Squeezed by a small lot and poor on-street parking? Finding yourself parking on more than just your driveway? Woolwich has $75 ticket with your name on it. Facing an increase in the number of complaints about people parking on their lawns, the township has a new front-yard parking bylaw in the works. The proposal won initial approval from council Tuesday night.
Clerk Christine Broughton, whose department handles bylaw enforcement, explained that newer subdivisions with higher densities are more prone to seeing residents parking on their lawns or illegally widening their driveways in order to accommodate their vehicles.
The new bylaw would provide the township with a tool to deal with the situation.
Under the current system, after a complaint is received a notice is sent to the offender. If the parking offence continues, a summons is issued to appear in court. The township uses rules under its property standards and zoning bylaws, but the process is slow and costly: it can take up to six months to get the first appearance date, during which time the offence continues and neighbours continue to complain.
A specific bylaw would streamline the process, which is important as the number of issues goes up, said Broughton
“Enforcement staff is seeing an increasing number of complaints regarding the parking of vehicles on front yards. The problem is especially apparent in newer subdivisions where there is limited parking. In the past 30 days alone, the enforcement division has received four calls concerning the appearance of neighbouring properties due to muddy ruts and the overall appearance of the neighbourhood,” wrote bylaw enforcement officer Lorna VanderPloeg in a report submitted to council Apr. 10.
Coun. Julie-Anne Herteis, however, raised concerns about the potential abuse of the bylaw as presented, noting neighbours could use it to make nuisance complaints about each other. If somebody puts their vehicle on the lawn to wash it, for instance, and the neighbour is immediately on the phone making a complaint.
She called for some leeway in the bylaw’s language to help avoid nuisance calls.
That sentiment was backed by Coun. Mark Bauman, who expressed concern that the process doesn’t become a “witch hunt.”
In response, Broughton noted the goal is to deal with chronic problems, not have the township get involved with neighbourhood spats.
Beyond the language of the bylaw, Herteis also fretted about yet more government interference in people’s lives.
“There comes a point where it’s the property owner’s property. It seems very strict,” she said of the proposed bylaw.
The bylaw was ultimately approved 3-1, with Herteis holding out for a change in the wording. The issue returns to council next week, however, for formal approval.
In a related matter, the township will also review its overnight parking ban during the winter months, acting on suggestion from Mayor Todd Cowan.
He argued that banning parking between 2-6 a.m. has little affect on snow-clearing, as road crews are typically not out until 7 a.m. anyway.
While crews can be out as early as 4 a.m., noted director of engineering and planning Dan Kennaley, it’s major routes that get priority over residential streets.
Adding that operations staff have requested a review of the current bylaw, he said he would get in on the schedule for review prior to next year’s snow season.
