One third of private land in downtown used for parking lots
Parameters for temporary parking to be set after report for planning commission
There is an abundance of parking lots in downtown Regina with onethird of private land consisting of temporary and permanent surface lots.
According to a report before the Regina Planning Commission (RPC), surface parking lots make up “33.8 per cent of all private land downtown,” while there is also “12.9 per cent of land dedicated to structured parking.”
So in short, 46.7 per cent of the downtown is parking spaces not including metered parking spots along streets. The report found that there are approximately 16,100 parking stalls in the downtown.
The report was commissioned by the previous city council in August 2020 to review surface parking lot restrictions, bylaws and plans as outlined in the Regina Downtown Neighbourhood Plan (RDNP).
The report recommends the RPC direct city administration to amend bylaws to outline parameters for temporary surface parking lots. The RPC voted 9-1 in favour of the report's recommendations.
The lone dissenter was Coun. Shanon Zachidniak ( Ward 8), who said she had trouble seeing the benefit in approving any additional parking in the downtown.
“Honestly, I can only see downsides to that,” said Zachidniak. She said allowing additional parking lots would go against the RDNP and the Official Community Plan (OCP).
“The general direction of the OCP is to encourage a vibrant, attractive downtown that serves as a place to live, work and play. I can't see how making it easier for additional temporary downtown parking lots would contribute to that goal.”
Diana Hawryluk, executive director of city planning and community development, said the reason that recommendation was made was to establish requirements or parameters for temporary parking to be approved.
“It's just to provide that legislative framework to say, if it's considered, these are the parameters upon which it would be considered,” said Hawryluk.
Asked about commissioning a new study of traffic or parking habits, considering the last one was done in 2014, administration recommended against it given the impact of the pandemic and reduced demand on downtown parking at this time.
“I can't support any policy that is going to make it easier for developers to get support to apply for temporary parking lots downtown,” said Zachidniak.
Hawryluk said it's meant to address policy gaps, not to make it easier for developers to apply to and create temporary parking lots.
She said if the RPC did not approve the report, new recommendations would have to be proposed before the report made its way to council.
Three temporary parking lots exist in the downtown and have yet to be developed. Most recently the city received an application to develop a temporary parking lot on 1971 Albert St., the former site of the Capital Pointe project.
According to a survey created by the city, “80 per cent of respondents said they had concerns about allowing for more parking and 64 per cent of respondents did not feel that there is a parking shortage downtown.”
The overwhelming sentiment expressed in the survey is that people would prefer to see less surface parking in the downtown.
Another finding from the report was the potential risk for additional demolitions to take place should additional parking be permitted. “There is a risk that allowing surface parking lots, even on a temporary basis, would cause several demolitions downtown if left uncontrolled,” according to the report.
The authors of the report cite bylaws in Calgary and Edmonton prohibiting additional parking lots in its downtowns while Saskatoon and Winnipeg currently have flexibility to permit them, but ultimately discourage new parking lots.
80 per cent of respondents said they had concerns about allowing for more parking and 64 per cent ... did not feel there is a parking shortage.