• Council has directed Staff to investigate solutions for ongoing residential parking infractions and limited parking availability.
  • Common parking complaints include vehicles obstructing sidewalks and roadways, as well as the excessive hardscaping of yards to create additional parking spaces.
  • As part of their review, Staff will reassess Stouffville’s Parking By-Law, along with elements of the Town’s Comprehensive Zoning By-Law.
  • Staff will also explore how to provide more parking options for residents, including reevaluating Stouffville’s three-hour street parking limit.
  • A Statutory Public Meeting will be held for any Staff-initiated Zoning By-Law amendment proposals.

 

For many years, concerns about parking in residential zones have been regularly raised by residents, Municipal Law Enforcement, and Members of Council. According to a recent Staff report, approximately 1,750 parking complaints have been filed since 2017.

These complaints often focus on parking location and methods, illegal driveway expansions, and the over-hardscaping of yards to increase private parking areas.

“Parking plays a crucial role in shaping our communities and neighbourhoods,” Staff explained in the report. “The availability and location of parking has an impact on many areas of suburban life and influences the design, structure, and functionality of our neighbourhoods and the satisfaction we feel living within them.”

Stouffville’s Comprehensive Zoning By-Law dictates the amount of parking area allowed on residential properties. For example, homes with fontages under 11 metres containing a driveway require a minimum of 20% soft landscaped area. Frontages 11 metres or greater must have a minimum of 35% soft landscaped area.

Staff explained that “the required landscaping must be accommodated… to maintain stormwater and drainage standards.” Over-hardscaping can lead to localized flooding on neighbouring properties and put undue stress on municipal stormwater infrastructure.

“Unauthorized expansion of driveways and parking areas…continues to be a very predominant issue for residents and enforcement staff alike,” Staff noted. They are exploring options “to address properties that have completed un-authorized driveway expansions…and have resulted in non-compliance with the Zoning By-law.”

Parked vehicles blocking the public right-of-way, whether on sidewalks or streets, are another frequent complaint. Such parking can create safety issues for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, while vehicles overhanging into roadways can interfere with snow plows and winter maintenance.

Stouffville has already taken steps to address some complaints by expanding the number of by-law officers available to enforce parking infractions. Staff will continue reviewing related by-laws to identify more efficient enforcement opportunities.

In 2017, The Town launched the Parking Permit program for residents needing longer street parking. More than 50,000 free on-street parking permits have been issued since.

In 2018, Stouffville introduced the Municipal Parking Lot permit program, which has issued over 3,600 permits and generated more than $100,000 in revenue.

Despite these efforts, dissatisfaction with parking availability in some areas persists. Staff will review parking regulations in other municipalities as part of the reassessment of Stouffville’s three-hour street parking limit.

A report detailing their findings and recommendations will be presented at a future Council meeting.