Delta has amended a recently started permit parking pilot program in Boundary Bay to be in effect on weekends and holiday Mondays only.
Council unanimously approved amending the program at its meeting on Monday.
The permits will also now be in effect for a three-hour period, not two-hours as previously approved.
According to a staff report, Delta has received a number of concerns regarding the program, which went into effect June 15.
“As we have previously advised council, there has been strong support from the Boundary Bay community to move forward with this initiative given the overflow of park visitors coming into the community,” said director of engineering Steven Lan. “We have also now heard from other Delta residents who are concerned over the more restrictive visitor parking measures and their ability to access Boundary Bay area to walk their dogs, use their boats and to paddleboard.”
Lan said from the outset, the initiative was seen to be a pilot program, subject to change and was intended to meet the needs of the community.
On June 2, when council approved the program, the permit parking restrictions included weekdays due to Metro Vancouver closing their parking lots as part of the COVID-19 pandemic response.
“Now that the parking lots have been reopened and given the community concerns that have been expressed, it would be appropriate to provide more general accessibility during the weekdays when the park overflow issues are not being experienced,” said Lan.
Lan said on weekdays there would be no permit parking restrictions within the neighbourhood, adding that staff will now adjust signage and advise area residents of the change.
He said staff will be evaluating the program during the summer and will seek community feedback in the fall after the program concludes on Sept. 8, with a report back to council.
Meanwhile, Delta is continuing to work with Metro Vancouver to further alleviate parking and traffic safety issues in Boundary Bay.
Mayor George Harvie and city manager Sean McGill held a virtual meeting with Metro Vancouver officials on June 5.
“We had a very good, frank discussion,” said Harvie in a phone interview with the Optimist June 17. “The lease for that property does state that they [Metro] are responsible to ensure that the surrounding neighbourhood is not subjected to a nuisance and of course this is just not a nuisance it has reached the point that on busy, hot, usually weekend days it has become a public safety issue. The streets are getting jammed and we can’t even get ambulances, police or fire vehicles in to attend a call for help.”
Harvie added that there has also been talk from Metro about a proposed pay parking system, however, that is something Delta is not in favour of.
“We do not support pay parking, but we have proposed a reservation system for 50 per cent of the parking, much like BC Ferries,” said Harvie. “Metro was very receptive to that. They are working with our staff to implement that as soon as possible. Things are moving forward to ensure that the overcrowding and the public safety issues that is causes in the Boundary Bay area of our community.”
