
the dynamics of land use, access, and growth that are unique to the City of St. Albert’s
downtown core. Community perceptions and realities regarding constraints that limit
existing businesses from expanding and those that limit downtown’s ability to attract new
business and residential growth to the area need to be fully considered. Similarly, parking
opportunities and successful programs/strategies that currently contribute to an area’s
health need to be understood to ensure they are supported and enhanced by any new
parking and access strategies.
Chapter 4.0 – SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS – EXISTING AREA
CONDITIONS
4.1
Land Use and Urban Design
Cities and neighbourhoods all have distinct locational attributes.
Locational attributes include land use patterns, urban design,
pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, and transit. Locational
attributes are important because they impact transportation
choices, the quality of the public realm, and appeal for visitors and
customers. They also have a significant impact on parking. Cities
and neighbourhoods with high quality pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure, transit, and urban design, as well as a critical mass
of commercial and residential developments have a lower demand
for parking.
Overall, the physical location and density of downtown St. Albert
have a significant impact on the entire downtown and surrounding
neighbourhoods. The approaches into Downtown St. Albert,
especially along Green Grove Drive, St. Anne Street via St. Albert
Trail, and Sir Winston Churchill Avenue do not provide a welcoming
Active frontages and wide sidewalks
along Perron Street.
and visible entrance, or strong multimodal access. These
roadways are heavily auto oriented, and do not provide a safe and
comfortable pedestrian environment. The approaches also do not
provide a gradual transition to downtown development, especially with Riel Business Park to the east.
Downtown St. Albert has a low population and residential density, with 485 residents and 9.63 dwelling
units per gross residential hectare (St. Albert 2012 Census). The low population and residential density
impact the ability to support frequent bus service and a critical mass of commercial development.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
4.1.1 Existing Downtown Land Use Pattern and Urban Design
Downtown St. Albert is comprised of different and distinct land use
patterns. These land use patterns include street-oriented commercial
development around Perron Street, civic and community
development around St. Anne Street and Sir Winston Churchill
Avenue, and parks and open spaces along the Sturgeon River. Land
use patterns impact the quality of the urban realm, intensity and
proximity of commercial and residential developments, and
multimodal connections.
Perron, St. Thomas, and a portion of St. Anne Street (between
Map, benches, and historical
information on Perron Street.
St. Albert Trail and just west of Perron Street) are predominately
comprised of mixed-use, street oriented commercial developments.
Perron Street also has a few community oriented and residential
developments. This area of downtown provides the central focus for retail activity. Parking for this area
of downtown is largely located behind buildings, on-street, and in the 6 St. Anne Street parking lot.
Overall, Perron and St. Thomas Street provide a higher quality public
realm, and reasonably comfortable and convenient pedestrian
environment. Buildings front onto the street with active facades
(frequent windows and doors), sidewalks are wider and furnished, and
small parks and civic spaces are available. Along Perron Street in
particular, there are frequent pedestrian crosswalks (see Map #2
Transit), and slower moving traffic, partly due to the angled parking.
However, the development gaps along Perron, St. Thomas and
St. Anne Street, and poorly maintained alleys, impact the quality of the
pedestrian environment and proximity. St. Anne Street also has
unscreened parking lots abutting the street and river trail system,
detracting from the natural environment. A boost in residential
development in this area will further support commercial
Texturized pavers used for crosswalk on
Perron Street.
development.
Sir Winston Churchill Avenue and the southern portion of St. Anne Street
(west of Perron Street) are predominately comprised of civic and
community land uses. A few residential land uses are also located
adjacent to Sir Winston Churchill Avenue. Sir Winston Churchill Avenue
and St. Anne Street are more auto oriented as they provide direct
connections to downtown St. Albert from adjacent neighbourhoods. Sir
Winston Churchill Avenue and St. Anne Street have higher traffic
volumes, narrower sidewalks, and no on-street parking (except the
northern portion of St. Anne Street). Parking lots also abut the street
and the park and trail system.
Parking abuts Sir Winston
Churchill Avenue
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
As discussed in the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan,
downtown turns its back on the Sturgeon River and park
system. There are also several parking lots that back onto
the river trails and park system, in particular along St.
Anne Street. While there is an extensive trail system that
connects the Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park to River
Lot 56, there needs to be better connections to the trail
system and park spaces.
The parking lot
located at 6 St. Anne
has a significant
impact on adjacent
Parking lot behind Tuscany Restaurant and
the professional office tower backs onto
the trail.
land uses and streets. Several developments along St. Anne, St.
Thomas, and Perron Street rely on 6 St. Anne Street for parking.
However the 6 St. Anne Street parking lot detracts from the public
realm in downtown St. Albert due to its vast size and visibility from
St. Anne Street. The interface between 6 St. Anne Street lot and
adjacent developments varies greatly, with part of the parking lot
buffered by buildings and other parts left unscreened and visible
Some buildings backing onto 6 St. Anne
have activated facades with doors and
windows.
from the street. Some of
the buildings backing onto
6 St. Anne have active
facades facing the parking
lot, with windows and doors, while other have blank walls facing
into the parking lot. The connectivity throughout the parking lot
also varies, with some areas providing wide, well-lit walkways
and other areas lacking any internal pedestrian connections.
4.2
Areas of Significant Parking Influence
The downtown redevelopment study area is bounded to the
north by Mission Avenue, to the east by the St. Albert Trail, to
the south by Glenview Crescent and to the west by the CN rail
line. Within the outlined area, a number of curbside and offstreet parking lots controlled by the City of St. Albert were
Tache Parking Lot lacks pedestrian
connections.
identified as areas that experience significant levels of parking activity.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
The downtown
redevelopment study
area is bounded to
the north by Mission
Avenue, to the east by
the St. Albert Trail, to
the south by Glenview
Crescent and to the
west by the CN rail
line. Within the
outlined area, a
number of curbside
and off-street parking
lots controlled by the
City of St. Albert were identified as areas that experience significant levels of parking activity.
The specific areas identified as the focus of the parking study include the off-street parking within the 6
St. Anne and the Tache Street parking lots as well as the on-street parking along Perron Street, St. Thomas
Street, and St. Michael Street. Exhibit 4 identifies the selected areas of parking influence within the
context of the study area.
4.3
Purpose of the Inventory Analysis
In order to establish and better understand the current parking practices and existing parking supply of
the areas of significant parking influence within the downtown redevelopment area, the City of St. Albert
identified the need to complete a selected curbside and off-street parking inventory. The inventory
collected identified existing parking regulations in place as well as the number of curbside and off-street
parking spaces located within the study area.
The basic objective of the parking inventory analysis was to establish an up to date data base of parking
spaces within the study area. In addition, the completion of on and off-street parking surveys will assist in
determining changes in parking activity since the completion of the Technical Analysis of Downtown
Parking completed in 2001 by IMC Consulting Group (Stantec).
4.4
Parking Supply
The following sections present the findings of the parking survey work completed. Parking related
information was obtained through the completion of field surveys, aerial photography interpretation, and
discussions with City of St. Albert representatives.
4.4.1
6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot
The 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot is bounded to the north and west by St. Anne Street and to the south and
east by existing commercial development. The parking lot is located in the central core of downtown
St. Albert and is well positioned to provide parking to existing commercial development along Perron
Street, St. Thomas Street, and St. Anne Street as well as to provide parking opportunities for patrons and
staff associated with City Hall. Table 4-1 summaries the existing parking controls and inventory of the 6
St. Anne parking lot.
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table 4-1:
Existing 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot Inventory
Parking Control
Spaces
Unrestricted Public Parking
140
Handicapped Parking
4
St. Albert Employee Parking, Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
40
Restricted Public Parking (2 Hour Maximum)
28
Restricted Public Parking (2 Hour Maximum, Mon.to Sat., 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM)
13
Restricted Public Parking (30 Minute Maximum)
6
City Vehicles Only
1
TOTAL
232 spaces
As can be highlighted from Table 4-1, of the 232 spaces located within the 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot,
about 82% of the spaces are best classified as public parking spaces.
4.4.2
Tache Street Parking Lot
The Tache Street Parking Lot is located north of Sir Winston Churchill Avenue and west of Tache Street and
contains about 208 parking spaces. The parking lot provides spaces for patrons of Lion’s and Millennium
Park, the St. Albert Curling Club, and St. Albert Senior Citizens Club. An existing gravel footpath connects
the Tache Street parking lot with the City of St. Albert civic building through Millennium Park. The pathway
is approximately 250 metres in length. Table 4-2 summarizes the existing parking controls and inventory
of the Tache Street parking lot.
Table 4-2:
Existing Tache Street Parking Lot Inventory
Parking Control
Unrestricted Public Parking
Spaces
160
Handicapped Parking
10
St. Albert Employee Parking (Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM)
20
Seniors Centre Parking (50+ Club)
12
Curling Club Staff
6
TOTAL
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
208 spaces
Page 19
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
4.4.3
St. Thomas Street On-Street Parking
Parallel parking along St. Thomas Street between St. Anne Street and Perron Street is provided along the
north and south sides of the roadway. Approximately 29 curbside spaces are available and signed as twohour maximum spaces from Monday through Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The existing parking is
conveniently located to accommodate retail development fronting onto St. Thomas Street.
4.4.4
St. Michael Street On-Street Parking
A combination of parallel and angle parking is provided on the north and south sides of St. Michael Street
east and west of Perron Street. On-street parking is time restricted and conveniently located to
accommodate development fronting onto St. Michael and Perron Street. Table 4-3 summarizes the
existing parking controls and inventory of the St. Michael Street curbside parking.
Table 4-3:
Existing St. Michael Street Curbside Parking Inventory
Parking Control
Spaces
2 Hour Maximum - Angle
25
2 Hour Maximum - Parallel
5
4 Hour Maximum
8
Handicapped Parking
1
TOTAL
4.4.5
39 spaces
Perron Street On-Street Parking
Parking is provided on the east and west sides of Perron Street between the Sturgeon River and Sir Winston
Churchill Avenue. Curbside parking was converted from an entirely parallel layout to an angle parking
scheme in June 2014 as a one-year pilot project. Table 4-4 summarizes the existing parking controls and
inventory of the surveyed Perron Street on-street parking. Approximately 29 additional curbside parking
spaces were created through the completion of the angled parking plan.
Table 4-4:
Existing Perron Street Curbside Parking Inventory
Parking Control
Spaces
2 Hour Maximum, Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM - Angle
2 Hour Maximum, Monday – Friday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM - Parallel
TOTAL
77
4
81 spaces
In total, the parking supply inventory survey completed identified that there were approximately 440 offstreet parking spaces and 150 curbside (on-street) parking spaces located within the selected survey
areas. Table 4-5 summarizes the existing area parking supply considered for assessment purposes.
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table 4-5:
Existing Area Parking Inventory
Location
Off Street
On-Street
Spaces
6 St. Anne Street Lot
232
Tache Street Parking Lot
208
Sub-Total
440
St. Michael Street
39
Perron Street
81
St. Thomas Street
29
Sub-Total
149
Total
4.5
589
Scope of Survey and Methodology
Parking surveys were conducted to gather information on existing off-street and curbside parking
characteristics within the inventoried areas. Licence plate Parking utilization characteristics and parking
accumulation surveys were undertaken through the completion of licence plate surveys. Table 4-6
summarizes the data collection program.
Table 4-6:
Area
6 St. Anne Parking Lot
(Off -Street)
Tache Street Parking
Lot (Off -Street)
St. Thomas Street (OnStreet)
St. Michael Street (OnStreet)
Perron Street
(On-Street)
Parking Survey Data Collection Schedule
Date Surveyed
Survey Duration
Survey Type
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Saturday, June 7, 2014
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Accumulation
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Saturday, June 7, 2014
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Licence Plate
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Thursday, June 5, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Thursday, June 12, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Thursday, June 5, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Thursday, June 12, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Thursday, June 5, 2014
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Saturday, June 7, 2014
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Accumulation
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Licence Plate
Thursday, June 12, 2014
The parking surveys were completed during 4 and 10 hour periods over the course of a typical day. The
utilization routes were timed to be completed with an approximate 30-minute time period to allow for 30minute intervals to be evaluated (over the course of an entire survey day). License plate information was
tracked for occupied parking spaces to allow for an assessment of parking occupancy, parking duration,
and parking turnover.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
In addition to license plate utilization surveys, accumulation surveys were performed at the 6 St. Anne
Street parking lot, and for the curbside parking spaces along Perron Street to capture the overall
utilization of the parking fields for a typical Saturday. It is noted that although the intent of the surveys
were to obtain off-street parking characteristics for a typical Saturday, it was determined that during the
time of the Saturday surveys, a number of medium sized events were scheduled within City Hall. Although
these events cumulatively were not considered to represent parking characteristics associated with a
typical St. Albert’s Farmers market event, the Saturday survey information collected do not likely
represent a “typical” Saturday time frame.
4.6
On and Off-Street Parking Characteristics
The compiled results of the completed surveys were reviewed to determine the areas in which the existing
parking inventory could be better controlled by implementing a different strategy. The turnover and
duration data collected also identifies the parking areas that may not be utilized as efficiently as possible.
The survey results were reviewed to identify the following key parameters:
•
Occupancy: The percentage of parking spaces in an area or facility that is in use at a given time.
For example, a neighborhood experiencing 75% on-street parking occupancy has vehicles parked
in three-quarters of the legal curbside spaces. The analysis of the parking utilization survey
results focused on the parameter “peak three-hour parking occupancy”. This is a consecutive
three-hour period when the peak occupancy levels occur.
•
Availability (vacancy): The percentage of parking stalls in an area or facility that is not in use at a
given time. Availability (also known as vacancy) expresses the same concept as occupancy, except
that availability is the residual difference between a base of 100% availability and the occupancy
value. Availability is a useful concept because it is a way in which the user, that is a driver
searching for parking, experiences the prevailing occupancy rate.
•
Practical Capacity: The occupancy rate at which a parking facility (curbside or lot) is well utilized.
On-street parking occupancy rates at or close to 100% are generally undesirable. When available
on-street spaces are scarce, drivers circulate or “cruise” to find an available space. Drivers are also
tempted to park illegally. On-street parking occupancies of 85% have been demonstrated by
parking industry as a benchmark for the practical capacity of on-street parking as well as in public
off-street facilities. At the 85% level, approximately one available space is expected per block,
thus limiting the cruising phenomenon. For off-street parking facilities that are used by long-term
parkers (commuters and employee parking), the practical capacity value is at an occupancy level of
95%. For these types of facilities, the cruising phenomenon is not an issue, and the differential 5%
to full capacity reflects stalls that may not be usable due to miss-aligned parked vehicles.
•
Turnover: This parameter relates to the number of vehicles occupying a space in a given time
period. Turnover is typically expressed in vehicles per hour, or vehicles parked per space over the
sampling period. For a given area, turnover is expressed as an average across spaces of the same
type, such as the same time limit restriction for the given area. Turnover is an indicator of the
productivity or efficiency of a parking space which is essentially the quantity of users served.
•
Duration: This parameter relates to the length of time an individual vehicle is parked in a space.
Duration is typically expressed as the average length of stay of parkers in a given area during the
survey period. Duration is an indicator of the effectiveness of time limit restrictions and
enforcement.
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
4.6.1
6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot
One Saturday accumulation survey and two weekday licence plate utilization surveys were undertaken to
establish existing parking characteristics within the 6 St. Anne Parking Lot. Specifically, the characteristics
associated with the available unrestricted public parking, two-hour maximum public parking, and the
reserved parking for St. Albert City Staff were reviewed.
Table 4-7 presents the parking characteristics recorded for the unrestricted public parking, two-hour
maximum public parking, and St. Albert Staff parking on the weekdays surveyed.
Table 4-7:
Characteristic
Average Turnover
6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot Characteristics
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Unrestricted Public Parking (144 spaces)
2.1 vehicles/stall/study
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
2.1 vehicles/stall/study
Average Accumulation
75.8%
78.9%
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
89.7%
91.3%
Average Duration
9:30 AM-12:30 PM
3.4 hours/vehicle
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
3.5 hours /vehicle
Two Hour Public Parking (28 spaces)
Average Turnover
4.0 vehicles/stall/study
3.9 vehicles/stall/study
Average Accumulation
41.6%
48.0%
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
61.9%
61.9%
Average Duration
1:00 PM- 4:00 PM
0.8 hours/vehicle
12:00 PM- 3:00 PM
1.0 hours/vehicle
St. Albert Staff Parking (40 spaces)
Average Turnover
1.8 vehicles/stall/study
1.6 vehicles/stall/study
Average Accumulation
76.1%
85.4%
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
90.8%
95.8%
Average Duration
9:00 AM- 12:00 PM
4.0 hours/vehicle
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM
5.2 hours/vehicle
Weekday data collected at the 6 St. Anne Street parking lot indicates the available unrestricted public
parking is well utilized, while the average duration of patrons remains under 3.5 hours. Some additional
capacity is available in the two-hour public parking area and the parking duration data collected reveals
that on average, 91% of patrons obey the two-hour time restriction.
The City of St. Albert staff parking area within the 6 St. Albert Street parking Lot was well utilized and
reflects low turnover and longer parking durations. On average, about 28% of the staff were parked for a
duration of longer than 6.5 hours. Staff parking achieved an ultimate peak parking occupancy of about
98%. Peak parking occupancies were typically observed to occur in the late morning and early afternoon
time frames. Staff parking utilization characteristics were also observed to be high over the lunch hour
during the Tuesday, June 10th survey which reflects inclement weather conditions (rain).
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Figure 4.1 illustrates the accumulation data collected for the 6 St. Anne Street lot on Saturday, June 7,
2014.
It is noted that on the Saturday surveyed, there were a number of special events occurring in the
immediate area of the 6 St. Anne Street lot. Accumulation data indicates the parking utilization remained
consistently above 90% during the morning and midday time periods. The sharp decline in parking
activity between 12:30 PM and 1:00 PM may be attributed to a rain storm that influenced parking demand
profiles.
4.6.2
Tache Street Parking Lot
Two weekday and one Saturday licence plate utilization surveys established existing parking
characteristics of the Tache Street parking lot. Specifically, the characteristics associated with the
available unrestricted public parking and the reserved parking for St. Albert City Staff were reviewed.
Table 4-8 presents the parking characteristics recorded.
It is noted that parking reserved for City staff becomes unrestricted public parking on weekends.
Table 4-8:
Tache Street Lot Parking Characteristics
Characteristic
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Unrestricted Public Parking – 170 spaces weekdays, 190 spaces weekends
Average Turnover
1.3 vehicles/stall/study
1.9 vehicles/stall/study
0.9 vehicles/stall/study
Average Accumulation
29.3%
69.6%
15.8%
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
44.1%
80.4%
24.3%
Average Duration
12:30 PM-3:30 PM
11:00 PM-2:00 PM
12:00 PM-3:00 PM
2.0 hours/vehicle
1.8 hours/vehicle
1.6 hours/vehicle
Average Turnover
St. Albert Staff Parking – 20 spaces weekdays
1.5 vehicles/stall/study
0.9 vehicle/stall/study
Average Accumulation
60.8%
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
82.5%
Average Duration
3.9 hours/vehicle
Page 24
1:00 PM- 4:00 PM
-
59.3%
74.2%
2:00 PM-5:00 PM
6.7 hours/vehicle
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Weekday utilization of the unrestricted public parking in the Tache Street parking lot achieved an ultimate
peak of 53% and an average accumulation in the order of 23%. Parking designated for City staff was on
average 60% occupied and did reach an ultimate peak accumulation of 100% on Tuesday, June 3rd at 1:30
PM. Saturday accumulation data indicates the parking lot was well utilized and that 69% of users parked
for a duration under two hours. The peak utilization recorded was 93% and occurred at 12:00 PM. It is
noted that the Tails on the Trails fundraising festival for Second Chance Animal Rescue was held at Lion’s
park while the survey was conducted.
4.6.3
St. Thomas On-Street Parking
Four weekday licence plate utilization surveys were performed to establish the existing parking
characteristics of the curbside parking along St. Thomas Street between St. Anne Street and Perron Street.
All on-street parking surveyed along St. Thomas Street is restricted to a two-hour maximum, Monday to
Saturday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Table 4-9 presents the parking characteristics recorded for the St.
Thomas Street curbside parking on the days surveyed.
Table 4-9:
Characteristic
Average Turnover
Average Accumulation
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
Average Duration
St. Thomas Street Parking Characteristics
Tues, June 3, 2014
Thurs, June 5, 2014
Wed, June 11, 2014
Two Hour Parking - Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM – 29 spaces
4.5 veh/stall/study
4.4 veh/stall/study
3.2 veh/stall/study
55.7%
52.6%
49.0%
65.5%
70.1%
61.5%
9:00 AM-12:00 PM
9:30 AM-12:30 PM
11:00 AM-2:00 PM
1.0 hours/vehicle
0.9 hours/vehicle
1.3 hours/vehicle
Thurs, June 12, 2014
3.9 veh/stall/study
47.8%
56.9%
12:30 PM-3:30 PM
1.0 hours/vehicle
As presented, the characteristics of the surveyed parking remained relatively consistent over the days
surveyed. On average, 86% of those parked along the street obeyed the two-hour parking restriction, and
81% parked for under 1.5 hours.
4.6.4
St. Michael On-Street Parking
Four weekday licence plate utilization surveys were preformed to establish the existing parking
characteristics of the curbside parking along St. Michael Street east and west of Perron Street. Specifically,
the characteristics associated with the available two-hour and four-hour maximum on-street parking.
Table 4-10 presents the parking characteristics recorded for the St. Michael Street curbside parking on the
days surveyed.
Table 4-10:
Characteristic
Average Turnover
Average Accumulation
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
Average Duration
Average Turnover
Average Accumulation
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
Average Duration
St. Michael Street Parking Characteristics
Tues, June 3, 2014
Thurs, June 5, 2014
Wed, June 11, 2014
Two-Hour Parking– 30 spaces
7.8 veh/stall/study
6.8 veh/stall/study
5.8 veh/stall/study
66.2%
56.2%
54.0%
78.9%
73.3%
70.6%
9:30 AM-12:30 PM
1:00 PM-4:00 PM
1:00 PM-4:00 PM
0.6 hours/vehicle
0.6 hours/vehicle
0.7 hours/vehicle
Four-Hour Parking– 8 spaces
4.3 veh/stall/study
2.5 veh/stall/study
3.9 veh/stall/study
44.4%
38.8%
44.4%
54.2%
54.2%
56.3%
8:30 AM-11:30 AM
8:00 AM-11:00 AM
8:30 AM-11:30 AM
0.8 hours/vehicle
1.3 hours/vehicle
0.9 hours/vehicle
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Thurs, June 12, 2014
6.8 veh/stall/study
55.5%
73.3%
10:30 AM-1:30 PM
0.6 hours/vehicle
3.6 veh/stall/study
39.4%
52.1%
12:30 PM-3:30 PM
0.8 hours/vehicle
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ATTACHMENT 1
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Two-hour curbside parking along St. Michael Street had been recorded as having a high weekday turnover.
On average, 97% of patrons obeyed the imposed time restriction, with 59% of patrons parking for under
30 minutes. It is noted that the available two-hour parking achieved a peak 93% occupancy on both
Tuesday, June 3rd at 10:00 AM and Thursday, June 12th at 10:30 AM.
The four-hour on-street parking was observed to have a slightly lower turnover and a lower average peak
utilization. The four-hour restriction was obeyed by 97% of patrons, and 91% of patrons parked for under
two hours.
4.6.5
Perron Street On-Street Parking
One Saturday accumulation survey and two weekday licence plate utilization surveys were performed to
establish the existing parking characteristics of Perron Street between Sir Winston Churchill Avenue and
the Perron Street Sturgeon River Bridge. All curbside parking along Perron Street is restricted to a twohour limit from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday to Friday.
Table 4-11 presents the parking characteristics recorded for the Perron Street curbside parking on the
days surveyed.
Table 4-11:
Characteristic
Perron Street Parking Characteristics
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Two-Hour Parking – Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM – 81 spaces
Average Turnover
Average Accumulation
Average Peak 3 Hour
Accumulation
Average Duration
5.8 veh/stall/study
5.7 veh/stall/study
61.2%
61.7%
75.9%
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
0.8 hrs/veh
75.9%
12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
0.8 hrs/veh
Figure 4.2 illustrates the accumulation data collected for the Perron Street curbside parking on Saturday,
June 7, 2014.
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
4.6.6
Summary Observations of Existing Parking Conditions
The completed assessment of existing parking characteristics of downtown St. Albert yielded the following
items of note:
4.7
•
At present, off-street unrestricted free parking located in the 6 St. Anne lot is achieving peak
demands greater than 85% during weekday and weekends;
•
Off-street unrestricted free parking at the Tache lot has been recorded as only achieving a peak
three hour utilisation in the order of 44% during weekday survey times, indicating it is currently
underutilized;
•
Unrestricted free parking at the 6 St. Anne Street parking lot is currently achieving better
utilization rates than the unrestricted free parking located at the Tache parking lot, reflecting the
principle that public and visitor parking needs are concentrated at the central core of the study
area;
•
On-street parking is primarily being utilized for short duration trips of one hour or less, and time
restrictions in place are well respected, indicating enforcement is not an issue; and,
•
On-street parking in the downtown core is currently achieving peak three hour occupancy in the
order of 70% to 75%.
Bicycle Facilities
In 2014, a bicycle facility assessment was conducted in downtown St. Albert. The assessment found an
estimated 74 bicycle parking spaces in downtown St. Albert, as noted in the table below. Some locations
were deemed underserved, including St. Albert Place, Lions Park, St. Albert Professional Building, and
segments of Perron Street. There are no dedicated bicycle lanes or paths in downtown St. Albert. Table 411 presents a summary of the bicycle facilities located in downtown St. Albert while Exhibit 4-1 identifies
the locations of bicycle facilities.
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Table 4-11:
Location
Perron Street Parking Characteristics
Number of
Racks
3
Number of
Bike Stalls
27
St. Anne Street/St. Thomas Street
5
10
St. Thomas Street/ St. Joseph
Street
Jack’s Burger Joint (Perron Street)
3
6
1
7
St. Albert Professional Building
(7 St. Anne Street)
Privada Wine Bar (St. Anne Street)
1
3
Great condition (no updates
necessary
Good condition (no updates
necessary)
Great condition (no updates
necessary)
Needs to be replaced
2
4
In fair condition (could be updated)
Privada Wine Bar (Perron Street)
1
2
In fair condition (could be updated)
Cranky’s Bike Shop
(9 St. Anne Street)
St. Albert Place – North Entrance
2
4
2
4
St. Albert Courthouse
1
5
Good condition (no updates
necessary)
Good condition (no updates
necessary)
In fair condition (could be updated)
Lions Park
1
2
22
74
St. Albert Place – East Entrance
Total
Page 28
Condition
Good condition (minor updates to
structure)
Good condition (minor updates to
structure)
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Exhibit 4-1: Location of Bicycle Facilities in Downtown St. Albert
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Page 29
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
4.8
Transit Service
Transit service within the Downtown Redevelopment Area runs along St. Albert Trail, St. Anne Street,
Perron Street, and Sir Winston Churchill Avenue. There are 12 bus stops serviced by a total of 12 different
routes as summarized in Table 4-12.
Table 4-12:
Perron Street Parking Characteristics
Route Number
A1, A21 (peak)
A5, A6
A7
Weekday Local Routes
Heritage Lakes – Grandin – St. Anne Street – Mission Riel
Mission – Lacombe - Deer Ridge - North Ridge (doesn’t go downtown)
Erin Ridge - Oakmont – Sturgeon Hospital (doesn’t go downtown)
A11
Akinsdale – Pineview – Woodlands – Campbell – Perron Street
A14
VTS – St. Albert Centre – Summit Centre – Hospital – North Save-On Foods
Weekday Commuter Routes
201
202, 209 (express)
Downtown Edmonton via Kingsway
Downtown Edmonton via NAIT and MacEwan (209 doesn’t appear to have a
stop near downtown)
203
University of Alberta (via Westmount)
204
University of Alberta Express
Route Number
A1
A5, A6
A7
Weekend Local Routes
Heritage Lakes - Grandin - St. Anne Street - Mission
Mission, Lacombe, Lacombe Park Estates, Deer Ridge, North Ridge
Erin Ridge, Oakmont, Sturgeon Hospital
A11
Akinsdale, Pineview, Forest Lawn, Perron Street
A14
Summit Centre, North Save-On Foods, Hospital
Weekend Commuter Routes
201
Downtown Edmonton Kingsway
203
University of Alberta (via Westmount)
No Park-and-Ride areas have been designated within the study area. There is a limited amount of parking
available for transit patrons at the Village Transit Station (VTS) and St. Albert Centre Exchange with future
plans for another facility to the immediate southwest of the City. The City-owned Village Landing and the
Christian Reform Church park-and-ride stalls are available free of charge on a first-come, first-serve basis.
St. Albert Transit encourages riders to take their local route to connect with a commuter bus.
Transit stops serviced by local route A21 are located on Sir Winston Churchill Ave. in proximity to the
Tache Street parking lot. The transit stop located on St. Anne Street adjacent to the 6 St. Anne Street
parking lot is serviced by local routes A1, A6, A14, and A21, as well as the commuter route 202.
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Overall, bus service to downtown St. Albert is infrequent during non-peak hours. Dial-a-bus is provided
during weekday evenings and on the weekends during select times. On weekdays, downtown St. Albert
has busses running approximately every 15 to 60 minutes throughout the day, with dial a bus available
after 7 PM. Downtown St. Albert has less frequent weekend service, with busses running approximately
every hour or less. All busses are fully accessible with low floors, and are fitted with bike racks.
Only two of the downtown bus stops provide shelters, one on St. Albert Trail, and the other on Grandin
Road. Exhibit 4-2 highlights all of the bus stops, bus routes, sidewalks, and pedestrian crossings.
4.8.1
Pedestrian Facilities
Downtown St. Albert has an extensive network of sidewalks and trail system. Sidewalks are provided on
both sides of the roadways throughout downtown St. Albert, and connecting with adjacent
neighbourhoods. As discussed, the quality of sidewalks within and connecting downtown St. Albert to
adjacent neighbourhoods varies in terms of pedestrian comfort and convenience. For example, Perron and
St. Thomas Street provide a relatively comfortable and convenient pedestrian environment, while the
approaches into downtown St. Albert do not.
There are thirteen controlled and uncontrolled pedestrian crossings provided throughout downtown. The
quality of the pedestrian crossings varies in terms of crossing distance, vehicle speeds, and
enhancements. For example, Perron Street has lower vehicle speeds, more frequent pedestrian crossings,
and enhanced crossings with texturized pavers. St. Albert Place also has three controlled crossings directly
in front of the facility. In contrast, Sir Winston Churchill has further intervals between crossings, and there
are no enhancements.
The trail system connects several neighbourhoods and facilities with downtown St. Albert. The Children’s
footbridge, the Perron Street Bridge, and the St. Albert Trail Bridge provide direct linkages across the
Sturgeon River. As noted, downtown needs better physical connections to the river, and from the trail
system into downtown St. Albert.
4.9
Special Event Parking
Downtown serves as the venue for a number of weekly and annual events. Parking challenges during
these special events are acute, as they often involve the closing of sections of St. Anne Street and other
streets, and there is a high influx of visitors. Table 7-1 presents a list of St. Albert special events and
attendance statistics.
Table 7-1: Special Event Attendance
Event
Duration
Attendance
Farmers Market
Saturdays June-October
10,000-15,000 (per week)
Children’s Festival
Last week of May
~60,000/ 6 days = 10,000/day
Dance Festival (Arden)
4 days in April
~10,800/4 days =2,700/day
In total there are 32 special event days that include road closures that impact 9% of total annual days.
Existing strategies include parking lot monitors for 6 St. Anne Street, as well as a park and ride shuttle
from St. Albert Centre to accommodate over-flow parking. This service, which is free, could be more
widely advertised in order to increase ridership.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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4.10
Factors Influencing Parking Supply and Demand
There are a variety of factors that influence the supply and demand for
parking. Some of these factors apply to the entire community,
including available transportation modes, place of employment,
household income, and overall land use patterns. Some of these
factors apply specifically to downtown, including cost and availability
of parking. “Parking and travel patterns are integrally linked, since
travel patterns and travel behaviour (i.e. mode choice) determine the
“Research shows that each
time residential density
doubles, auto ownership
falls by 32 to 40 percent
(U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 2006,
7).”
demand for parking, while parking supply characteristics (e.g. availability of parking, price, convenience,
etc.) have a significant impact on travel characteristics (IBI Group Final Report, 2008, 12).”
4.10.1
Transportation Modes
Automobiles are considered to represent the primary mode of transportation in St. Albert and the most
popular form of transportation for commuting to work. According to the 2011 Statistics Canada
Neighbourhood Household Survey, 27,890 (85%) travel by automobile as a driver, 1,550 (5%) travel by
automobile as a passenger (5%), 1,850 (6%) take public transport, 1,055 walk (3%) and 110 cycle (0.3%) to
work. As the majority of St. Albert residents work outside of St. Albert, walking and cycling to work are
less feasible forms of transportation to work opportunities.
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ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Exhibit 4-2: Transit Facilities
legend
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
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According to the 2012 St. Albert Census, 21,704 St. Albert residents work outside of St. Albert and 11,710
work in St. Albert (2012 St. Albert Census). According to the Retail Market Analysis conducted in 2014,
25% of all shopping trips by St. Albert residents are to shops outside of St. Albert.
The new Transportation Master Plan intends to improve all transportation modes, including walking and
cycling facilities, and transit. It will also address future connections to Bus Rapid Transit and light rail
transit from Edmonton. The City of St. Albert is also striving to create more jobs in St. Albert, with a key
economic development goal of having 20,000 local jobs by 2020 (City of St. Albert, 2013). DARP will also
increase commercial and office space thus spurring more downtown St. Albert jobs.
4.10.2
Proximity to Transit
The majority of St. Albert residents reside within 400 meters (5 minute walking distance) of a transit stop.
According to the Transit Services Policy adopted in 2005, 90% of St. Albert residents must be within 400 m
of a transit stop. Transit stops must also be provided within 250 m of all higher density and institutional
uses, and 150 m of all seniors’ residences and activity centers (City of St. Albert, 2013). In terms of
frequency, buses service is to be provided at a maximum of 30 minutes in peak periods and 60 minutes
for all others (City of St. Albert, 2013).
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan will significantly increase the density of downtown St. Albert. As
a result, the majority of residential developments will located within 250 m of a transit stop. The
extension of the LRT to the northern end of St. Albert will also provide more transportation options.
Parking reductions should be considered for developments in proximity to transit.
4.10.3
Household Income
Household income has a large impact on transportation modes. Higher incomes generally translates into
higher automobile ownership. According to the 2011 Statistics Canada Neighbourhood Household Survey,
the average household income in St. Albert is $121,499. As discussed in Chapter Six: Comparative Review
of Off-Street Parking Requirements and Loading, non-market housing generally has a lower demand for
parking due to lower incomes of residents and smaller unit sizes. There are limited non-market housing
developments in St. Albert, including Big Lake Pointe, Aurora Place, and North Ridge Place for seniors.
None of these developments are located in downtown St. Albert. The St. Albert Land Use Bylaw also does
not allow for parking reductions for non-market or seniors housing.
4.10.4
Land Use Patterns
Land use patterns in downtown and the overall community of St. Albert support high automobile use.
Neighbourhoods primarily contain low density single-family housing with commercial development
clustered along St. Albert Trail. St. Albert has an overall density of 10 dwelling units per gross residential
hectare. According to the St. Albert 2012 Municipal Census, 74% of the housing in St. Albert is single
detached housing. Although downtown
St. Albert has only multi-family
developments (267 multiple-family
units), the density of downtown
St. Albert is only 9.63 dwelling units
per gross residential hectare.
Downtown St. Albert also lacks many
basic household amenities such as
grocery stores and banks. As a result,
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many downtown residents have to drive to these basic amenities.
The City of St. Albert Transit Long Term Department Plan (2013) identifies current land use patterns as a
barrier to regular transit service. Lower residential densities result in longer and less direct bus routes,
reducing the convenience of transit. The minimum residential density to support frequent local bus service
(half a mile route spacing and 120 buses per day) is 15 dwelling units per acre (VTPI), or 37 dwelling units
per hectare. The City of St. Albert Transportation Master Plan also acknowledges curvilinear street
patterns as a barrier to regular transit service. “With few exceptions, local and collector streets in
St. Albert follow a curvilinear pattern with front drive access. This type of street layout has proven to be
difficult to serve by public transit and is not conducive to easy pedestrian access within and through a
subdivision. In an effort to encourage subdivision and local street networks that are more transit friendly
and conducive to pedestrian and bicycle circulation, the Municipal Development Plan has enunciated a
desire for the development of a modified grid system of local streets (City of St. Albert, 8).”
4.10.5
Cost and Availability of Parking in Downtown St. Albert
Downtown parking supply and demand is influenced by the availability, location, costs, and restrictions
placed on downtown parking. In addition to the parking survey conducted, a comprehensive inventory of
all public and private parking stalls in downtown St. Albert was completed in July 2013. The inventory
found a total of 2,465 surface parking stalls, including Grandin Mall, 30 Sir Winston Churchill Ave, and the
Mission neighbourhood. Table 4-13 presents this information
Table 4-13:
Summary of Private and Public Parking Spaces in Downtown St. Albert
Location
Designated City Staff Parking
Parking Spaces
138
Percent of Total
5.6%
Free Public Parking 6 St. Anne
193
8%
Other Free Public Parking
252
10%
On Street Parking
145
5.8%
Grandin Mall Parking
719
29%
90
3.7%
Mission Parking
103
4.2%
Private Surface Parking
825
33.5%
2,465
100%
SWCA
Total
Parking in downtown St. Albert is largely free, including all on-street parking and most off-street parking
lots. As the DARP is implemented, charging for parking may become necessary to encourage parking turn
over.
The parking provided in the 6 St. Anne Street lot and along Perron, St. Thomas, and St. Michael Streets is
conveniently located for visitors and customers of downtown St. Albert. On-street parking along Perron,
St. Thomas, and St. Michael Streets has time restrictions to encourage turnover. As noted in the parking
survey, turnover is high and enforcement is not an issue. The average and peak accumulation rates for
these on-street parking spaces are also below the practical capacity benchmark of 85%, with St. Michael
Street recording the highest average peak 3-hour accumulation on Tuesday June 3, 2014 of 78.9%. Once
the parking accumulation rates reach 85%, paid parking may be reasonable to implement for on-street
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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parking along Perron, St. Thomas, and St. Michael Streets. It is however noted that during special event
time frames, on-street parking does achieve very high parking utilization characteristics.
The 6 St. Anne Street parking lot has significantly more unrestricted parking stalls, with 140 (144
including handicap stalls) unrestricted stalls, and only 47 time-restricted stalls (20% of the total parking
supply). According to the parking survey, turnover was also high and enforcement not an issue with the
time restricted stalls.
To encourage higher parking turnover for visitors and customers, placing time restrictions on additional
stalls in the 6 St. Anne Street lot should be explored. The average turnover was lower and average
duration was higher in the unrestricted stalls versus the time restricted stalls in the 6 St. Anne Street
parking lot. On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, the average turnover was 2.1 vehicles / stall, and average
duration was 3.4 hours / vehicle in the unrestricted public parking stalls. In contrast, the average turnover
was 4 vehicles / stall, and average duration was 0.8 hours/vehicle in the public stalls with a two-hour time
limit.
Based on a review of the survey results, average peak 3-hour accumulation rates were 89.7% and 91.3% for
Wednesday, June 4, 2014 and Tuesday, June 10, 2014 respectively for the 144 unrestricted parking
spaces. These accumulation rates are approaching the 95% occupancy level benchmark for practical
capacity.
It is recommended that supplementary parking utilization surveys be completed within the 6 St. Anne
Street Parking Lot during both typical weekdays and weekends. If these supplementary surveys reveal
similar parking characteristics (i.e. parking accumulation rates of 85% or greater), the City of St. Albert
should consider operating the public parking areas as a paid parking facility.
There may also be benefit to exploring re-locating staff parking in the 6 St. Anne Street lot to parking lots
located in less convenient locations. This would free up about 40 spaces for downtown visitors and
customers.
Additional public parking opportunities are located in more remote lots, including the Tache Parking Lot
and the Provincial Building parking lot. Long-term parking, such as employee parking, should be
designated to these parking lots.
The parking survey reviewed parking utilization for the Tache Street Parking Lot. Overall the average and
peak accumulations for unrestricted public parking was significantly lower for the Tache Street Parking Lot
versus the 6 St. Anne Street parking Lot on weekdays. In contrast, the staff parking had higher utilization
in the Tache Street Parking Lot versus 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot. Relocating employee parking from 6
St. Anne to the Tache Street Parking lot should be considered.
4.11
Existing Parking Demand Ratios
Based upon land use information provided by the City of St. Albert, it has been determined that there are
approximately 500 residents and 900 professional and commercial employees working within the
downtown area, representing a combined residential and employment of about 1,400 people.
At the present time, there are about 0.57 spaces per person.
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Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Projecting future parking demands generated by continues development activity within
the City of St. Albert’s downtown area development will assist in developing a framework
for determining an appropriate future area parking supply. This chapter presents a
preliminary overview of how parking activity can be monitored and regulated to achieve
overarching sustainability goals and objectives.
Chapter 5.0 – FUTURE AREA CONDITIONS –PARKING DEMAND
ANALYSIS
5.1
Introduction
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan forecasts significant population and employment growth over
the next 25 years which will impact and change current parking demand and supply characteristics. As
new development occurs, parking will need to be provided with the new commercial and residential
buildings. However many of these buildings will be located on existing surface parking lots in downtown
St. Albert.
The redevelopment of public and private surface parking lots will reduce the overall parking supply for
employees and visitors. According to the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan, some land will be made
available for development opportunities by relocating and consolidating surface parking in parking
garages. DARP identifies five downtown area parking structures. Should all of these potential parking
garage sites be developed to maximize their potential, an additional 3,500 parking stalls could be
provided in the downtown.
5.2
Population and Employment Growth
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan anticipates significant population and employment growth, with
a tentative projected population of 4,908 and employment of 2,000 by 2042. According to the 2012
Census, downtown St. Albert only has a population of 485 people, and 267 dwelling units.
5.3
Future Parking Supply
City of St. Albert representatives identified that the combined employment projections (professional office,
retail, service) could represent about 2,000 positions in 2042, representing an increase of approximately
1,100 employees over the next 25 to 30 years. Assuming that about 60% of this employee growth is
comprised of professional office and service related employees, and that each employee would occupy
about 300 ft2 of office area, 660 new employment positions would require about 200,000 sf of new
building floor area. Assuming that the remaining employees would occupy about 500 ft2 of office area,
440 new retail employment positions would require about 220,000 ft2 of new building floor area.
It has been estimated that by 2042, a total of 40,000 m2 (420,000 ft2) of new building floor are could be
required. The current land Use Bylaw would suggest that an appropriate parking index for these types of
land uses could be one space per 45 m2 of floor area. Based on this parking index, at one space per 45 m2,
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an additional 40,000 m2 (420,000 ft2) would require about 800 to 900 additional (new) parking spaces
could be required.
5.4
Accommodating Future Parking Demands
Future parking demands can either be accommodated or they can be minimized through the use of travel
demand management techniques such as shared parking. The ultimate parking management plan should
include both the provision of parking as well as travel demand management techniques to reduce overall
parking requirements.
There are a number of basic strategies can be considered to balance parking supply and demand including
through the construction of new parking stalls, through the use of Travel Demand Management (TDM)
Techniques, by maintaining a consistent stall supply or by following the parking regulations of the
governing Land Use or Zoning Bylaw.
These and other parking management strategies are more fully explored in Chapter Seven of this report.
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Downtown St. Albert is not a uniform concentration of office buildings and commercial
businesses. Land use activity within the downtown area represents a blend and a mixture
of a number of different land uses and distinct districts. Each district brings with it its
unique realties in regards to parking characteristics and the impact of parking on the
viability of the area. The project scope includes a comparative review of land use bylaw
parking regulations to address parking challenges.
Chapter 6.0 – COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF OFF-STREET PARKING
AND LOADING REQUIREMENTS
6.1
Overview of Land Use Bylaw
Downtown St. Albert is largely designated as Downtown District (DT), with smaller sections designated as
Boardwalk (BW), Mixed Commercial (MC), Downtown Residential (DR), Direct Control Mixed Use (DCMU),
Public and Private Services (PS), and Public Park (P).
Exhibit 6-1: Downtown Land Use Districts
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The Downtown District (DT), Boardwalk (BW), Mixed Commercial (MC), Downtown Residential (DR), and
Direct Control Mixed-Use District (DCMU) have higher design standards to encourage a higher quality built
form in downtown St. Albert. As part of the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan, the Downtown District
(DT) will be amended to include all of downtown. The amended Downtown District (DT) will continue to
encourage a higher quality built form.
According to the Land Use Bylaw, the purpose of the Downtown District is to develop a vibrant downtown
that includes a mix of employment, commercial, institutional, government, and medium to high-density
residential opportunities with a focus on quality design. The Downtown District largely has the same
parking requirements for each use class as other districts within the Land use Bylaw, with some reductions
for certain uses. These reductions also apply to the Boardwalk, Downtown, and Mixed Commercial
Districts, and include lower parking requirements for:
•
business support services and liquor stores (1 stall per 45 m² of gross floor area in the BW, MC,
and DT Districts versus 1 stall per 30 m² in all other districts);
•
drinking establishment and restaurant (1 stall per 6 seats in the MC, DT, and BW Districts versus 1
stall per 4 seats);
•
shopping centre (1 stall per 55 m² of gross floor area in the MC, DT, and BW Districts versus 1
stall per 45 m² of gross floor area C1 district); and,
•
theatre and cinema (1 stall per 10 seats in the MC District versus 1 stall per 4 seats in all other
districts).
Section 7.4 of the Land Use Bylaw, On-Site Parking Waiver Mixed Commercial also enables the
Development Officer to adjust parking requirements in the Downtown (DT) and Mixed Commercial (MC)
Land Use Districts. A Development Officer can waive parking requirements for changes in use in an
existing building, or if the building is adjacent to a public parking lot. When an existing building is being
enlarged, parking requirements are only required for the area of the building being enlarged. Please refer
to the appendix for the list of parking stall “waivers” in the Downtown district.
Section 7.9 of the Land Use Bylaw, Off-Site Parking Levy – Mixed Commercial (MC) and Downtown District
(DT) allows the Development Officer to authorize an off-site parking levy in place of parking requirements,
except for residential development, and the Development Officer shall determine the percentage of
required parking spaces that may be eliminated through the off-site parking levy.
The Downtown District also contains several parking provisions that aim to reduce the parking footprint
and its impact on the public realm. These include:
•
No surface parking between buildings and a public street including St. Albert Trail. On-site
parking must be located behind buildings and accessed from a service lane, or otherwise
screened;
•
Parking access is only permitted from a public street if certain criteria are met, including no
impact on the continuity of the streetscape and pedestrian movement;
•
Parking is required to have pedestrian access;
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•
Residential parking is to be located in a structured parking facility;
•
Surface parking lots shall not exceed 2,000 m²; and,
•
Parking structures have design requirements that reduce their visual impact on public streets and
incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.
The Mixed Commercial District also requires parking to be located in the rear yard if the site has an
adjoining rear lane, or screening provided if it faces a public roadway or open space. In contrast, the
Board Walk District requires parking to be placed in front of the development, with screening.
The only section of the Land Use Bylaw that reduces the overall footprint of parking in all districts is
Section 7.3, which allows for small car parking to comprise a maximum of 20% of required parking. It is
also noted that there are currently no maximum parking requirements.
6.2
Benchmarking Overview
The intention of this section is to compare downtown St. Albert’s parking standards with other
municipalities of similar size. This includes comparing parking requirements, parking management
strategies such as Transportation Demand Management, and parking design requirements.
There are a variety of factors that influence parking demand, and therefore parking requirements. These
include the level of transit service, geography, climate, density, and land use. St. Albert is a winter city,
with limited public transportation during non-peak hours, and a low population density (9.63 dwelling
units per gross residential hectare downtown).
Comparison cities and their respective downtowns were selected based on similar geography, density,
population, climate, and land use. While there are some differences, the municipalities of Airdrie,
Bellingham (Washington) and Red Deer provided some baseline data for parking. Airdrie and Red Deer
have similar climates. Airdrie is also adjacent to a large city (Calgary).
Table 6-1 presents a summary of the chosen benchmark municipalities and relevant characteristics.
Table 6-1:
Benchmark Municipalities
Population
Size
Airdrie
49,560
33.1 km²
Density
(Citizens/km²)
1,497
Bellingham,
WA
82,310
72.5 km²
1,135
Red Deer
97,109
1,403
St. Albert
60,994
69.23
km²
48.27
km²
City
Page 42
1,264
Parking Supply
Downtown
2,094 commercial
spaces, 406
residential and 211
on-street
2,773 on-street
and 6,695 offstreet
Downtown
Population
2,465 surface
parking stalls (145
on-street)
470
2,640
Downtown
Employment
7,565 jobs
939 bs
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6.3
Methodology
Residential and non-residential uses in downtown St. Albert and their respective parking requirements
were reviewed. The downtown parking requirements for similar land uses in Airdrie, Bellingham, and Red
Deer were compared with St. Albert’s standards. Since Bellingham and Airdrie anticipate the adoption of
new parking regulations this summer, both the current and proposed regulations were reviewed in this
section.
Airdrie, Bellingham, Red Deer, and St. Albert’s parking requirements have several similarities and
differences. All four municipalities have parking minimums, and parking requirements are based on use
class. None of the municipalities have parking maximums. Bellingham will be the only municipality to
have entirely separate parking requirements for the downtown once the Downtown District Development
Regulations are adopted. St. Albert, Red Deer, and Airdrie’s current standards do not have entirely
separate parking requirements for downtown, but rather different parking requirements for certain
districts.
St. Albert, Red Deer, and Airdrie’s current parking regulations are based on use class and zoning.
Similarly, Bellingham’s current and proposed Downtown District Development parking requirements are
based on use class, as well as neighbourhood plans. Airdrie (current standards) and St. Albert have some
different parking requirements for certain uses within some of the common downtown zones. Airdrie’s
proposed parking regulations will apply the same parking reductions for all districts, eliminating any
different parking requirements for downtown. Red Deer and Bellingham both have sections of their
downtowns that are largely exempt from parking requirements, based on zoning and neighbourhood
plans respectively. Downtown Red Deer is largely districted City Centre District (C1), which does not
require parking unless there is a residential component. Bellingham’s current and proposed Downtown
District Development parking regulations do not require parking for certain areas of downtown.
Bellingham’s current regulations also have a Reduced Parking Overlay District that applies to certain
downtown neighbourhood plans.
With the exception of St. Albert, all of the municipalities have provisions for shared parking. The
conditions for shared parking vary somewhat, however common conditions include a shared parking
agreement, different peak parking demands for users, and proximity of developments. Bellingham’s
proposed Downtown District Development regulations also require shared parking to be unbundled or
unassigned.
Red Deer, St. Albert, Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development regulations, and Airdrie’s
current regulations for the Central Business District have provisions for off-site parking. There are
different requirements for allowing off-site parking. For example Red Deer requires the parking facility to
be within 100 metres of the building or use, St. Albert requires a walkway, and Airdrie requires the
parking within 90 metres of the development, and signage. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District
Development regulations differ in that they allow for on-street parking that abuts a project site to be
counted towards on-site parking requirements when the new street parking will increase the supply of
improved on-street public parking.
Bellingham, St. Albert, Red Deer, and Airdrie have provisions to waive parking requirements if certain
conditions are met. These conditions vary from the proximity to public parking lots, lack of existing space
on-site to provide parking, and availability of on-street parking.
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St. Albert, Bellingham, Red Deer, and Airdrie’s proposed parking regulations categorize the different use
classes. The use classes are generally divided into residential, commercial, and industrial categories.
Bellingham’s Downtown District Development regulations propose assigning minimum parking
requirements solely on four separate categories: residential, commercial and institutional, industrial and
manufacturing, and warehousing and wholesale. For example, all commercial and institutional uses
require 1 space per 500 square feet (46.5 m²) of gross floor area. While the parking requirements are
much simpler to determine, there are a variety of uses clustered together with the same parking
requirements despite their different functions. For example, offices and retail have the same parking
requirements despite the fact that parking demand from offices tends to be employees that require longterm parking, and parking demand for retail tends to be customers requiring short-term parking.
Similarly, under section 7.3(2)(d) of the St. Albert parking regulations, several different use classes are
lumped together with the same parking requirement of 1 stall per 45 square meters of gross floor area.
These use classes range from automobile sales and services to professional offices.
St. Albert and Airdrie current parking regulations allow cash in lieu for reduced parking. Airdrie’s Central
Business District allow for cash in lieu for a parking deficiency up to 25%. As noted above, an off-site
parking levy can be used to reduce parking requirements in St. Albert’s MC and DT districts, except for
residential developments.
All of the municipalities parking standards have provisions for bicycle parking, with the exception of Red
Deer. Bellingham proposed Downtown District Development Regulations has the most significant bicycle
parking requirements, and categorizes them into short and long-term bicycle parking. The intention of
short-term parking is to encourage customers and other visitors to use bicycles by providing convenient
and readily accessible places to park. Long-term parking is intended for employees and residents who
stay at a site for several hours. There are additional security and weather protection requirements for
long-term bicycle parking.
Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development Regulations has some innovative parking
management strategies. Bellingham is the only municipality to propose parking reductions based on
Transportation Demand Management strategies. Parking reductions can be administered if projects adopt
a program that results in less automobile dependence. This includes enhanced bike storage, car sharing
services, or transit passes. Bellingham is also the only municipality to propose unbundled parking, which
allows for parking requirements of a project to be sold or leased separately instead of assigned to building
spaces. In addition, Bellingham’s current regulations can require the developer to construct on-street
parking adjacent for the development to use by the general public.
Red Deer, St. Albert, Bellingham, and Airdrie parking standards have some provisions for parking
dimensions and layout. However St. Albert is the only municipality with provisions for small-car parking
spaces, up to a maximum of 20% of required parking. As noted previously, St. Albert’s proposed
Downtown District also has higher design standards for surface and structured parking facilities.
Table 6-2 presents a summary of the parking regulations in the selected municipalities.
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Table 6-2: Overview of Selected Municipality Parking Regulations
Parking Minimums
St. Albert
Red Deer
Airdrie
√
√
√
√ (No parking
required for nonresidential uses in
the City Centre
District C1
Separate downtown parking
regulations or significant
reductions
Shared Parking
Off-Site Parking
√
Bellingham
√ (Proposed
regulations)
√
√
√
√
Reductions for affordable
/seniors housing/TDM Programs
√
Cash in-lieu
√
√
Bicycle parking
√
√
Unbundled parking
6.4
√
√
√
Benchmarking Residential Uses Parking Requirements
The intention of the future amended St. Albert Downtown District is to encourage higher density, with only
multi-family dwellings permitted. Although there are other use categories in the residential uses section
of the future amended Downtown District (DT), apartment buildings are the only pure residential use. The
other categories (home occupation, dwelling units, family day home, and mixed-use building) deal with
residential related uses. There are not equivalents in other land use bylaws; therefore this section focuses
only on multi-family uses.
St. Albert, Bellingham, Airdrie, and Red Deer all base their residential parking requirements for multifamily dwellings on a per unit basis, and the number of bedrooms in a dwelling unit. They all have
parking minimums as well, with no parking maximums. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District
Development Regulations have separate and reduced residential parking requirements for downtown. As
noted in the table below, Bellingham currently requires multi-family developments in all districts to
provide one stall for each studio unit, while the proposed regulations require 0.5 spaces for each studio
unit. Airdrie, St. Albert, and Red Deer do not have reduced parking requirements for their downtowns.
St. Albert’s parking requirements are comparable to Airdrie and Red Deer, ranging from 1 to 1.5 parking
spaces for a one-bedroom apartment. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development
Regulations has reduced parking requirements, stipulating 0.75 spaces for a one-bedroom apartment, and
does not require visitor parking. Visitor parking is required in St. Albert, Red Deer, and Airdrie.
Bellingham currently is the only municipality to grant parking reductions for senior and affordable
housing. The reduction is at the discretion of the planning director and may not be less than one half
space per unit. A parking study, services such as transit, and parking management methods are all
considered. Bellingham is also the only municipality to propose parking reductions based on programs
such as transit passes, and installation of covered transit shelters. Reference Table 6-3
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Table 6-3: Multi-family Parking Requirements
St. Albert
Multi-family Parking Requirements
Live/work Parking Requirements
Apartment housing, dwelling units above
commercial units require 1 stall per bachelor
suite or 1 bedroom dwelling unit, 1.5 stalls
per 2 bedroom dwelling unit, to 2 stalls per 3
bedroom dwelling unit or greater.
Minimum of 2 stalls for the residential
component, and 1 stall per 45 m² of
GFA for the commercial component.
Development Officer can vary parking
based upon number of bedrooms and
provision of adjacent parking on a
public roadway or in a common parking
area accessible to the public.
Visitor parking: 1 stall per 5 dwelling units
Airdrie
Current: for multi dwelling residential
developments: 1.4 stalls per dwelling plus 0.2
stalls per visitor parking per unit.
Required parking shall be based on the
appropriate housing type, and business
type at the discretion of the
Development Authority.
Visitor parking: 1 stall per 5 dwelling units
Proposed: Multi-Residential Development
Dwelling, Apartment (Mixed-Use): 1.5 parking
spaces for units with two bedrooms or less. A
minimum of one space shall be assigned to
each unit.
Visitor parking: 1 stall per 5 dwelling units
Red Deer
Multiple family building required to have 1
space per one bedroom unit, 1.5 spaces per
two bedroom unit; 2 spaces per three
bedroom unit
Bellingham
Visitor parking 1 stall per 5 dwelling units
Current: Duplex/multi-family requires one
stall for each studio unit, one and one half for
each one or two bedroom units, two for each
three-bedroom unit, and one additional space
for each bedroom over three per unit. Centre
commercial, Core and Fringe area, uses are
exempt from parking requirements.
Proposed standards: Multi-family requires.
0.5 space for each studio unit, 0.75 space for
each 1 bedroom unit, 1 space for each 2 and
3 bedroom unit and 0.5 additional spaces for
each bedroom over three per unit.
6.4.1
Live/work units are not permitted.
Current standards: One parking space
per live/work units or one parking space
per 500 square feet (46.5 m2) of gross
floor area of all units in a project,
whichever is greater.
Proposed: 1 space per 500 square feet
(46.5 m2) of gross floor area.
Parking Requirement Modifications for Residential land Uses
There are a variety of factors that influence parking demand, however only
Bellingham factors this into the parking requirements. These include
proximity of the development to frequent transit service, provision of bicycle
and pedestrian infrastructure, development mix, adjacent developments, and
market versus non-market housing. There is merit in St. Albert exploring the
According to Todd Litman,
one parking space can
increase housing costs by
12.5% (Kelowna, 2010, 2).
following for downtown residential parking requirements:
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•
Similar to Bellingham, parking reductions for seniors and affordable housing should be
considered. Many seniors do not drive, and those in affordable housing tend to own fewer
vehicles. Mississauga, Ontario has reduced parking standards for social housing (1.18 spaces to
0.75 spaces per one bedroom units, etc.) (FCM, 2011, 20). Several cities in Metro Vancouver also
allow for parking reductions for non-market housing (Vancouver, 2012, 20);
•
Parking reductions for proximity of housing to transit should be considered. The extension of
LRT and transit improvements through the amended Transportation Master Plan may reduce
vehicle ownership rates and usage in downtown St. Albert. “Portland has one of the more
innovative suites of apartment parking requirements. The City has a zero minimum parking
requirement for sites within 150 m of a 20-minute or better peak-hour transit service (Metro Van,
2012, 22).”
•
Similar to Bellingham, parking reductions for the provision Transportation Demand Management
should be considered. For example the provision of bike racks, carpooling programs, and
subsidized transit passes, and;
•
St. Albert should consider reducing parking requirements as the density of downtown increases
with development. Research shows that each time residential density doubles, auto ownership
falls by 32 to 40 percent (Holtzclaw et al. 2002). Higher densities mean that destinations are
closer together and more places can be reached on foot and by bicycle—reducing the need to own
a car.
6.5
Benchmarking Non-Residential Use Parking Requirements (Commercial Uses)
The following section compares parking requirements for non-residential uses in Airdrie, Bellingham, Red
Deer, and St. Albert. Comparable and common uses found in all four municipal downtowns were selected.
These uses include day care, drinking establishment, office, restaurant and retail sales.
6.5.1
Day Care
Day cares typically require space for pick-ups and drop-offs. How parking requirements are determined
for daycares varies greatly for each municipality, ranging from the number of employees, to patrons, to
gross floor area. Red Deer is the only municipality to not require parking for day cares in the downtown
C1 Commercial (City Centre) District, as they are classified as a commercial use. Bellingham currently is
the only municipality that stipulates the provision of a drop-off area. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown
District Development Regulations are the only regulations to not have specific standards for daycares, as
they are classified as commercial and institutional use, and therefore require 1 space per 500 square feet
of gross floor area. St. Albert, Bellingham’s current regulations, and Airdrie’s parking requirements for
daycares all factor in parking for staff, with requirements ranging from 1 stall per 2 employees to 1.5
stalls per staff. St. Albert and Airdrie’s proposed parking regulations also require stalls for patrons,
ranging from 1 stall per 10 patrons to 0.2 stalls/child.
6.5.2
Drinking Establishment
Parking requirements for drinking establishments vary greatly in terms of numbers and how they are
determined. St. Albert is the only municipality to base parking requirements for drinking establishments
on the number of seats, and provides a parking reduction for drinking establishments in the downtown
MC, DT, and BW districts. Red Deer is the only municipality to not require parking for drinking
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establishments located in the C1 Commercial (City Centre) District. Airdrie’s proposed regulations
consider both the amount of seating area and staff, requiring 2.5 stalls per 10 m² of seating area and a
minimum of 3 staff parking stalls. Airdrie and Bellingham currently base their requirements on the
amount of floor area, with Airdrie requiring 1 stall per 15 m² of gross floor area, and Bellingham requiring
one parking stall for every 75 square feet (6.97 m²) of floor area open to the public with a minimum of
seven spaces. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development Regulations are the only
regulations to not have specific standards for drinking establishments, as drinking establishments are
classified as a Commercial and Institutional use; therefore they require 1 space per 500 square feet (46.5
m²) of gross floor area.
6.5.3
Office
All of the municipalities, with the exception of Red Deer, base parking requirements for offices on the
amount of gross floor area, and have fairly comparable parking requirements. Airdrie’s current regulations
require 1 stall per 45 m² of gross floor area, and proposed regulations require 2.8 stalls per 100 m² of
gross floor area for offices and professional services. Similarly, St. Albert professional office use class
requires 1 stall per 45 m² of gross floor area and Bellingham currently requires one parking space for
every 350 square feet (32.5 m²) of floor area. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development
Regulations are the only regulations to not have specific standards for offices, as offices are classified as a
Commercial and Institutional use; therefore they require 1 space per 500 square feet (46.5 m²) of gross
floor area. Red Deer does not require parking for offices as they fall within the C1 Commercial (City
Centre) District.
6.5.4
Restaurant
The parking requirements for restaurants vary greatly for the four different municipalities. St. Albert
classifies drinking establishments and restaurants together for parking standards. As noted above, the
requirements are based on seats and restaurants in the MC, DT, and BW district have reduced parking
requirements. Airdrie and Bellingham’s current parking requirements are based on the area of seating
and gross floor area respectively. Airdrie’s proposed parking regulations base parking on the area of
seating plus also require staff parking. Restaurants in Red Deer’s C1 Commercial (City Centre) District not
require any parking. Bellingham’s current regulations classify eating and drinking establishments and
dance halls together, and base parking requirements on the amount of floor area open to the public, with
a minimum of seven spaces. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development Regulations are the
only regulations to not have specific standards for restaurants, as restaurants are classified as a
Commercial and Institutional use; therefore they require 1 space per 500 square feet (46.5 m²) of gross
floor area.
6.5.5
Retail Sales
Bellingham, St. Albert, and Airdrie base their parking requirements for retail sales on floor area. The
parking requirements for retail range from one parking space per 23 m² (Bellingham’s current parking
regulations) to one space per 46 m² (Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development Regulations).
Again, Bellingham’s proposed Downtown District Development Regulations do not have specific parking
standards for retail, as retail is considered a Commercial and Institutional Use. St. Albert also has general
retail categorized together with several different use classes. Airdrie’s current and proposed parking
regulations and St. Albert have similar requirements. Airdrie currently requires 1 stall per 45 m² of gross
floor area, and the proposed regulations require 3 parking spaces per 100 m² gross floor area. St. Albert
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requires general retail stores to have 1 stall per 45 m² of gross floor area. Retail sales in Red Deer’s C1
Commercial (City Centre) District do not require any parking.
6.5.6
Parking requirement Modifications for Non-Residential Parking
There is a range in how parking requirements for non-residential uses are determined across the four
municipalities, from gross floor area, to number of employees and staff. All cities have parking
minimums. St. Albert, Airdrie, and Red Deer have most non-residential uses separated into individual uses
with associated parking requirements. The only exception is that St. Albert, under Part 7 (7.3(2) (d)) of
their Land Use Bylaw has a variety of uses clustered together with the same parking requirement of 1 stall
per 45 m² of gross floor area. These uses vary greatly from automotive services, construction services,
and financial institutions, to industrial heavy vehicle equipment. Bellingham’s proposed Downtown
District Development Regulations categorize several uses together with the same parking requirement.
For example, Commercial and Institutional uses encompass offices, retail, services, eating and drinking
establishments, cultural or educational facilities, and similar uses.
St. Albert should explore the following for non-residential parking
requirements in the downtown:
“Automobiles typically spend 95% of
their existence parked, using either
on-street parking supplied free by the
community or privately supplied offstreet parking.” Todd Litman, 2014,
3)
•
Similar to Bellingham, St. Albert should administer parking
reductions for developments such as offices that adopt
programs or facilities that reduce automobile use. These
programs could potentially include carpooling, subsidized
transit passes, and bike storage;
•
There may be value in reviewing the parking requirements for Part 7 (2d) of the St. Albert Land
Use Bylaw. There are a variety of good and services type uses clustered together that require one
parking stall per 45 m². Many of these goods and services would have more short-term customers
and a higher parking turnover, therefore likely requiring less parking. For example, gas stations,
pharmacies, and take-out restaurants would likely have customers stay for less than half an hour.
In contrast, goods and services such as commercial schools and offices would have longer-term
parkers, and therefore require more parking;
•
Parking reductions and or eliminating parking requirements for some uses in downtown St. Albert
should be considered. The increased residential population downtown will lead to more foot
traffic for several stores and services, reducing automobile use;
•
There may be merit in basing the parking requirements for day cares on the number of full-time
staff and requiring a drop-off area, as parents generally drop their children off and do not park
long-term. As noted above, Bellingham’s current parking requirements for day cares require one
parking space for each staff person working at any time, and provisions for an adequate drop-off
area located off the street;
•
Shared parking should be permitted in St. Albert for uses with varied peak times. For example,
offices tend to require parking during the day, while restaurants and drinking establishments
require more parking at night and on weekends;
•
Parking maximums should be considered for non-residential uses, as parking may be
oversupplied; and,
•
The majority of uses in the Downtown District, Board Walk, and Mixed Commercial Districts do not
allow for reduced parking. These include residential uses, general retail stores, and professional
offices. There may be merit in exploring parking reductions for some of these uses.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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6.6
Comparative Review of Loading and Unloading Requirements
The loading requirements for the four municipalities are listed below. Loading requirements are
categorized by use and district, with requirements ranging from one to two loading spaces. Airdrie’s is
the only municipality to propose loading requirements for Apartment/Attached Dwelling.
St. Albert’s loading requirements are comparable to the three other municipalities. St. Albert may want to
consider identifying different uses that do not require loading areas in the downtown, and amending the
land use bylaw accordingly. There may also be opportunities for shared loading agreements. Table 6-4 on
the following page presents a summary of Loading and Unloading parking requirements for the selected
municipalities.
Table 6-4: Loading and Unloading Parking Requirements
St. Albert
All uses in a commercial or industrial district
Funeral home, hospital, long term care
housing, supportive housing
All other uses in districts other than a
commercial or industrial district
1 loading space per loading door
In addition to loading requirements under subsection (1), a
minimum of 1 loading space for specialty vehicles must be
provided unless otherwise required by the Development
Officer
Loading spaces as required by the Development Officer
Airdrie (Proposed Land Use Bylaw amendments)
Apartment/Attached Dwelling
Residential Multi-Unit Development
Commercial Multi Unit Development
Retail, General
Large Format/over 15,000 m²
Hospitals
Hotel and Conference Facilities
Industrial, Manufacturing/Operations
Hotels without Conference Facilities
Recreation Facilities
Commercial and Industrial Uses not
Otherwise Listed
1 loading space per building in excess of 20 dwelling units,
otherwise at the discretion of the Development Officer
2.0 loading spaces per facility
2.0 loading spaces per facility
1.0 spaces per facility
1.0 loading space per facility, unless otherwise allowed by the
Development Authority.
Bellingham
Retail, wholesale, freight, hospital, industrial
and manufacturing uses
Hotel, eating, or drinking establishment,
community center, convention hall or other
similar use
One berth for each building containing 10,000 to 25,000
square feet (929 to 2,322 m²) of floor area. Two berths for
each building containing 25,000 square feet (2,322 m²) of
floor area.
One berth for each building containing 20,000 to 50,000
square feet (1,858 to 4,645 m²) of floor area. Two berths for
each building containing 50,000 plus square feet (4,645 m²)
of floor area.
Red Deer
C1 District (Commercial City Centre District),
C1A, C2A, C2B, C3, and C4 District
I1 and I2 Districts
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One loading space opposite each loading door with a
minimum of one shall be provided.
One loading space opposite each loading door with a
minimum of one for each 1,858 square meters of floor space
shall be provided.
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Providing an adequate supply of parking is critical for ensuring the economic vitality and
livability of downtown St. Albert. Balancing the supply of parking with alternative
transportation modes, residential and commercial intensification, the public realm and the
environment is part of developing a successful downtown. Parking management
strategies, programs, and technology seek to effectively and efficiently manage parking
facilities, so an optimal supply of parking is provided.
Chapter 7.0– PARKING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES and
PROGRAMS
7.1
Parking Policy Review
The City of St. Albert is working to create walkable, transit oriented districts to provide employees, visitors
and residents with lifestyle and alternative transportation choices within the downtown area. A significant
obstacle in creating these types of neighbourhoods is changing conventional parking regulations which
encourage free parking and auto use which discourage transit supportive areas. The challenge is to update
and modify current parking regulations and policies that support walkability and increased transit use as
key elements in the development of sustainable communities.
Societal perceptions associated with parking are often very strong. In many cases, parking is considered a
right. A few of the societal perceptions impacting parking supply and demand include ease of access,
proximity to destination, safety and security and perception of need. Although harder to incorporate into
policy and bylaw requirements, societal perceptions should be recognized when evaluating, developing
and implementing parking policies.
Development in St. Albert is governed by the City’s Land Use Bylaw and as a result, land use policies are
one of the driving factors behind St. Albert’s parking characteristics. Research indicates that development
patterns are strongly influenced by transportation infrastructure and policy. Although parking facilities are
often privately owned and operated and not specifically involved in the transport of people or goods,
parking infrastructure should be considered integral components of the City’s transportation
infrastructure and land use foundation. The City’s Municipal Development Plan and the Transportation
Master Plan recognize and acknowledge this relationship and goals, objectives and actions that address
these relationships have been developed.
The evaluation of land use policy impacts on parking highlights the integrated nature of land use and
transportation. Sustainable development and land use concepts often speak to limiting supply of parking,
decreasing demand for parking or improving utilization characteristics of existing parking facilities.
When evaluating methods to achieve these objectives, the integrated nature of land use and transportation
becomes more apparent. Implementation of successful sustainable parking practices requires both
land use and transportation policies that combine to facilitate parking goals.
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7.2
Benefits Associated with Parking Management
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan recognizes the value of
developing appropriate parking management policies and
programs. According to the DARP, “a new approach to parking
downtown will be critical to unlocking key sites for
redevelopment, better serving existing businesses and
“Parking management refers to
policies and programs that result in
more efficient use of parking
resources (Litman, 2013, 2).”
meeting the demand for future parking (City of St. Albert,
2010, 76).” There are a variety of benefits associated with appropriate parking management programs
and policies. These include:
7.3
•
Reduced development costs: Excluding land, parking stall costs can range from $10,000 per stall
in a paved surface lot to $35,000 or more per stall in a well-designed above grade parking garage;
•
Increased housing affordability: According to Litman (2013) parking averages 10% of total
building costs. Development costs impact housing affordability as developers pass the costs of
developing additional parking to consumers;
•
Assigned parking to the appropriate user: Ensuring customers and visitors have priority access to
on-street parking in front of retail, and employees and other long-term parking users have access
to long-term parking;
•
Parking turnover: Parking turnover frees up more spaces and increases sales for businesses. In
2003, the City of Bend assessed the impact of average customer purchases and parking stall
turnover. It found a correlation between the number of customer vehicle trips to the retail curb
space and value to adjacent business. “In Bend, a single parking stall has the potential to produce
at least $154 in daily customer sales or over $46,000 per stall per year. If customers take the
“park once” approach and visit multiple shops on a given trip, the value may be higher (Oregon
Transportation and Growth Management Program, 2013, 4);
•
Reduced automobile use: Increased use of transit and active transportation modes reduces the
environmental impact of driving and encourages healthier lifestyles;
•
Greater parking options and services for drivers: “If drivers must circle blocks looking for parking,
they waste time and gas while contributing to traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions
(Oregon Transportation an Growth Management Program, 2013, 2).”;
•
Reduced land consumption: Sizing parking appropriately reduces the impact of parking on the
public realm, storm water management costs, pollution, etc.;
•
Revenue generation: Charging for parking generates revenue that can be used for street
enhancements, maintenance, or other programs, and;
•
Flexibility to adapt to the downtown context: Ability to adapt parking supply to address
significant increases in population, dwelling units, businesses, and transportation connections.
Parking Management Policies – Issue Identification
The City of St. Albert Land Use Bylaw bases parking requirements on land use and building size.
Developments are required to provide a minimum number of parking stalls. Factors such as the proximity
to transit, provision of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, density, transportation demand management
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programs, and affordable housing are not considered when calculating parking requirements. The City of
St. Albert Land Use Bylaw also has no parking maximums in place or opportunities for shared parking. As
a result, parking is often oversupplied.
Parking requirements for downtown St. Albert should be re-examined in support of the City’s current
direction to significantly increase density, mixed-use developments and improve pedestrian and cyclist
infrastructure. There may be merit in exploring separate parking requirements for downtown St. Albert.
Parking reductions should be explored for affordable housing, seniors housing, and high density and/or
mixed-use developments. The location of the development with respect to transit and cycling and
pedestrian infrastructure should also be considered. Parking requirements for different uses should be
individually examined under the current Land Use Bylaw. For example, Part 7 (2) (d) of the Land Use Bylaw
has several different uses clustered together that require the same amount of parking (one stall per 45
m2). It is unlikely the various different uses have the same parking needs.
7.4
Parking Management Best Practices
Parking management techniques can be grouped by characteristics including locational attributes, land
use or development type or even pure policy requirements. These categories are not mutually exclusive
and the specific strategies are often utilized in conjunction with one another as part of an overall parking
management program.
The following sections provide descriptions of parking management strategies and frameworks which
support smart growth which the City of St. Albert could consider incorporating into its Land Use Bylaw and
land use development policies. The strategies and tactics would assist in promoting alternative modes of
transportation. Strategies include practices that limit parking supply (minimum and maximum parking
requirements, area wide caps and shared parking). Strategies to reduce the demand for parking such as
transit investments, transit oriented development, Transportation Demand Management and unbundled
parking are also discussed.
This review represents a first step towards assisting the City in developing the right mix and combination
of strategies, tactics and programs to achieve the City’s goals and vision of a sustainable transportation
plan.
7.5
Conventional Parking Management Strategies / Regulations
Conventional parking management strategies have focussed on providing free and abundant parking.
“The old paradigm assumed that parking lots should almost never fill, that parking facility costs should be
incorporated into the costs of buildings or subsidized by governments, and that every destination should
satisfy its own parking needs (Litman, 2013, 7).” As a result, parking requirements were based on
providing a minimum of parking stalls, generally borrowed from other municipalities’ standards or
professional organizations such as the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). Institute of
Transportation Engineers (ITE) guidelines base rates on observations of peak parking demand for a single
development. “Under these conditions, parking can take up more than 50 percent of the land used in a
development (EPA, 2006, 6).”
The locational attributes of developments are not considered under conventional parking management
strategies, including proximity to transit, density, employment rates, and housing affordability.
Conventional parking management strategies have a one size fits all approach to parking, and tend to be
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excessive and inflexible. The generous supply of parking provided with developments has fuelled
automobile dependency and sprawl. Largely empty parking lots are filled with dead spaces, instead of
businesses and other developments. With separated land uses, densities and walkability are reduced.
7.6
Innovative Parking Management Strategies Policy Actions
Innovative and sustainable communities are seeking to create compact, mixed-use, attractive and walkable
communities, with a range of housing and transportation choices. The management and design of parking
is an integral component to developing sustainable communities. Innovative parking management
strategies aim to provide an optimal supply of parking, while promoting alternative forms of
transportation, high quality urban design, and preserving open spaces.
7.6.1
Limiting Parking Supply by Modifying Land Use Bylaw Parking Regulations
The downtown parking requirements in the St. Albert Land Use Bylaw should be revised to ensure they
reflect the development context, including the including provision of alternative transportation modes and
transportation demand management programs, density, and demographics. There are a variety of
strategies available for limiting parking supply, including reduced minimum parking requirements,
parking maximums, and shared parking.
Prior to introducing measures that will limit the parking supply, the provision of transit, densities, local
economy, and adjacent land uses should be considered. Insufficient supply of parking can lead to spill
over into adjacent neighbourhoods and reduce the marketability of developments. “Parking restrictions
that may seem to place urban areas at a disadvantage can be offset by amenities other than parking, such
as convenient access to services and places of employment, attractive streetscapes, or pedestrian-friendly
neighbourhoods (EPA, 2006, 17).”
7.6.2
Reduced Minimum Parking Requirements
The City of St. Albert Land Use Bylaw parking requirements are based on minimum parking requirements.
Residential parking requirements are calculated by the number of bedrooms, and dwelling units. Parking
requirements for non-residential land uses are generally based on the floor area of the development, or as
required by the development officer. “Local zoning ordinances have historically controlled the amount of
parking at a site by imposing minimum parking requirements, calculated as a ratio of the number of
parking spaces required per square foot, per dwelling unit, or other measure of intensity (Governor’s
Office of Smart Growth, 2005, 3).”
The City of St. Albert parking requirements should consider the locational context of the development.
Reduced minimum parking requirements should be available for higher density and mixed-use
developments, and developments in proximity to transit and other alternative forms of transportation.
The DARP supports development patterns that will reduce the demand for parking. The demographics of
the development should also be considered, specifically if the project involves affordable or seniors
housing. “For example, due to the high cost of car ownership, low-income residents generally have lower
levels of car ownership than that of the general public. If the anticipated users of a proposed project have
low levels of car ownership, the project might generate a lower parking demand than what would
otherwise be anticipated (Governor’s Office of Smart Growth, 2005, 4).”
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7.6.3
Parking Maximums
Land Use Bylaws can incorporate parking maximums which limit the number of parking spaces for a
development. The intention of parking maximums is to prevent the excess supply of parking. “Maximums
can complement minimum parking requirements, thus ensuring a threshold level of parking supply, or can
stand alone leaving individual developers to determine the appropriate amount of parking necessary
(Governor’s Office of Smart Growth, 2005, 5).” In order for parking maximums to be effective, alternative
transportation options must be available, and the development’s location must have a strong enough
market to sell with less parking. Incorporating parking maximums should be explored with the City of
St. Albert Land Use Bylaw.
7.6.4
Shared Parking
Shared parking allows developments to share parking based on peak parking demand. For example, an
office typically has a peak parking demand during the daytime, while a restaurant or cinema has a peak
parking demand in the evening. Shared parking can reduce the total number of stalls required for a mixeduse development or several developments in proximity. Parking facilities are less scattered and
concentrated in one area. As a result, developments tend to be better designed and more walkable, as
there are fewer driveways. Developers also benefit from reduced development costs (EPA, 2006, 18).
The City of St. Albert should explore introducing shared parking into the Land Use Bylaw. Determining
shared parking requirements involves looking at a variety of different factors. “Planners need to consider
several factors when developing shared parking requirements, including the physical layout of the
development; the number of spaces for each of the individual land uses; the type of parking users (e.g.
employees, residents, or hotel guests who park all day, or customers and visitors who park for short
period of time); and hourly accumulation of parking for each land use (EPA, 2006, 19).” For shared
parking to be successful, parking should not be reserved where practical for employees or other groups.
7.6.5
Improved Parking Design
Maximizing parking stall inventory by reconfiguring on-street and off-street parking is a cost effective
approach to increasing the overall supply of parking. The St. Albert Land Use Bylaw allows small car
parking spaces to comprise a maximum of 20% of required spaces. However it is unclear if this provision
is exercised in any of the parking lots in St. Albert.
Parking lot re-design could include adding small-car parking spaces to larger parking lots such as the 6 St.
Anne and Tache parking lots, and increasing on-street and angled parking opportunities where road crosssections and traffic patterns permit.
7.7
Controlling Parking Demand (Transportation Demand Management Tactics)
Reducing the demand for parking is one of the most effective means to reducing parking supply.
Strategies such as providing alternative transportation modes, pricing and unbundling parking can reduce
the demand for parking. However, driving is entrenched in St. Albert and across Canada, and to change
travel behaviour, a significant commitment from various private and public stakeholders and education is
needed.
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7.7.1
Transportation Demand Management Programs
Transportation Demand Management involves providing programs that encourage alternative forms of
transportation, thus reducing single-occupancy vehicle travel and the demand for parking. Programs can
be implemented by the public and private sector. Transportation Demand Management Programs include
cash-out programs, providing bicycle facilities and amenities such as showers and bike racks, investments
in transit, carpooling programs, and preferential parking for carpools.
Cash-out programs involve providing employees with the option of free parking or cash in lieu to use for
transit or other transportation modes. The effectiveness of cash out programs is based on the provision of
alternative transportation modes such as transit and cycling amenities. As well, “according to a model
developed by Donald Shoup at the University of California-Los Angeles, cash out is about two thirds as
effective as charging for parking (Governor’s Office of Smart Growth, 2005, 13).”
Some municipalities have started incorporating requirements for dedicated carpool parking and bicycle
parking into their Land Use Bylaws. The City of St. Albert Land Use Bylaw requires bicycle parking at the
discretion of the Development Officer. Dedicated parking for carpooling and enhanced bicycle parking
provisions in the Land Use Bylaw should be explored.
Currently, the majority of employees in downtown St. Albert drive to work. Shifting the transportation
modes for employees will be challenging, as parking is free and abundant, and transit service and cycling
infrastructure is lacking.
7.7.2
Maintain a Consistent Stall Supply
To maintain the stall supply, when a new development displaces existing stalls, an equivalent number of
stalls will need to be constructed for public use. While this option maintains the current stall supply, as the
number of downtown employees increases, the ratio of stalls to employees will decrease. This option
essentially illustrates how the balance between the parking supply and TDM initiatives can occur.
7.7.3
Paid Parking
Charging for parking is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce the
demand for parking. Paid parking can increase turnover, convenience and
availability. “Parking charges have been found to reduce employee vehicle trips,
and thus daily parking demand, by between 7 percent and 30 percent or more,
depending on factors such as the level of charges and the availability of
“An estimated 99
percent (Shoup, 2005)
of parking in the
United States is free
(EPA, 2006, 29).
alternatives to driving alone (EPA, 2006, 29).”
Private and publicly-owned parking facilities can base pricing strategies on desirable turnover, peak
demand, and vehicle sizing to encourage the use of compact cars (Governor’s Office of Smart Growth,
2005, 16).” For example, charging for on-street parking in front of retail helps prioritize specific users,
such as customers, and encourage turnover.
Parking pricing concepts should be considered as an integral part of any comprehensive parking policy
approach. Parking pricing is a powerful tool that can affect parking occupancy and turnover and can
induce greater turnover of the most convenient spaces, increase parking availability, and generate revenue
to fund community improvements. Parking pricing is most effective when it is combined with a
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comprehensive package of incentives for alternative modes including transit service and pedestrian and
bicycle amenities.
Implementing paid parking can be challenging, especially if parking has been free and alternative
transportation modes are poor. Identifying a trigger for implementing paid parking may be helpful for the
City of St. Albert to explore. In the reviewed literature, there is some suggestion that paid parking should
be explored once parking occupancy rates exceed 85%. “Where less than 15% are available, the cost of
parking should be raised until occupancy rates fall to 85% (Oregon, 14).” Paid parking is often more
successful if it is convenient and readily available.
7.7.4
Unbundled Parking
Unbundled parking involves renting or selling parking separately from the development. People only pay
for the parking they need, creating a more equitable and efficient system. It also encourages alternative
transportation modes, as people may decide to use transit as opposed to paying for a parking space at
work.
7.8
On-Street Parking
Various forms of on-street or curb side parking exist in virtually all municipalities. Stalls are typically
developed as parallel parking stalls but can also be developed as angled parking stalls. On - street parking
spaces are either available for free or have fees associated with their use. Fees associated with on-street
parking are collected via parking meters or pay and display type collection systems. Fees for on-street
parking are most often set based on area or development zone (e.g. the central business district or a
commercial zone) with suburban areas usually having free on-street parking. Where fees are charged, they
are typically higher than those associated with less convenient longer term parking facilities. When set
appropriately, higher fees associated with on-street parking can encourage short term use, higher
turnover of parking stalls, and, when set in conjunction with transit fees, can encourage transit utilization.
On-street parking represents a convenient form of short term parking. In non-residential areas, on-street
parking often accommodates short term parking requirements associated with daily business and
commercial transactions; while in residential areas it often accommodates parking demands related with
visitor parking and/or spill over associated with multiple vehicle households. When associated with
commercial land use activity, on-street parking can be used to accommodate spikes in parking demands
associated with abutting businesses that may not be able to accommodate peak period parking loads onsite.
In addition to accommodating parking needs of the adjacent developments, on-street parking also
provides land use benefits including providing a buffer between pedestrians and moving vehicles,
encouraging active street front environments and in some cases, off-peak utilization of roadway
infrastructure. Although not often accounted for in parking regulations, on-street parking can represent an
essential component of available parking inventory.
Acknowledging on-street parking in Land Use Bylaws parking requirements can be challenging as it is
difficult to assign inventory to specific land uses. In addition, allocating on-street parking as a component
of an off-street parking requirement may be questioned by business owners who may perceive a loss of
revenue associated with reduced on-site parking. For example, many retailers continue to require a
prescribed parking ratio in lease agreements.
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Methods used to account for these issues include:
•
Allowing general parking reductions rather than specifically assigning on-street parking to specific
uses. In these cases, parking requirements are reduced in areas where on-street parking is
available and well managed (i.e. pedestrian oriented commercial zones or specific planning
overlay areas).
•
Developing revenue sharing policies that reinvest a percentage of the revenues associated with
on-street parking facilities back into the community or benefiting area.
Managing on-street parking requires additional administration. A key component of any on-street parking
plan is to ensure that on-street parking operations are routinely monitored and utilization and turnover
data is collected to assess and evaluate area parking characteristics. Collecting on-street parking data
would provide insights into overall parking surpluses and deficits and would provide a framework within
which on-street operations can be evaluated
The use of on-street parking is an efficient use of public infrastructure. As such, on-street parking should
be considered an integral component of the overall parking management strategy for an area and as a
result, land use and development policies should reflect this finding. A key element in the development of
a parking management program which includes on - street parking is to determine the purpose and
priority for on-street parking.
7.9
Synopsis of Possible Parking Management Strategies
Off-street parking policies can limit the ability to create effective parking programs, affect urban design,
and make new development more costly. Therefore, it can be preferable to reduce or eliminate parking
requirements in areas with development opportunities that may provide a better use of resources, in
locations with shared parking opportunities to handle peak parking demand and in downtown areas where
viable alternatives that reduce parking demand exist.
In deciding how much to reduce parking requirements or whether to eliminate them entirely, the City of
St. Albert should consider the effect of providing parking on development feasibility. This is especially
important in locations with high land costs or community preservation issues (protection of historical
buildings, community character, aesthetics, and environmental concerns). The reduction or elimination of
off-street parking requirements works best in areas with high-quality transit service, parking pricing, and a
walkable environment. This reduces the demand for parking and impact of spillover parking into a
neighborhood.
7.10 Implementation
The DARP anticipates build out in the next 25 years. To ensure parking management strategies for
downtown St. Albert are feasible and flexible, it is recommended the potential parking strategies are
implemented in a short, medium, and long-term timeframe.
The short-term approaches will include “quick win” strategies that can be easily implemented, and
triggered by minimal development. These short-term approaches could range from staff carpooling
initiatives, amending the Land Use Bylaw, encouraging staff to park in fringe areas, and re-designing
current parking resources to maximize stalls.
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Mid-term approaches are relatively easy to implement, and triggered by intermediate development. Midterm approaches could include policy changes to the Land Use Bylaw, and would typically take five to ten
years to implement.
Long-term approaches are capital intensive, seek to dramatically increase parking supply though projects
such as the development of parking structures, and are triggered by significant development.
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Locating a parking facility should include consideration of a number of factors including
the degree of parking shortages in the area, the types and characteristics of nearby
developments, the population user groups anticipated to use the facility, walking distances
to nearby parking generators, development costs, land costs, and street-system elements.
Chapter 8.0 –PARKING DESIGN and POTENTIAL PARKADE
LOCATIONS
8.1
Location of Centralized Parking Garage Facilities
The proper siting of centralized parking facilities is essential if optimum use of the facility is expected.
Factors that determine the appropriate location for parking facilities include the degree of parking
shortages in the area, the types and characteristics of nearby developments, the population user groups
anticipated to use the facility, walking distances to nearby parking generators, development costs, land
costs, and street-system elements such as ease of access directional flows, capacity constraints, and turn
restrictions. In addition, the total area parking system should be considered as it relates to overall needs,
the balance of the area’s parking supply, and the overall street network.
8.2
Synopsis of Possible Parking Design Strategies
Parking facilities include on-street parking, surface parking, and parkades. Parking facilities have a
significant impact on the urban landscape in North America, due to their sheer number and design.
According to Eran Ben-Joseph (2012), in some American cities, parking consumes one third of all land area.
“Parking facilities in particular have become an omnipresent feature of the American landscape, consuming
land and resources, inhibiting the function of natural systems, creating dead gaps in what otherwise might
be vibrant commercial areas, and creating conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians and bicyclists
(Governor’s Office of Smart Growth, 2005, 19).”
Reducing the overall impact of parking facilities is critical for developing more livable communities. There
are a variety of measures that can be implemented to reduce the impact of parking facilities, including:
•
Design parking facilities so they are not the
dominant feature from the street, parks, and
other public spaces. Surface parking should be
placed behind buildings, and/or landscaping and
screening provided. Structured parking facilities
can be minimized with liner buildings or
architectural treatments. To ensure parking is
visible, entrance and way-finding signage should be
provided;
•
Reduce the footprint of surface parking lots.
Strategies include maximizing on-street parking,
providing parking structures instead of surface
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Offices wrapped around a parking structure in
Minneapolis
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parking lots, allocating a certain percentage of stalls to compact cars, and breaking up large
expansive parking lots into multiple lots;
•
Incorporate Low Impact Development (LID)
techniques. LID techniques can improve the quality
and quantity of storm water run-off, and reduce
energy consumption. LID techniques include
designing parking lots with permeable pavers, solar
panels, wind turbines, bio-swales, and bio-retention
areas;
•
Reduce potential conflicts between drivers,
pedestrians, and cyclists. Strategies include
reducing curb cuts, providing pedestrian walkways in
St. Albert Cruisers hosted an event in 6 St. Anne
parking lots, enhancing pedestrian and bicycle
entrances into parking lots, and providing way
finding signage (Governor’s Office of Smart Growth, 2005);
•
Create flexible spaces that can adapt to the community’s social needs. According to Eran BenJoseph (2012), many communities transform parking lots into active community spaces. For
example, many communities use parking lots to host farmers markets, food trucks, street hockey
games, plays, movie nights, and tailgate parties. Large parking lots can also host RV parking,
which creates temporary communities. According to Ben-Joseph (2012), “what’s important is that
community leaders and planners actually enable these activities and remake regulations so that
parking areas can provide multiple social functions.” Improving the design of the parking lot, and
changing regulations so parking lots permit a variety of social uses transforms parking lots into
valuable public spaces. For example, improving the landscaping, lighting and providing flexible
seating. Creating parking lots that can be adapted for community uses benefits the landowner,
businesses, and local government. Community events and other social uses can generate rent for
the landowners, foot traffic for adjacent businesses, and activate dead space while boosting the
municipality’s reputation. St. Albert currently utilizes 6 St. Anne and the St. Albert Centre parking
lot for several community events; and,
•
Reduced parking demand. Parking facilities can be designed to support alternative
transportation modes, for example connecting to local transit systems and providing cycling
amenities. In Santa Monica, HUB Parking Technology has integrated the fare collection system for
parking with the city bus system, improving convenience for parking and transit.
Innovative parking facilities are being developed around the world. Some examples of innovative parking
design include:
The Lift in Philadelphia is an automated
parking garage that lifts cars up as opposed
to cars driving to available spaces.
Automated parking garages save space and
energy, as they require no ramps or aisles,
lighting or ventilation. The Lift in Philadelphia
accommodates twice as many cars as a typical
parkade (Crawford, 2014);
•
Canopy Airport parking garage in Denver
accommodates electric car vehicles by
providing powering stations;
http://www.interculturalurbanism.com/?p=1132
•
Fiat Lingotto parking lot
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The National Renewable Energy Laboratory parking garage incorporates LID techniques, and as a
result is 90% more efficient than a standard garage (Anderie, 2014);
•
Fiat Lingotto parking lot in Turin, Italy has no curbs or parking islands, just rows of trees in dense
grids inter-mingled among the parking spaces;
•
Duck, North Carolina has a parking lot that is
designed to serve as a detention pond during
minor flooding events; and,
•
Waltham, Massachusetts has a parking lot with
markings overlapping basketball courts; and,
•
Parking Day, a global event, provides
communities with an opportunity to transform
parking spaces into temporary public spaces
such as public parks, cafes, and art
installations.
http://alexmaclean.com/#/portfolio/LS5246_17
•
The focus of the DARP, St. Albert Land Use Bylaw, Downtown Urban Design Guidelines and Downtown
District is to improve the quality of parking design. As noted above
there are
for
Parkinghowever,
lot in Waltham,
MAopportunities
with overlapping
parking facilities to be transformed into active community spaces, incorporate
new
technologies,
and
LID
basketball courts.
techniques. Opportunities to incorporate a variety of uses, new technologies, and LID techniques into the
development of parking in downtown St. Albert should be explored.
8.3
Criteria for Selecting Candidate Parkade Locations
Parking garages could be part of a comprehensive parking management plan that considers the
interconnected relationship between on-street parking, surface parking, and structured parking. The
supply of one parking facility, such as a parkade, can impact the demand for another parking facility. For
example vehicles generally seek out on-street parking close to their destination first, as opposed to
conveniently located parking structures.
There are numerous benefits to parking structures. These include freeing up more land for other
developments and open space, and opportunities for shared parking, design integration with adjacent
retail and other uses, and bicycle parking. “On average, a parking space requires about 350 square feet
(including area for access and circulation). On a one-acre site in the central business district (CBD), there
would be enough land area to fit approximately 125 surface parking spaces. By contrast, a four-story
structure on only half of an acre parcel would yield approximately 250 parking spaces (Metropolitan
Transportation Commission, 2012, 3-2).”
In evaluating candidate sites for a parking facility, parameters that allow for an objective evaluation of
sites to be completed should be considered. A well-located and designed parking facility will score high in
four areas of evaluation:
•
Consumer friendliness: Parking needs to accommodate patrons in a logical and easy-tounderstand manner. It needs to be close to primary destinations, easy to get to, and easy for
patrons to navigate and park within.
•
Land Use: A parking facility needs to fit well with the surrounding environment. The facility
should complement existing land uses and not detract from other neighborhood uses. It should be
compatible with the existing infrastructure and have a minimal adverse impact on local traffic and
pedestrian conditions.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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•
Site Characteristics: A good site will have dimensions that allow a facility to be built with good
parking efficiency, that is, minimal space taken up by aisles and other non-parking areas. Ingress
and egress will be logical and efficient. Net gain in parking spaces relative to cost is also
important.
•
Ease of implementation: A site that has multiple owners, unwilling sellers, etc. is not desirable.
Ideally, the site will involve one property owner. Good sites have little environmental cleanup
and/or other issues that will delay construction.
8.4
Potential Parking Garage Sites
The Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan identifies a number of candidate/potential parkade locations to
meet future parking demands. Exhibit 8-1 presents the potential parking garage sites identified in the
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan. Of the five candidate parking garage sites identified, two of the sites
are located between Perron Street and St. Albert Trail. The remaining three sites are located east of Perron
Street and south of St. Anne Street.
A general overview of the characteristics and pros and cons associated with each of the candidate sites
was considered.
8.4.1
Site 1: 6 St. Anne Street Site
Table 8-1 presents a summary of the characteristics associated with potential parkade Site 1.
Table 8-1: Potential Parkade Site 1
Location
Owner
Existing Use:
o
South Side of St. Anne within the 6 St. Anne Street parking
lot
o
City of St. Albert
o
Surface parking
o
The City of St. Albert currently controls the development
parcel
Site Advantages
o
The site is currently used for parking
o
The site is large enough to accommodate an efficient facility
o
Proximity of both the Civic Precinct and Perron Street
commercial establishments
Site Disadvantages
o
Ease of access from St. Anne Street and Perron Street
o
Within easy walking distance of major generators
o
Good location for a shared-use parking facility
o
Construction of a parkade in advance of new building
development may limit building design options
o
The displacement of existing parking spaces will have to be
absorbed in a new parking garage
DARP Height Limit
Potential Number of
Spaces
Access
Page 64
o
3-5 Storeys
o
~80 stalls per floor (50m x 54m floor plate)
o
Access from multiple roadways
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Exhibit 8-1: Potential Parking Garage Locations (source DARP, 2012)
Note 1: The radius indicates a comfortable 400 meter walking distance in any direction from each structure.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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8.4.2
Site 2: St. Michael Street Site
Table 8-2 presents a summary of the characteristics associated with potential parkade Site 2.
Table 8-2: Potential Parkade Site 2
Location
o
North side of St. Michael Street, east of Perron Street
Owner
o
Private Ownership
Existing Use:
o
Low Floor commercial building with rear surface parking
o
The site is large enough to accommodate an efficient facility
o
Proximity to Perron Street commercial establishments
o
Ease of access from Perron Street via St. Michael Street
o
Within easy walking distance of major generators and the
o
Good location for a shared-use parking facility
o
Would need to acquire the property or obtain development
Site Advantages
Civic Plaza
rights to construct the garage
Site Disadvantages
o
Would require the demolition of a building
o
Visual impact on abutting buildings
o
Best considered as part of a new building with ground floor
retail
DARP Height Limit
o
3-8 Storeys
Potential Number of
Spaces
o
~60 stalls per floor (38m x 50m floor plate)
o
Access to and from St. Michael Street only or from rear
Access
8.4.3
alleys
Site 3: St. Anne Street Site
Table 8-3 presents a summary of the characteristics associated with potential parkade Site 3.
Table 8-3: Potential Parkade Site 3
Location
o
North Side of St. Anne Street, west of St. Albert Trail
Owner
o
Private Ownership
Existing Use:
o
Low Floor retail and surface parking
o
Proximity to St. Anne Street commercial establishments
o
Ease of access from St. Albert Trail via St. Anne Street
o
Within easy walking distance of Civic Plaza (300m)
o
Would need to acquire the property or obtain development
Site Advantages
rights to construct the garage
o
Site Disadvantages
The site may not be large enough to accommodate an
efficient facility
o
Not as conveniently located with respect to the Civic Plaza
as other location options
o
Viability of street-level commercial space is uncertain at this
time
DARP Height Limit
Page 66
o
4-14 Storeys
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Potential Number of
Spaces
Access
o
~80 stalls per floor (38m x 75m floor plate)
o
Access to and from St. Anne Street
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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8.4.4
Site 4: St. Thomas Street Site
Table 8-4 presents a summary of the characteristics associated with potential parkade Site 4.
Table 8-4: Potential Parkade Site 4
Location
o
South of St. Thomas Street, east of St. Anne Street
Owner
o
City of St. Albert
Existing Use:
o
Municipal park
o
Proximity to the Civic Plaza
o
Within easy walking distance of Perron Street (within 200m)
o
Ease of access from St. Anne Street
o
The site is large enough to accommodate an efficient facility
o
Good location for a shared-use parking facility
Site Disadvantages
DARP Height Limit
o
Loss of Downtown green space
o
3-14 Storeys (varies over the parcel)
Potential Number of
Spaces
Access
o
~100 stalls per floor (38m x 100m floor plate)
o
Access to and from St. Anne Street
Site Advantages
8.4.5
Site 5: Grandin Road /Tache Street Site
Table 8-5 presents a summary of the characteristics associated with potential parkade Site 4.
Table 8-5: Potential Parkade Site 5
Location
o
North of Sir Winston Churchill Ave, between St. Anne Street
and Tache Street
Owner
o
Mixed, City of St. Albert and Private Ownership
Existing Use:
o
Low intensity commercial development and surface parking
o
Proximity to the Civic Plaza (within 250m)
o
Ease of access from St. Anne Street and Sir Winston
Site Advantages
Churchill Ave
o
The site is large enough to accommodate an efficient facility
o
Good location for a shared-use parking facility
o
Ease of access to Millennium Park
o
Would need to acquire the property or obtain development
rights to construct the garage
Site Disadvantages
o
Would require the demolition of buildings
o
Visual impact on abutting buildings and green space
o
Viability of street-level commercial space is uncertain at this
time
DARP Height Limit
o
3-14 Storeys (varies over the parcel)
Potential Number of
Spaces
Access
o
~135 stalls per floor (38m x 120m floor plate)
o
Access to and from St. Anne Street and Tache Street
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City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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8.5
Establishing Parking Facility Site Evaluation Parameters and Criteria
Numerous criteria were used for selecting and evaluating potential sites for locating new parking facilities.
The selection of alternative parking facility locations was based on physical compatibility, locational
suitability, parking accommodation needs, pedestrian travel distance, convenience to users, vehicular
circulation and site ingress and egress, impact on adjacent land uses, adjacent roadway capacity, shared
parking opportunities, order of magnitude costs, flexibility and staging considerations. Some of these
criteria were used during the site reconnaissance phase of the study to preliminarily select candidate sites.
Table 8-6 identifies the parkade site selection parameters and criteria established.
Table 8-6: Parkade Site Selection Criteria
Parameters
Criteria
Consumer Friendliness
•
•
•
•
Proximity to major employee population user groups /destinations
Proximity to major visitor population user group destinations
Ease of pedestrian accessibility
Ease of vehicular access from the adjacent roadway system
Land Use
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Zoning consistency
Efficient use of land
Consistency with the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan
Impact on adjacent land uses (noise, visual impacts)
Compatibility with adjacent land uses
Displacement of existing site uses
Ability to be multi-functional (shared use)
Site Characteristics
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Land Availability
Land value/cost
Ability of site to allow for an efficient design (parking efficiency)
Expandability (horizontal or vertical)
Pedestrian and traffic impacts -Impact on adjacent roadway network
Logical and efficient ingress and egress
Emergency vehicle access
Ease of Implementation
•
•
•
•
Site suitability (topographic considerations)
Environmental Considerations
Ease of construction (construction and laydown areas)
Estimated construction costs (based on soil conditions, efficiency of lot
size/shape) and net gain in parking spaces relative to construction cost
8.6
Parkade Facility Site Evaluation
Five potential parkade sites were investigated to accommodate medium/longer term parking demands
associated with the continued growth in employee and visitor parking demands within the City of St. Albert
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan area. For the purpose of the assessment, it has been assumed that a
parkade constructed in this area should accommodate between 400 and 500 spaces. Larger parking
garages would require multiple points of site access and would typically exceed 4 to 5 floors, particularly if
the ground floor is dedicated to ground floor commercial space.
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Assuming that between 800 and 900 new parking spaces could be required to meet forecast parking
demands, (not including any existing parking spaces displaced by the physical parking garage footprint, it
would appear that two parking garages may be required in the longer term time frame.
Although it is noted that a parkade structure which can maximize the number of spaces per level will likely
result in the most efficient parkade layout from both a cost per space and parkade height perspective, in
this particular case, the relative location of new parking spaces to parking demand generators and
ownership characteristics also represent priority criteria.
Based on the preliminary review of the five candidate parkade sites in combination with the review of the
parkade evaluation criteria, it has been concluded at a preliminary level of planning that the construction
and operation of parking garages on Site 1 (6 St. Anne Street Lot) and on Site 4 (St. Thomas Street Site)
would represent appropriate options at this time. It is noted that any parkade development on Site 1 would
displace existing parking spaces which should be included in any new parking garage.
These two parking garage sites have been identified as being desirable development parcels for a parkade
as compared to the other sites explored. The sites would allow for functionally superior parking garages
that could exhibit the following attributes:
o
proximity to the Civic Plaza, Perron Street commercial activity and Millennium Park;
o
provides opportunities for shared use parking;
o
ability to develop an efficient design (site shape and size);
o
ease of site access and pedestrian access;
o
would provide opportunities to consider ground floor commercial land uses that could be
incorporated into the design of the parkade structure;
o
economical from a cost per space perspective;
o
compatible with adjacent developments;
o
ease of constructability;
o
ability to be constructed in association with new government or private developments,
and;
o
ability to be expanded vertically or horizontally to accommodate future demands.
This is not meant to imply that parking structures could not be constructed on the other three sites. The
remaining three sites would all require purchase of all or part of the development parcels and are not as
convenient to the heart of the downtown core area.
It is also suggested that underground parking facilities also be considered in combination with any new
building development activity which could reduce the size and scale of any new parking garages
constructed.
8.7
Preliminary Cost Estimates
Parking structures are expensive. Based on a review of recent parking garages constructed in the
greater Edmonton Metropolitan area, it has been determined that above-grade parking facilities range
between $30,000 and $35,000 per space. An underground parking garage space costs in the order of
$50,000 to $60,000 per space. These costs can be compared to a surface parking space (paved and
landscaped) which in 2014 is estimated to be in the order of $10,500 per space. It is noted that the costs
for above and below-grade parking garages do not include operation and maintenance costs.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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There are a variety of options for financing parking structures. Some of these include:
•
Municipal Additional Tax Assessment is a levy placed upon developments utilizing a central
parking facility to recoup the costs of developing the parking facilities (Bier, Giosa, Goldsmith,
Morgan, Sollohub, 2006);
•
Payment in lieu of parking allows developers to pay a fee for waiving or reducing parking space
requirements according to the Land Use Bylaw. The municipality uses the revenue to develop a
parking facility. Some of the benefits include reduced development costs, maximizing the
development permitted on the property, higher tax assessments, consolidation of parking into a
larger facility, and opportunities for shared parking (Bier, Giosa, Goldsmith, Morgan, Sollohub,
2006);
•
Rental income from office or retail components added to the parking garage (i.e. liner buildings)
can contribute to operational expenses and debt repayment (Bier, Giosa, Goldsmith, Morgan,
Sollohub, 2006); and,
•
Sale of development rights involves municipalities selling or transferring development rights for
land and using the proceeds to build parking structures (Bier, Giosa, Goldsmith, Morgan, Sollohub,
2006).
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Technology is also playing a role in reducing the environmental impact of parking and
overall operational costs of parking facilities. Parking guidance systems, energy efficient
lighting, electric car charging stations, renewable energy installation such as solar panels,
and innovative storm water parking technology is growing in popularity with many
municipalities.
Chapter 9.0 – PARKING PRICING, TECHNOLOGY, AND
ENFORCEMENT
9.1
Introduction
A variety of parking technology has emerged to improve the efficiency,
utilization and customer experience in parking facilities. Some of the most
popular forms of technology include opportunities for costumers to reserve and
pay for parking online or by phone, as well as real-time communication of
parking availability and pricing. Minimizing payment at exits improves traffic
flow, and reduces congestion and pollution. Real time information regarding
parking availability and pricing reduces cruising for parking, and therefore
pollution.
Parking technology is growing in popularity with many municipalities. Some
Todd Litman estimates
that “of the 95% of US
commuters who drive,
only about 5% pay full
parking costs and 9%
pay a subsidized rate,
while unpriced parking is
provided for more than
99% of non-commute
trips (2011, 5.4-6).”
examples of municipalities that have become leaders in parking technology and
management include:
•
San Francisco has implemented demand-responsive pricing to open up
parking spaces on each block and reduce circling. In areas where
parking is hard to find, prices will increase until at least one space
is available on each block. To determine pricing for parking, SFpark
used wireless sensors to detect parking space occupancy in
metered spaces in real time (SFpark, 2014). Prices are adjusted
every six months based on occupancy rates via wifi-connected
meters. “ A city study found that the total amount of driving in
these areas fell by 30 percent — as people spent less time circling
for spots — and that parking citations and double parking also fell
(Stromberg, 2014).”;
•
Washington D.C. has an electronic cashless payment program for
parking. The program has 550,000 customers and accounts for 40
percent of the city’s parking revenues (International Parking
Institute, 2013);
•
New York City has a pay-and-display meter plan that accepts a
variety of payment methods, a graduated-rate parking program in
Midtown Manhattan during business hours and in the evenings, and
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
“When we find an open spot on
the street, and there's no
meter, it seems free — but it
too is the result of government
spending. The cost of the land,
pavement, street cleaning, and
other services related to free
parking spots come directly out
of tax dollars (usually
municipal or state funding
sources). Each on-street
parking space is estimated to
cost around $1,750 to build
and $400 to maintain annually
(Stromberg, 2014).”
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the city is re-purposing 12,000 former single-meter poles to become bike racks. “Numerous
technology programs also are underway, including dynamic parking occupancy forecasting;
development of a regional parking management service (ITS’ ATMS-R17); Smart Collection and
Maintenance routing; a pay-by-cell program; license plate recognition (LPR) parking survey
vehicles; and time lapse, video, and magnetometer occupancy data collection and mapping
(International Parking Institute, 2013, 3) .”;
9.2
•
Seattle adjusts on-street parking rates so that visitors can reliably find parking. “Its “After 5”
program extends the normal two-hour maximum by one hour from 5 to 8 p.m., giving people time
to enjoy dinner and a show. The “Best Value” program encourages parking outside the congested
core to areas with longer time limits and/or lower rates. e-Park, an innovative electronic parking
guidance system, uses dynamic real-time message signs and web information to direct people to
available off-street parking at numerous downtown garages (International Parking Institute, 2013,
3).”; and,
•
Los Angeles has overhauled its parking management and technology programs, resulting in a
revenue growth from $37 million to $67 million. A public private partnership has enabled the city
to replace half of its meters at no cost, wireless technology allows technicians to quickly respond
to problems, and solar-powered parking meters has eliminated the environmental issue of battery
disposal. “Approximately 7,000 wireless parking sensors direct customers to street spaces, help
enforcement officers locate violations, and provide operations staff with information on parkingdemand patterns (International Parking Institute, 2013, 3).”
Revenue Control Equipment
Collecting parking fees can be costly, labour intensive, and have a high error rate. Lost tickets, ticket
swapping, and parking attendant error can all result in lost revenue. Some recent advances in revenue
control equipment have reduced lost revenue and parking facility operational costs.
Revenue control equipment is increasingly reducing the need for parking attendants and tickets. Some
examples of recent revenue control equipment include automated payment stations, automated cashier
stations, and pay by phone or online. Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) programs associate
revenue with a license plate instead of a ticket, eliminating the occurrence of lost or swapped tickets.
ALPR programs can also be used for taking vehicle inventories, providing data that can be used for
establishing parking pricing and other parking management programs.
9.3
Parking Enforcement
Successful parking enforcement requires sufficient enforcement activity to ensure compliance with parking
regulations and fines to be higher than the daily parking rate. Technology can increase the number of
parking violators caught, and therefore increase municipal revenue. Wireless parking sensors and license
plate recognition technology can alert enforcement officers of parking violations. License plate
recognition technology uses cameras mounted on top of the bylaw enforcement officers’ vehicle to
monitor and identify parking violations. Canadian municipalities such as Whitehorse and Vancouver have
license plate recognition technology to assist with parking enforcement. The AutoVu licence plate
recognition system utilized in Whitehorse can read 1,000 license plates per minute. “The camera can also
be used in situations other than parking infractions, such as an Amber Alert sent out over a potential child
abduction, wherein any vehicle in question could have its plate entered into the system, allowing officers
to quickly scan for it (Riches, Yukon News).”
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Longer term changes to current parking management practices to better accommodate
and manage the impact of future land development initiatives within the City of St. Albert
downtown core and their inherent parking demand requirements are necessary. This
section of the report summarizes the results of a comprehensive and integrated parking
review which included a review of potential Land Use Bylaw parking regulations and
management strategies that would support sustainable parking practices and foster overarching sustainability and alternative transportation goals.
.
Chapter 10.0 –CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
10.1
Introduction
As a major component of any development initiative, parking represents a significant element of the City’s
urban environment. The criteria against which parking requirements are determined and evaluated should
align with the principles laid out in the City’s strategic planning documents including the City’s Strategic
Plan, Municipal Development Plan and Transportation Master Plan.
The purpose of the Downtown Area Redevelopment Parking Management Technical Study was to provide
input and guidance into the development of new and appropriate Land Use Bylaw parking regulations,
management tactics and practices for land use development activity within the downtown area which
reflect current and future trends and realities. Reduced parking regulations should be considered to
primarily support and acknowledge the City’s sustainable development initiatives and focus on promoting
and developing transit as a primary means of transportation.
The basic study goals were to:
•
Provide direction in the development of modified Land Use Bylaw parking regulations;
•
Identify innovative and effective parking management strategies that when combined with
modified parking regulations, will assist the Administration to assume a stronger role in achieving
the vision of a sustainable parking management plan including the goal of higher transit use, and;
•
Identifying at a preliminary level of planning the magnitude of new parking spaces required to
meet projected 2042 employment projections.
Study findings can be linked and coordinated with on-going initiatives being completed by the Planning
and Transportation Departments.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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10.2
Key Study Findings
The DARP Parking Management Technical Study is based on a literature review, review of existing parking
conditions, comparative review of land use bylaw requirements’ form other similar sized municipalities,
and future parking demand projections. The study has determined there are significant opportunities to
improve current and future parking management strategies in downtown St. Albert. These opportunities
include:
•
Reviewing the St. Albert Land Use Bylaw Parking Regulations to ensure it aligns with the goals of
the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan, and more effectively manages parking. Shared parking,
Transportation Demand Management Programs, parking reductions for seniors homes and
affordable housing, and parking maximums should be considered.
•
Pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure should be improved. Improving connections to the
trail system and approaches into St. Albert should be explored. Additional bicycle facilities and
transit shelters should be provided in key locations.
•
There is an abundance of free parking scattered throughout St. Albert. The high demand for
parking is driven by high car ownership, a lack of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, irregular
transit during non-peak hours and low residential density.
•
Public and visitor parking needs to be concentrated in the central core. Based on the completion
of a series of parking utilizations surveys, the Tache Street Parking Lot has significantly lower
peak parking utilization than the 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot and on-street parking is well
utilized and is primarily utilized for short duration trips of one hour or less.
•
On street and the parking lot located at 6 St. Anne Street should be reserved for short term users
such as customers and visitors. Parking for employees and other long term parking users should
be designated in the Tache Street Parking Lot and other less convenient parking lots.
•
Adopting innovative parking technologies to improve the efficiency, utilization, costs and
customer experience in parking facilities. Popular forms of technology include customer payment
online or by phone, real time communication of parking availability and pricing, parking guidance
systems, energy efficient lighting, electric car charging stations, and renewable energy installation
such as solar panels.
•
City of St. Albert representatives identified that the combined employment projections
(professional office, retail, service) could represent about 2,000 positions in 2042, representing
an increase of approximately 1,100 employees over the next 25 to 30 years. New office and
commercial employment positions would require about 40,000 m2 (420,000 ft2) of new building
floor area. The current land Use Bylaw would suggest that an appropriate parking index for these
types of land uses could be one space per 45 m2 of floor area. Based on this parking index, an
additional 40,000 m2 (420,000 ft2) would require about 800 to 900 additional (new) parking
spaces could be required.
•
Based on the preliminary review of the five candidate parkade sites in combination with the review
of a series parkade evaluation criteria, it has been concluded at a preliminary level of planning
that the construction and operation of parking garages on Site 1 (6 St. Anne Street Lot) and on Site
4 (St. Thomas Street Site) would represent appropriate options at this time. It is noted that any
parkade development on Site 1 would displace existing parking spaces which should be included
in any new parking garage.
•
These two parking garage sites have been identified as being desirable development parcels for a
parkade as compared to the other sites explored. The sites would allow for functionally superior
parking garages that could exhibit the following attributes:
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City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
o
proximity to the Civic Plaza, Perron Street commercial activity and Millennium Park;
o
provides opportunities for shared use parking;
o
ability to develop an efficient design (site shape and size);
o
ease of site access and pedestrian access;
o
would provide opportunities to consider ground floor commercial land uses that could be
incorporated into the design of the parkade structure;
o
economical from a cost per space perspective;
o
compatible with adjacent developments;
o
ease of constructability;
o
ability to be constructed in association with new government or private developments,
and;
o
10.3
ability to be expanded vertically or horizontally to accommodate future demands.
Study Recommendations
Sustainable growth recognizes that the future vitality of our cities is dependent upon our ability to foster a
better planned, more environmentally protective, more sustainable pattern of development. This type of
growth comes with many challenges and no aspect of development illustrates this more than parking
within downtown core areas.
Communities following the policies of sustainable growth are identifying new ways to address the need for
parking while minimizing its negative impacts and encouraging better and different design. Parking
consumes a huge amount of land that could otherwise be developed; surface and structured parking lots
can present sterile, unattractive environments that isolate uses and preclude pedestrian-friendly streets.
Today, parking requirements now drive many site designs and even the financial viability of new
developments.
To assist and guide the City of St. Albert in developing sustainable growth principles related to parking in
the city’s downtown area, a number of study recommendations are advanced as presented in Table 10-1.
It is expected that the recommended strategies will continue to evolve after the conclusion of this project.
They will however provide insight and direction into the development of new and modified regulations to
better manage on and off street parking within the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan area.
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Page 77
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table 10-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
Short Term Action Strategies
(1 to 5 years)
Rational
•
It has been 13 years since the City of St. Albert
completed a comprehensive review of parking
demand and supply characteristics within the
downtown area, and;
•
Although the completion of selected parking
supply and utilization surveys provided a
snapshot of existing downtown parking
characteristics, the completion of a
comprehensive parking supply and demand
study would provide the basis and framework
for more detailed discussions regarding future
parking demand requirements, how and where
to best accommodate future parking demands
and if paid parking should be considered in
existing or new facilities
•
As the DARP is implemented, downtown
development patterns will differ significantly
from other neighbourhoods in terms of density,
multi-modal transportation and urban design. It
is anticipated the DARP will increase walkability
and alternative transportation modes;
•
Encourage increased transit utilization and
alternative transportation modes to reduce offstreet parking;
•
Increased residential population downtown will
lead to more foot traffic for several stores and
services, reducing automobile use;
•
Incorporate reduced parking
requirements due to reflect
proximity to transit;
Developments in close proximity to transit and
or implement Transportation Demand
Management Strategies can reduce parking
demands;
•
•
Incorporate shared use
parking options;
Residents of affordable and seniors housing
generally own fewer vehicles and thus have
reduced parking demand;
•
Take advantage of developments with different
peak parking demand times.
•
Incorporate Transportation
Demand Management
regulations.
•
Reduce the potential oversupply of parking by
recognizing senior automobile ownership
characteristics, and;
•
Reduce the overall visual impact of parking
facilities on the river and trail system.
Undertake a comprehensive
Downtown On and Off-Street
Parking Supply and Demand
Study
Review St. Albert Land Use
Bylaw parking regulations and
incorporate separate parking
requirements for the downtown
area (area based parking
management strategy) which
limit and control parking
demands and which identify the
location of new parking
facilities.
•
•
Consider reducing,
eliminating or establishing
maximum parking
requirements for selected
land uses;
Page 78
Resources
Municipal Staff
and Outside
Consultants
Municipal Staff
and Outside
Consultants
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table 10-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
(Continued)
Short Term Action Strategies
(1 to 5 years)
Improve multi-modal connections
and alternative transportation
options
•
Improve bicycle and
pedestrian connections
(including the trail system)
into downtown St. Albert with
dedicated and well signed
pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure, way finding
signing and other
enhancements.
• Provide more heated bus
shelters, particularly in areas
with higher residential density
and commercial areas.
• Improve the quality of bicycle
racks.
Dedicate the 6 St. Anne Street
parking lot for short term users
such as customers and visitors
Rational
•
Maximizes use of parking facilities for
community events such as farmers markets,
sporting events, etc.;
•
Reduces the environmental impact of parking
facilities;
•
Increases number of bicycle facilities, and
ensures they are provided by the developer
as opposed to the city;
•
Encourage residents to access downtown St.
Albert on foot or bicycle, especially during
the farmers market and other events;
•
Improve the ridership experience, especially
during the winter months, and;
•
Resources
Municipal Staff
Increases the use and visibility of cycling.
Municipal Staff
•
Additional parking for customers and visitors
will be available at 6 St. Anne Street, and;
•
Encourage parking turnover.
•
Encourage parking turnover by implementing
and enforcing time limits.
Municipal Staff
•
To confirm the location of candidate parking
garage locations including stand alone and
development associated parking options;
Municipal Staff
and Outside
Consultants
•
To identify the ability of the candidate sites
to accommodate anticipated parking demand
requirements, and;
•
To confirm time frames for the construction
of a new or multiple parking garages.
•
Relocate employee parking
from 6 St. Anne to the Tache
Street parking lot; and;
• Place time restrictions on
additional parking spots in 6
St. Anne Street.
Review on-street parking
regulations
•
Review time limits for on
street parking spaces.
Complete a Parking Garage Site
Selection Study
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Page 79
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Table 10-1: Recommended Parking Management Implementation Strategy Framework
(Continued)
Medium Term Action Strategies
(5 to 10 years)
Incorporate innovative parking
technology into City owned
parking facilities
•
Include opportunities for
customers to reserve and pay
for parking online or by
phone, real time
communication of parking
availability and pricing, and
parking guidance systems.
Assess the merits and benefits
associated with implementing
paid on and off-street parking
Rational
Monitor on and off-street parking
characteristics (parking
utilization studies, i.e. Every five
years)
Confirm the need for a new
parking garage
Develop parking garage funding
strategies
New parking technologies will improve the
efficiency, utilization and customer experience
in parking facilities, and;
•
Frees land up for redevelopment and reduces
impact of parking on the public realm.
•
To improve parking utilization characteristics
by improving parking turnover; and;
•
To generate additional income from parking
services.
•
Incorporate opportunities for Low Impact
Development techniques;
•
Require bicycle parking with all developments,
including parking facilities, and;
•
Incorporate community uses into surface
parking facilities.
•
Develop a historical data base of parking
supply and parking demand characteristics.
Municipal Staff and
Outside
Consultants
•
To accommodate anticipated increased parking
demands
•
To expedite and prepare for the construction of
future parking garages
Municipal Staff and
Outside
Consultants
Municipal Staff
Long Term Action Strategies
(Beyond 10 years)
Monitor on and off-street parking
characteristics (parking
utilization studies, i.e. Every five
years)
Construct a new parking garage
Page 80
Municipal Staff and
Outside
Consultants
•
•
Include a review of candidate
parking revenue control
technologies and preliminary
implementation costs and
revenue, and;
• Review enforcement
requirements.
Review off-street parking design
guidelines and standards
Resources
Municipal Staff and
Outside
Consultants
Municipal Staff and
Outside
Consultants
Rational
Resources
•
Develop a historical data base of parking
supply and parking demand characteristics.
Municipal Staff and
Outside
Consultants
•
To accommodate anticipated increased parking
demands
Municipal Staff and
Outside
Consultants
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Bibliography
Bier, L., Giosa, G. , Goldsmith, R. Johnson, R. Morgan, L. Sollohub, D. (2006). Designing, operating and
financing structured parking in smart growth communities. Retrieved from
http://www.state.nj.us/state/planning/publications/180-parking-matters-070106.pdf
Brown, M. (2014, March 12). Canada’s Best Places to Live 2014: Time to Think Small. Moneysense.
Retrieved from http://rdc.libguides.com/content.php?pid=51657&sid=379136.
City of St. Albert (2012). 2012 St. Albert Census. Retrieved from
http://stalbert.ca/uploads/files/our_government/reports/Census/2012-Census-StAlbert.pdf
City of St. Albert (2013). Retail Market Analysis. Colliers International. Retrieved from
http://stalbert.ca/uploads/2014/economic_development/pdfs/ed-Retail-Market-Analysis.pdf
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (2011). Housing Affordability and Choice: A Compendium of ACT
Solutions. Ottawa. Retrieved from
http://www.fcm.ca/Documents/tools/ACT/Housing_Affordability_and_Choice_A_Compendium_of_ACT_Sol
utions_EN.pdf
IBI Group Final Report (2008). Halifax Regional Municipality Regional Parking Strategy Functional Plan.
Halifax Regional Municipality. Retrieved from
http://www.halifax.ca/TDM/parkingstrategy/Documents/HRMRegionalParkingStrategyMainReportFinalVersion.pdf
Litman, T. (2011). Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis II – Parking Costs. Victoria Transport Policy
Institute. Retrieved from http://bikeportland.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/parkingcost_tca0504.pdf
Litman, T. (2013). Parking Management. Strategies, Evaluation and Planning. Victoria Transport Policy
Institute. Retrieved from http://www.vtpi.org/park_man.pdf
Litman, T. (2014). Parking Requirement Impacts on Housing Affordability. Victoria Transport Policy
Institute. Retrieved from http://www.vtpi.org/park-hou.pdf
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (2012). Parking Structure Technical Report.: Challenges,
Opportunities and Best Practices. MTC Smart Growth Technical Assistance: Parking Reform Campaign.
Retrieved from http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/smart_growth/parking/6-12/MTC_Parking_Structure.pdf
Rick Williams Consulting (2008). Downtown Redmond Parking Study. Findings and Recommendations of:
Parking Stakeholders’ Advisory Committee. Oregon: City of Redmond. Retrieved from
http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/dsd/Planning/CPR%20Downtown%20New/DowntownPAC/Adopted%20Dow
ntown%20Parking%20Management%20Plan.pdf
Statistics Canada (2013). St. Albert, CY, Alberta (Code 4811062) (table). National Household Survey (NHS)
Profile. 2011 National Household Survey. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 99-004-XWE. Ottawa. Released
September 11, 2013. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E (accessed
July 29, 2014).
U.S Environmental Protection Agency (2006). Parking Spaces/Community Spaces. Finding the Balance
through Smart Growth Solutions. http://www.epa.gov/dced/pdf/EPAParkingSpaces06.pdf
City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
Draft Report – October 8, 2014
Page 81
ATTACHMENT 1
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan - Parking Management Technical Study (DRAFT)
Weinberger, R., Kaehny, J., Rufo, M. (2010). U.S. Parking Policies: An Overview of Management Strategies.
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Retrieved from
http://www.ucdenver.edu/about/departments/InstitutionalPlanning/Documents/mp_bg_docs/Parking%20
Reference-US%20Parking%20Policies.pdf
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City of St. Albert, DARP Parking Management Technical Study
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ATTACHMENT 2
Downtown Parking:
Background Report (DRAFT)
OCTOBER 2014
1
Table of Contents
BACKGROUND ........................................................................................... 1
Parking Levy............................................................................................................................................. 1
Land Use Bylaw (pre 2005)...................................................................................................................... 1
Land Use Bylaw Parking Waiver (since 2005) ........................................................................................ 1
CURRENT PARKING CONDITIONS ................................................................. 2
Methodology............................................................................................................................................. 2
2011 Survey .............................................................................................................................................. 2
2013 Survey .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Current Parking Situation ......................................................................................................................... 4
Parking Supply ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Parking Demand Considerations .......................................................................................................... 6
NEXT STEPS ............................................................................................ 12
St. Anne Street Realignment ................................................................................................................. 12
Parking Technical Study and Work Program ......................................................................................... 12
REFERENCES ........................................................................................... 13
2
Background
The objective of this report is to review the historical and current parking issues, trends,
inventory, and demands placed on the parking resources of Downtown St. Albert. Parking issues
in Downtown St. Albert are not new; concern over parking shortages and other issues has been
on Council agendas since the 1970’s.
Parking Levy
An Off-site Parking Levy (OPL) was established in St. Albert in 1978 to allow development that
is located on a site within the Downtown area to defer parking requirements by paying a fee per
each stall into the Off-Site Parking Reserve Fund. The purpose of the Off-Site Parking Reserve
Fund was to hold contributions from development to meet the future cost of providing off-street
parking facilities. The fund was to be used at an unspecified time in the future to build a parking
structure in the Downtown.
As of February 28, 1995, when the Off-site Parking Reserve Fund account was closed, there was
a balance of $142,480.20. These funds were used in combination with Federal Infrastructure
Program funding to complete the existing surface parking lot located at 6 St. Anne Street; this lot
was constructed in the spring of 1995.
Land Use Bylaw (pre-2005)
The Land Use Bylaw allowed a Development Officer to vary on-site parking requirements
Downtown if a parking study were conducted. The Bylaw also authorized the Development
Officer to approve off-site parking in place of on-site parking. The bylaw amendment authorized
the Development Officer to determine the percentage of required parking stalls that could be
eliminated through the Off-site Parking Levy (discontinued in 1995) as well. Contributions to
the OPL did not result in sites or stalls being designated for parking. Rather, a future municipal
parking lot that was to be centrally located was to be developed. Both the OPL and parking
waivers are referenced in the current Land Use Bylaw, however there have not been fees and
charges in the Master Rates Bylaw since 1995. Without inclusion in the Master Rates Bylaw, the
City is unable to collect the OPL.
Land Use Bylaw Parking Waiver (since 2005)
Section 7.4 of the current Land Use Bylaw 9/2005 provides for the discretion of the development
officer to vary parking requirements in the Downtown (DT) and Mixed Commercial (MC) Land
Use Districts if a development is near a public parking lot. Between 1995 and 2014 there have
been a total of 234 parking waivers granted for downtown businesses based on land uses and
current parking requirements in Section 7 of the Land Use Bylaw.
1
Current Parking Conditions
The following section forms the research basis for the parking study. It reviews survey results
and presents a full inventory of both public and private parking stalls in downtown. This section
also identifies demand both in the current picture as well as makes assumptions at the build-out
of DARP.
Methodology
The Parking Strategy was undertaken by the City of St. Albert Planning Department and
occurred through a number of steps over the period of 17 months.
TABLE 1 - WORKPLAN
Time Frame
March-May 2013
•
•
May- June 2013
•
June-August 2013
•
•
September 2013•
January 2014
January-March
•
2014
•
April-October
•
2014
October 2014
•
Task
Terms of Reference Developed
Background Research
Draft Best Practices Report
Mixed-Use Parking Schedule Drafted
Survey of Downtown businesses conducted (response rate 43%)
Draft Parking Study prepared
Phase I of Parking Study finalized
Public engagement
Study referred to consultant for technical analysis
Draft Parking Technical Study Delivery to Council
2011 Survey
An anonymous survey of downtown business owners was undertaken by Planning and
Engineering and Economic Development in the fall of 2011. The objective of the survey was to
gauge the interest in business owners of the City implementing pay parking Downtown. The
idea was not well received by downtown businesses. Over 90 responses were received.
Comments from the survey can be found in Table 2:
2
TABLE 2 – 2011 PARKING SURVEY COMMENT THEMES
Issue
Support for Parking Changes
Support for a parking fee
Understanding that congestion is challenging but appreciate the increased
business and exposure (no pain no gain)
Parking Frustration
Shortage of all day parking for workers and customers
Shortage of accessible parking for seniors and/or mobility challenged
Shortage of parking in general
Frustration of parking issues during farmers market and other special
events
Non-Support for Parking Fee
Fear that a parking fee would chase customers and businesses out of
downtown
Support for New Parking Management Methods
Support for parking management
Support for increasing time restricted parking stalls (4- hour, 2-hour, 30min, 15-min)
Employers willing to pay a nominal fee for staff all-day parking
Perception that City staff are monopolizing 6 St. Anne Parking
Reduce the number of time restricted parking stalls
No issues or complaints
# of
responses
4
2
22
9
23
48
33
6
4
4
9
6
9
Survey responses tended to reflect the types of businesses respondents represented (for example,
offices with a low volume of foot-traffic versus those that rely on a higher volume of foot traffic
such as retail and food services).
2013 Survey
A survey of downtown businesses was conducted in July 2013 to assess current employee and
patron user rates in Downtown. Additionally, an inventory of all private and public parking
stalls in downtown was taken. The objective of this survey was to obtain baseline data to
facilitate further analysis in this report. Approximately 140 downtown businesses were
contacted, with a response rate of approximately forty three percent (43%). The survey did not
consider special event challenges.
3
Current Parking Situation
Parking Supply
In July 2013 a comprehensive inventory of all public and private parking stalls in the area
defined on Map 1 found a total of 2,256 surface parking stalls in Downtown, including on-street
parking, Grandin Mall, and 30 Sir Winston Churchill Ave. An additional 103 stalls are found
near downtown, on the north side of the Sturgeon River. The parking inventory is broken down
in Figure 1:
FIGURE 1: DOWNTOWN PARKING SUPPLY
Downtown Parking Supply
Designated City Staff Parking
(138/6%)
138
193
785
Free Public Parking
6 St. Anne (193/9%)
186
Other Free Public Parking
(186/8%)
On-Street Parking (145/6%)
145
Grandin Mall Parking (719/32%)
30 Sir Winston Churchill
(90/4%)
90
719
Other Private Surface Parking
(785/35%)
4
MAP1: DOWNTOWN PARKING LOCATIONS
5
Parking Demand Considerations
There are a number of groups placing demands on downtown parking, each group with their own
sets of needs and concerns, and a variety of other considerations. A number of challenges were
encountered when attempting to assess the demand placed on downtown parking including:
•
Survey response rates were not high enough to determine staffing and customer rates.
•
Traffic counts located at the 6 St. Anne Street parking lot were compromised by
equipment malfunction.
•
Outside of the St. Albert Public Library, Museé Héritage Museum, counts do not exist for
the number of daily visitors to St. Albert Place, which factors into the parking condition
of the Downtown.
•
There was a shortage of resources to obtain full user rates through on-the-street
interviews with pedestrians, and to conduct manual traffic counts.
•
Data obtained for special events was for total visitors, not the number of vehicles entering
and exiting downtown.
•
Data should not assume that every worker/customer drives a single-occupant vehicle.
Current Daily Visitors
The most difficult data to collect, analyze, and understand is daily visitors to downtown. It is
impossible to track every visitor and their length of stay and their activities in downtown.
Weekday draws to downtown include:
•
St. Albert Place Services (St. Albert Public Library, Museé Héritage Museum, Arden
Theatre, Business licensing, Utility Services, Taxation, Planning and Engineering,
etc.)
•
Registry Office
•
Food Services and Restaurants
•
Professional Offices (medical services, lawyers, and others)
•
Retail and Speciality Goods and Services
•
Recreation & Cultural Facilities (Hemingway Centre, Royal Canadian Legion,
Curling Club, and Senior Citizens Club (50+ Club))
Attendance numbers are recorded daily at both the Library and Museum, as shown in Figure 2:
6
FIGURE 2: LIBRARY AND MUSEUM USER RATES
Library and Museum Visitors 2012
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
Library
10000
Museum
5000
0
Parking Lot Occupancy
During the week of August 12 to 19, 2013, the 6 St. Anne Street parking lot was monitored in
order to determine the number of vacant stalls, as one of many methods to determine demand
and turnover. During the week traffic counters were also placed at the three (3) entrances and
exits to the parking lot; however, the count was compromised as an error occurred in one of the
counters. A summary of the August 2013 parking count for the 6 St. Anne Street Parking Lot
can be found in Table 7:
TABLE 7 – EMPTY PARKING STALL COUNT – 6 ST. ANNE STREET PARKING LOT
– AUGUST 12 – 19, 2013
Stall
Type
Tuesday
2:10pm
Wednesday
11:10am
Thursday
11:10 am
Thursday
2:10pm
Saturday
1:30pm
Disabled
4
5
6
5
-
30- minute
4
7
2
0
-
City Services
1
1
1
1
-
2- hour
4
10
9
4
-
11
8
7
9
4 cars circling
4
8
1
2
-
28
39
26
21
City Staff
Unrestricted
Total
7
Short and Long-term Parking
With over half of downtown businesses being office oriented, long-term parking for these
employees was cited by employers in surveys as being a major issue applying to both the public
and private sectors. Many businesses indicated that often employees park in two-hour time
limited stalls and must move their cars every two hours to avoid ticketing. There are many
impacts to this use of parking stalls intended for shorter term stays:
•
Removes these parking stalls for short-term visitors
•
Inconvenience for staff
•
Lost time costs for employers
•
Lost time costs for employees
FIGURE 3: BUILDING AREA BY USES
Building Area Use
6%
8%
Restaurant/Food Service
(8%)
17%
Retail (17%)
Professional Office (29%)
38%
Personal Service (2%)
Grandin Mall/Tower/Plaza
(38%)
29%
30 Sir Winston Churchill
Ave (6%)
2%
A typical comfortable walking distance is considered to be approximately 400 meters. To put
things into perspective, the St. Albert Walmart Parking lot has been overlain with downtown to
give an idea of distances (Map 3).
8
MAP 2: DOWNTOWN WALKING DISTANCES
9
Special Event Parking
Downtown serves as the venue for a number of weekly and annual special events. Downtown
businesses report constant parking challenges during these special events. Special events often
involve the closing of St. Anne Street from Perron Street to Sir Winston Churchill Avenue.
Frustrations are particularly high during the Farmers Market (Saturdays from June – October),
with additional street closures to St. Thomas Street. In total, there are 32 special event days that
include road closures that impact Downtown 9% of the year.
FIGURE 4: TOTAL SPECIAL EVENT DAYS
Total Event Days
3% 5%
1%
Children's Festival
(10)
Farmers Market (17)
Other Events (5)
91%
Non Event Days (333)
Existing strategies for mitigating the impact of Special Events on the Downtown include
utilizing parking lot monitors for the 6 St. Anne Street parking lot, as well as providing a free
park and ride shuttle from St. Albert Centre (mall) during the Farmers Market and Children’s
Festival to accommodate situations where inadequate parking exists.
The Farmers Market, Children’s Festival, and an annual Dance Festival which uses the Arden
Theatre have been identified as the highest attended events. Specialty businesses and services
identify that these peak days discourage business as seniors and the disabled are unable to find
convenient parking. The Children’s Festival has proven to be a contentious issue for downtown
businesses (specialty services in particular) with bus loads of children being brought to the
Downtown. School bus loading and parking are consistently identified as issues, as well as the
sheer volume of traffic in the downtown during these periods. Estimated attendance for these
events (not the number of vehicles entering and exiting downtown) has been provided in Table 9.
10
TABLE 9 - SPECIAL EVENT ATTENDANCE
Event
Farmers Market
Children’s Festival
Dance Festival (Arden)
Duration
Saturdays June-October
Last week of May
4 days in April
Attendance
10,000-15,000 (per week)
~60,000/ 6 days = 10,000/day
~10,800/4 days =2,700/day
The benefits of these special event days are numerous:
• Special Events bring a critical mass into the Downtown
• Special Events Increase exposure for local small businesses
• Special Events Increase foot-traffic in the Downtown
At Build out of the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP)
The DARP assumes a 25-year plan horizon, and at build-out, assumes an additional 237,000 m2
of gross floor space to be added to downtown. The following chart inventories existing floor
space in downtown by industry designation, as well as the total parking inventory. It then goes
on to make assumptions at build-out of total floor space, residential space and the resulting
required parking based on current Land Use Bylaw (LUB) standards. It also explores the idea of
shared parking.
19,224
276,030
220,824
4,601
77,434
333,792
267,434
6,738
7,687
911
16,427
13,142
15,541
1,110
21,336
12,433
888
17,069
Provincial
Building
Sub Total
3,400
2,720
72,762
58,210
Residential
24,030
Total Floor
2
Area (m )
96,792
4,813
Total Proposed
Stalls (based on
shared parking
ratio of 1.2)
2,138
9,608
1,139
Total Proposed
Stalls (based on
shared parking
ratio of 1.4)
96,210
3,360
Total Proposed
Stalls (based on
current LUB 1
2
stall/45m
115,449
4,201
Proposed Building
2
Area m @ Build
Out (Net)
Proposed Building
2
Area m @ Build
Out (Gross)
2,256
Current Building
2
Area m (Net)
Current Parking
Stalls
Restaurant/
Food Service
Retail
Personal
Service
Professional
office
Intuitional
Recreation
Grandin
Mall/Tower/
Plaza
Current Building
2
Area m (Gross)
Industry
TABLE 10 - CURRENT AND PROPOSED BUILDING AREA AND PARKING
5,615
11
Next Steps
St. Anne Street Realignment
The first major infrastructure project towards DARP implementation is the realignment of
St. Anne Street. This capital project received funding from Council for 2014/2015. Engineering
will be completed in 2014 and construction will begin in 2015.
Parking Technical Study and Work Program
The Parking Technical Study is the next step in this report and has been developed to
complement this Background Study. The Technical Study and subsequent Work Program will
review the future of parking issues in downtown from a short, mid, and long-term perspective,
and will suggest a series of parking management strategies that could be implemented.
12
References
Leinburger, Christopher B. March 2005. Turning Around Downtown: Twelve Steps to
Revitalization. The Brookings Institution.
Litman, Todd. 2013. Parking Solutions, A Comprehensive Menu of Solutions to Parking
Problems. Victoria Transport Policy Institute.
Snohomish County. April 2007. Methodology for Converting Floor Area Square Feet per
Employee Assumptions for SIC Employment Categories to NAICS Categories. Snohomish
County 2007 Buildable Lands Report Employment Density Study.
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ATTACHMENT 3
1. DECIDING TO ENGAGE TEMPLATE
A. Project Description
Project Name:
Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP) – Parking
Management Technical Study
Responsible Department:
Planning
Project Sponsor:
Carol Bergum
Project Manager:
Adryan Slaght
B. Need to Engage
If you select yes to any of the below, engagement is necessary
Yes
No
Comments
Downtown parking may directly affect
The issue directly affects a specific
downtown visitors, residents, and
group in the community, their rights
businesses, as well as the overall
and entitlements
redevelopment of the downtown.
The project will impact or cause
inconvenience to the daily lives of
N/A
residents including services and
programs
The parking technical study is a part of
the implementation of the DARP. Due to
the importance of the role that parking
Public input is required for project
management may play in the
development
redevelopment of the downtown, public
input will be sought prior to finalization of
the study.
The issue directly and significantly
affects the natural environment
Downtown visitors, residents, and
A significant number of people or
business owners may all have strong
particular groups are likely to have
views regarding parking management in
strong views on the issue
the downtown.
Recommendations within the parking
management study may play a role in
The change or issue is likely to
affecting the vitality of the downtown,
directly affect quality of life
and therefore the overall quality of life of
in the community.
A legal administrative trigger, such as
public hearing, subdivision or a
N/A
process governed by the Municipal
Government Act
The decision has long term, largeDecisions made based on the
scale or otherwise significant social,
recommendations in this plan can have
The City of St. Albert | Public Engagement | Step 1 – Deciding to Engage | 1
ATTACHMENT 3
environmental and/or economic
impacts for one or more stakeholder
groups
There is – or will be – public and/or
media concern over the issue
long-term implications for the City,
particularly in the downtown.
It is expected that a certain number of
people, particularly downtown visitors,
residents, and business owners, could
have some amount of interest in the
parking management study.
C. Engagement Objectives
Inform the public of the draft parking management study. Invite comment on gaps in the study.
Inform and consult with the Chamber of Commerce and the Perron Street and other downtown
business owners on the draft study.
D. Reason for Engagement
Council Direction
Requirement of MGA
Direction from SLT
Other (explain): See above
Exceptions
Covered in Policy P&E-01
Notification with radius of less than 100 m
Approval – No Engagement Required
Project Sponsor/Manager
Date
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ATTACHMENT 3
2. PLANNING TO ENGAGE
A. Who Will Be Engaged?
External Stakeholders
Engagement
level
Notification
Radius
Downtown parking
Inform,
Consult
N/A
Downtown parking
Inform
N/A
Group
What issues interest this group?
Chamber &
Perron Street
and other
downtown
Business
Owners
Downtown
residents
Public
Internal Stakeholders
Group
What issues interest this group?
Engagement
level
Build St
Albert/Econo
mic
Development
Downtown parking and the potential side effects
on the redevelopment of the downtown.
Consult,
Collaborate
Engineering
(Transportatio
n)
Downtown parking and the potential side effects
on transportation in the downtown.
Consult,
Collaborate
Culture/Recre
ation
Event parking and activities, road closures
Consult,
Collaborate
Proposed
engagement
tools
Presentation to
Perron Street
Committee
Distribute draft
study to both
organizations,
request
feedback.
Post draft study
on web
Proposed
engagement
tools
Distribute draft
study. Hold
targeted
meetings to
discuss issues/
opportunities.
Distribute draft
study. Hold
targeted
meetings to
discuss issues/
opportunities.
Distribute draft
study. Hold
targeted
meetings to
discuss issues/
opportunities
B. Outcomes of Engagement
A more well-informed long-term Parking Management Work Program for the downtown.
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ATTACHMENT 3
C. Key Messages to the Public
A parking management technical study for the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan (DARP) has
been drafted.
Public input is welcome on issues and strategies related to downtown parking, that will inform the
City’s Downtown Parking Work Program.
We value the recommendations and comments made by our stakeholders.
The City of St. Albert is being proactive and transparent on the handling of large scale projects.
D. Tools and Events
Timeline
October
20, 2014
Tool/Event
Present to Council
(receive & refer)
October
21, 2014
Distribute strategy
to downtown
business groups,
post on City website
Presentation to
Perron District
Open House for
downtown
residents/other
businesses – or
separate?
Targeted meetings
with internal
departments
Close input on draft
parking
management
technical study
Council presentation
December
1, 2014
Q1, 2015
(January
30)
Objective
Provide draft parking
management technical study
to Council, allow adequate
time for review & comments
Provide draft parking
management technical study,
allow adequate time for review
& comments
Details
6 week referral
N/A
N/A
Consider & incorporate input
received & present finalized
parking management technical
study to Council
N/A
6 week referral
E. Coordination with Other Departments and Initiatives?
Build St. Albert (Land Strategy)
Engineering (Transportation)
Recreation/Culture (ongoing programming)
Economic Development (business development)
F. How will input be used? How will input inform recommendations?
Input gathered over the 6 week referral period will be used to guide the final parking management
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ATTACHMENT 3
technical study and Work Program.
G. Budget
Estimated:
Actual:
Review and Approval
Communications Advisor
Date
Project Sponsor/Manager
Comments:
Date
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