The City of Nelson is preparing for an overhaul of its 16-year-old traffic bylaw, with new rules governing parking permits, electric vehicle charging, towing and accessibility.
The proposed Traffic, Streets and Parking Bylaw was presented to council June 23. It would replace the city’s existing traffic bylaw and consolidate several parking, boulevard and public space regulations into a single document.
Manager of Bylaw Services Jordan Dupuis told council the changes are intended to make the bylaw easier to understand and enforce.
“We feel that the new draft here improves clarity, consistency, accessibility and enforceability,” he said.
“It aligns regulations with modern transportation practices and technologies and implements recommendations from the downtown parking strategy.”
The draft bylaw includes clearer eligibility rules for residential parking permits, a $2 daily fee for guest permits, regulations for electric vehicle charging stations and updated accessibility standards for parking spaces.
It would also clarify how the city’s two-hour parking zones are enforced, making clear they are intended as non-renewable daily limits. Dupuis said the goal is to encourage turnover in the downtown business district by discouraging drivers from repeatedly re-metering or moving between nearby parking spaces.
Other proposed changes would authorize temporary parking bans for snow clearing, formalize towing and impoundment procedures and create a street works permit process.
The proposal would also increase the city’s towing administration fee from $50 to $100.
Dupuis said the current fee no longer reflects the staff time required when bylaw officers remain on scene during a tow.
“In my opinion, our enforcement costs should be borne by the person that is in violation,” he said. “$50 is not adequate to reflect that cost because they could be generating revenue elsewhere during that time.”
Councillor Jesse Pineiro also asked about the future of the Hall Street Plaza pay station, which was destroyed after being struck by a vehicle.
Pineiro said he has heard from residents who want to see a coin-operated meter return to the area because it is one of the city’s busiest parking locations.
“I’ve had a lot of people express their desire and hope that a meter with actual money comes back to that space because it’s a very prevalent place in the community,” he said.
Dupuis said the city is waiting for the outcome of its ICBC claim before deciding whether to replace the machine.
He said staff also considered the design of Hall Street Plaza, where council wanted to minimize obstacles for pedestrians when the space was redeveloped. In the meantime, drivers who do not use the city’s parking app can still pay at coin-operated meters on Baker Street on either side of Hall Street.
“I don’t believe you’re going to see meters go back in there,” Dupuis said.
The bylaw would also introduce free parking for veterans displaying veterans’ licence plates. Dupuis said staff expect the exemption to have little financial impact after surveying downtown parking.
“I think the most we ever saw was about four veterans in town, so we don’t expect that granting this privilege and recognition of service is going to have a dramatic financial impact on the city,” he said.
Council did not make a decision on the bylaw. Staff are expected to bring a finalized draft back later this month for consideration of the first three readings.
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