Thread by @meksmith

It's transportation and transit committee at #yyccc. Seeing an update on the situation on Calgary's roads during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We're onto "COVID recovery scenarios" for transportation in Calgary. Apparently this is meant to "open up" committee's thinking on what they might do in the future due to the impact of the pandemic. #yyccc

Here's possible scenario 1 — "rapid recovery" based on ending the pandemic in early 2021. #yyccc

Scenario 2 is comparable to what Calgary saw in the early 1980s if the pandemic doesn't start to lift until late 2021. #yyccc

Scenario 3 is based on a "multi-year, multi-wave" pandemic that "starts to entrench behavioural change." Excuse me while I hyperventilate!!! #yyccc

Coun. Druh Farrell asks whether the city is just going to "let these trends happen" or identify which ones are positive for the city and try to work toward them — at least in terms of the ones they're able to influence. #yyccc

Coun. Jyoti Gondek asks whether there's been an impact on traffic due to more people ordering stuff online and getting it delivered. Heavy truck traffic for deliveries has increased. #yyccc

Coun. Jeff Davison brings up the Green Line, says there's a lot of uncertainty as they're building things like "fixed rail." Asks how "more flexible" options like bus routes can be included. #yyccc

Davison asks "why Green Line now?" Acting transportation manager Doug Morgan says the city has looked at it so that the business case makes sense regardless of the future scenario and it connects people to schools, hospitals, etc... not just a feeder route into downtown. #yyccc

Now onto the residential parking permit review. Background from @SammyHudes: calgaryherald.com/news/local-new… #yyccc

City admin says the residential piece of Calgary's strategy for parking is the last to be updated after several other updates. #yyccc

Here's the current situation of regulating residential parking. There are 80 different zones across Calgary. #yyccc

The current program doesn't distinguish between different types of dwellings — i.e. it treats big condo buildings the same as neighbourhoods with detached housing. #yyccc

These are the proposed changes to the program. Fees would be charged for residential street parking within the specified zones, on a sliding scale. #yyccc

This is how the city says the old system and new system compare. It addresses issues with a clunky system for making changes on the #yyccc side and they say it sets clearer rules for multi-family buildings.

If this gets final approval (will go to council on Nov. 2) the program wouldn't start until 2022, when the new fees would be rolled out. #yyccc

Coun. Jeromy Farkas asks what total fine revenue is for the city from collecting penalties from people parking in an unauthorized space. City admin don't immediately have that number, say compliance is high in residential areas but enforcement patrols create a net loss. #yyccc

So basically, the cost of enforcement (where 8,000 km of residential roads need to be patrolled several times a week) costs more than the city recoups in fines. #yyccc

Farkas: Given the economy, why is now the time to bring in more fees? #yyccc

City admin says fees wouldn't start until 2022, so Calgarians have time to decide "whether the permit has value for them" and whether they want to keep using it. The fees are for a service "over and above" what most Calgarians have. #yyccc

Coun. Shane Keating asks if street parking is currently guaranteed in front of people's homes — admin says no. Keating says, so residents paying a modest fee would actually be a benefit to get guaranteed parking closer to where they live. #yyccc

Coun. Druh Farrell says this is a pretty massive change to a program that some people have come to take for granted. #yyccc

Farrell says she sees the need for change but she's not sure if this is striking the right balance. She's going to try to bring an amendment that excludes a certain size of multi-family residence from the policy. #yyccc

Coun. Jeff Davison says these changes basically transition from all Calgary taxpayers subsidizing certain areas of residential parking to a user fee system. #yyccc

Farkas says parking is a "requirement" not a luxury and Calgarians shouldn't have to pay when the city has approved developments that don't offer adequate parking. He's against the changes. #yyccc

Coun. Sean Chu says he doesn't know what he's going to do. He thinks the fees are too high for people who might have to pay for parking multiple cars. #yyccc

Gondek says it isn't fair to blame city policies calling for growth. "Make your decision on whether you think this should be user pay or not. It's that simple." #yyccc

Transportation committee passes changes to the residential parking policy, with an amendment from Farrell, 5-4.
Farkas, Chu, Magliocca, Gondek opposed. #yyccc