District of Squamish plans to charge developers more for paying cash in place of parking.
The district plans to increase the cost from $15,000 to $25,000 per parking stall with future plans to bring the rates on par with Vancouver, which charges $65,000 for a parking stall.
The payment-in-lieu-of-parking bylaw was first adopted on February 6, 2018, and it established per parking stall payment at $15,000.
In March last year, council accepted a Downtown Parkade Study, and asked staff to pursue the option of increasing the per stall fees initially to $25,000, and then finally matching the rate to $65,000.
The staff will now consult with stakeholders including developers, Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association, and Squamish Chamber of Commerce.
It will also explore pay parking in the downtown this year.
In 2022, the staff will work on scoping and engaging the community on a pay parking program, and plan to refresh data on parking utilization study.
Alex says
This has to be the most stupid idea imaginable.
EVERY street you go to , especially on Sunday, and there are cars all over the sidewalks because the developers bribed the Council with money to avoid incorporating the appropriate number of parking stalls in the development.
Do you wonder if Council thought of a number , knowing it was one that they could later on SELL down.
Francine says
Where is the money collected going?
Will it be absorbed for more trails and bike path or will be accumulated the build a municipal parkade maybe one at the new oceanfront with a sidewalk leading all the way back to downtown.
These are very simple questions ‘what is the money for? that can be answered without a study