The City of Delta is now reviewing feedback from its latest round of public consultation on the Boundary Bay permit parking program, to see if there is potential room for improvements.
In response to complaints about spillover parking on the streets because the Centennial Beach parking lot gets full quickly, the city last summer started a pilot permit parking program within the neighbourhood with only residents of the neighborhood who could receive parking permits.
The permit parking regulations were only in effect on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays during the summer months correlating to peak activity at Centennial Beach, the city explained.
When the program was in effect in the peak summer months, visitors had limited parking with a three-hour time limit along 4th Avenue, 3rd Avenue, 1A Avenue by the boat launch and 66th Street south of 1A Avenue.
Permit holders were allowed to park beyond the time limit.
“The increased traffic and parking within the Boundary Bay neighbourhood reflects the popularity of not only the park, but also the provincial foreshore beach area which fronts the Boundary Bay neighbourhood. The popularity of the park is exemplified by the total number of daily visitors that can number up to 7,000 per day during a holiday long weekend,” according to the city’s planning department.
“As such, additional traffic control measures such as the permit parking program with visitor parking spaces were undertaken to balance the needs of the local community whilst providing some access for visitors. The pilot permit parking program was successful in limiting traffic congestion and improved traffic safety within the Boundary Bay neighbourhood last summer.”
The planning department noted that area residents also expressed concerns regarding excessive speeding in the neighbourhood.
Residents were asked if they supported additional traffic calming such as speed humps.
