A resident who lives near Queen Elizabeth Park was surprised to find out recently that vehicles belonging to car sharing companies and co-ops are exempt from "residents only" designated parking areas.
Tom Hood lives on West 29th Avenue near Cambie Street directly across from Queen Elizabeth Park, a popular picnic area. During the summer so many picnickers leave their vehicles in front of his home, he said it's impossible for residents to park there. Baseball fans visiting the neighbouring Nat Bailey Stadium also park in front of the residents' homes, he said, adding the problem was exacerbated recently when the cost to park at the nearby Children's and Women's Health Centre increased substantially.
Hood canvassed his neighbours, had them sign a petition and convinced city hall the section of West 29th in front of their homes should become residents only parking.
"It's not the whole block," said Hood. "But the section in front of our homes is a popular place to park and parking is at a premium."
Hood said recently a woman parked in front of his home and unloaded her child and picnic gear in preparation for a visit to the park. When Hood went out to speak to the woman and ask why she was ignoring the residents only sign, she told him the vehicle she was driving belongs to a car co-op, which makes it exempt from that rule.
Hood said after a conversation he describes as "acrimonious," the woman packed up her car and drove away. When he called city hall to inquire about what he'd heard, he discovered the woman was in fact correct. "The sign says parking for residents only, it doesn't say anything about parking for permit holders," said Hood. "And I didn't see a decal, at least not one that was apparent."
He added the exemption has opened a can of worms because now when a co-op car parks in front of his home, it's typically followed by drivers of non-exempt vehicles who ask, "Why can't I park here, too?"
"When I ask them why they're parking there when the sign says they can't, they point at the [co-op] car and say, 'They're parked here,'" said Hood. "The city said yes they changed the law, but I want to know why residents weren't informed. This was bungled from the word go."
Hood called city hall and asked when all of the residents only parking signs across the city would be replaced with revised signs that include this new information, but didn't receive an answer.
"As a resident I was never notified," said Hood. "The signs aren't correct and need to be changed all over the city because now they're all wrong."
The city emailed the Courier a copy of its 92-page street and traffic bylaw document, which confirms "shared vehicles" are exempt from residents only parking. The Courier was told no one will be available until next week to answer questions regarding the bylaw, or whether signs will eventually be changed.
Twitter @sthomas10
