Micro-suites with no parking bad idea in busy Rutland block

Editor: At Rutland Road and Highway 33, above the pharmacy and jewelry store, a proposal is before city council to allow five bachelor suites.

Promoted as the beginning of urban living in Rutland, likened to Manhattan lifestyle by the developer, but as neighbouring businesses, we have serious concerns.

Parking: There are no parking stalls on this site: none for staff or for customers of the two businesses and none for the five new occupants.

No parking exists on Rutland Road to the east and only two street parking stalls north on Highway 33. The parking that exists now on Highway 33 is valuable parking for all the businesses in that block.

Currently, the occupants could park in front of neighbouring businesses — Century 21, Subway, H&R Block, Olympia Restaurant and the Community Dialysis Centre for up to 72 hours before action can be taken.

These businesses have a “good neighbour policy” such that after five, when our business needs less parking, our restaurant neighbours are welcome to use our parking.

We do not want to monitor the five occupants and their guests for use of our parking spaces. When I asked city hall where guests would park, I was told that the guests would likely take the bus.

I have no idea how that can be predicted or enforced. The developer can pay “in lieu” for parking.

The nearest city lot is at 250 Roxby, a four-minute walk away, described on the city website as “shortterm” parking.

Garbage pick-up: Because the existing building covers 80 per cent of the lot, there is no place for garbage or garbage pickup.

As a commercial building, it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure garbage pick-up.

Small residential garbage and recycling bins (two per unit) would be placed inside the building and put out on the sidewalk for pick-up.

Alternating weeks, there would be five or 10 bins on the sidewalk.

The garbage truck will be blocking the roadway, congesting either Highway 33 or Rutland Road or both.

One suggestion was the developer make an agreement with a neighbouring property to share a bin.

The developer argued the occupants would find it too inconvenient to park in our parking lots so we have no cause for concern regarding our parking. If that were true, what would motivate the occupants to walk around the block to dispose of their garbage and recycling?

Moving Days: With five bachelor units designed to attract students, several times a year, someone will be moving out and someone else will be moving in. With absolutely no room on-site for any parking, the only option is for the moving trucks to block Highway 33 or Rutland Road.

I am not sure how this property ever got approval with no parking on site for workers or staff.

I believe this proposal makes a poor decision become an even worse one.

Other businesses and residential projects have parking and garbage requirements to meet. This one needs to as well. Myrna Park, Century 21, Lawrence Ortt, owner of building housing Subway and H&R Block