City council voting on getting rid of free parking for motorcycles today

[kiwi]

letter sent to councillor Chin Lee in my ward.

Please also email the city clerk at clerk@toronto.ca !!

[kiwi]

Paul, should you reply to his last message I would also add that the solutions to the issue of lost parking vouchers would likely cost more than the revenue obtained through them, making it a pointless and counter-productive enterprise.

Exactly and then if the city wants to do that cellphone thing, they are discriminating against riders who do not own cell phones.

If I find my councilor votes for this, I am going to be asking him the reasoning behind it.

[atss2006]

If it passes then a mass protest should be organized. Get a big group to park downtown and wait for the tickets. Then everyone goes in to contest and say the parking vouchers were lost. Bet the city would love the cost and headaches that would create.

[kiwi]

Just read your post Rob.
I guess we tried . :-/

[Flashmonkey]

It means that the motion originally read:

"City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to the February, 2012 meeting of City Council, through the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on options for the implementation and enforcement of parking charges and fees regarding motorcycles and motor scooters to harmonize them with parking for other motorized vehicles."

They just removed that last bit, otherwise people could argue that using a different method of recording payment failed to "harmonize" them. Ploitics.

This is the important part, that pretty much says it's a done deal:

"City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to the February, 2012 meeting of City Council, through the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on options for the implementation and enforcement of parking charges and fees regarding motorcycles and motor scooters."

It'll be interesting to see what kind of options are presented. Like I said before, trying to implement something to enforce this may actually end up costing the city money.

[whetaus-tr]

It'll be interesting to see what kind of options are presented. Like I said before, trying to implement something to enforce this may actually end up costing the city money.

They'd collect back a few million in just one season tho...

[Flashmonkey]

They'd collect back a few million in just one season tho...

How do you figure? It depends on what they implement, I'd say. Whatever changes they make to the system to allow motorcycles and scooters to register payment would have to be system wide, and that kinda stuff isn't cheap.

I'm not sure if they're considering some kind of sliding scale payment scheme for this either.

[Face]

It means that the motion originally read:

"City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to the February, 2012 meeting of City Council, through the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on options for the implementation and enforcement of parking charges and fees regarding motorcycles and motor scooters to harmonize them with parking for other motorized vehicles."

They just removed that last bit, otherwise people could argue that using a different method of recording payment failed to "harmonize" them. Ploitics.

This is the important part, that pretty much says it's a done deal:

"City Council direct the General Manager, Transportation Services to report to the February, 2012 meeting of City Council, through the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee on options for the implementation and enforcement of parking charges and fees regarding motorcycles and motor scooters."

Here's the link to the Council website with the specifics of this issue. Click on it to see how your Councillor voted.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgen...m=2011.MM14.19

I'm very disappointed that they didn't give any more time for consultation, but I read the removal of "to harmonize them with parking for other motorized vehicles" by Councillor De Baeremaeker as an attempt to not pre-suppose staffs' conclusions. There's no question that we are facing an uphill battle, but it aint over till it's over.

If the recommendations are followed, this will be at the Public Works & Infrastructure Committee on January 4, 2012 starting at 9:30 in Committee Room 1 on the 2nd floor of City Hall. If you are able to attend and wish to speak to this, contact the Committee Secretariat at the following and tell her you wish to be a deputation to this item. Tell her that you want to be on the notification list, that way you should get the staff report when it comes out, the decision, or any notice to defer the matter. You can also send e-mails or snale mail to get your views on record, but being there in person is better if you can. Councillors actually do respond to a room full of voters!

Candy Davidovits
10th floor, West Tower, City Hall
100 Queen Street West
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2

email: pwic@toronto.ca
phone: 416-392-8032
fax: 416-392-1879

I'm going to see if I can set up a meeting with the Transportation Services staff who will be reporting on this. It would be good if a few more people could come along to represent different perspectives, i.e. legal issue with regard to enforcement, someone from the industry who may be able to speak to the economic benefits of the current free parking, etc. Please PM me if you are interested.

Please keep those e-mails to your Councillors coming, especially Councillors Mark Grimes, Mike Layton, Denzil Minnan-Wong, John Parker, Gord Perks & David Shiner who sit on the Public Works & Infrastructure Committe. You can get their contact info at the following link:

http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp

In the mean time, I'll poke around and see if I can find out what's behind this. It always helps to know the inside agenda.

[whetaus-tr]

How do you figure? It depends on what they implement, I'd say. Whatever changes they make to the system to allow motorcycles and scooters to register payment would have to be system wide, and that kinda stuff isn't cheap.

I'm not sure if they're considering some kind of sliding scale payment scheme for this either.

I wasn't talking about the revenue.

Revenue tho, will most likely come in the equation in a number of years, if it is a sophisticated implementation.

My bet is that they will go with monthly stickers or something.

[Flashmonkey]

I wasn't talking about the revenue.

Revenue tho, will most likely come in the equation in a number of years, if it is a sophisticated implementation.

My bet is that they will go with monthly stickers or something.

True. Depending on how complicated they go they may be in the hole the first year or two on this implementation. It's definitely a long term source of income.

Some kind of monthly or weekly sticker system wouldn't be bad. I'm not sure how they would deal with the hourly parkers, though.

Well...I guess this would be one way to justify a revamping of the entire system.

[Rob MacLennan]

Just read your post Rob.
I guess we tried . :-/

Don't give up yet. It wouldn't be the first time that a rational argument, backed by irrational pressure from voters, changed a decision

[RockerGuy]

That has to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard

[Rob MacLennan]

That has to be the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard

Then my job here is done

[RockerGuy]

Then my job here is done

talkin about getting rid of parking dwntwn

[Rob MacLennan]

talkin about getting rid of parking dwntwn

Damn. Guess I have to keep working on it then.

[ZX600]

I would love to know the recommendations to enforce this that will be presented, I am not big in protesting but (specially in January) but I think a bunch of us need to show up at this meeting.

[Veej]

I would love to know the recommendations to enforce this that will be presented, I am not big in protesting but (specially in January) but I think a bunch of us need to show up at this meeting.

I'm totally in for showing up at the meet, perhaps admin should start a Sticky with this meeting and motion in the title to start putting names down and a countdown.

[clutch]

Got a response from Councillor Wong-Tam:

Thank you for your email on street parking for motorcycles and scooters.

I have seconded a motion with Councillor Mike Del Grande to request a staff report with respect to parking charges. This report will be presented to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee in February, 2012.

I am advocating for the creation of dedicated motorcycle and scooter parking to ensure the availability of parking for all motorized vehicles on our city streets, as well as to help reduce the frequency of moving vehicles being driven into pedestrian zones for parking.

There will be no changes to present parking rules until any future report has been written, explored, then voted upon. My hope is that any new rules to be proposed will be inclusive, comprehensive, and account for the historic issues Toronto has faced with past by-laws.

[Gnu]

Between Ford and Jerry Agar it seems this city is destined to become the desolate wasteland that many American cities are rather than the active live world class city like we see over seas.

I can't get over the fact that they are complaining about vehicles being treated different based on size. It happens already and is the norm. Transports are restricted on speed and lane options because of size.

Rob Ford will take us backwards. Making motorcycle transportation less attractive will only increase single occupant car commuters and gridlock. Yeehaw.

Why are you blaming Ford, he didn't propose this motion.

[clutch]

I'm totally in for showing up at the meet, perhaps admin should start a Sticky with this meeting and motion in the title to start putting names down and a countdown.

I'd be interested in showing up as well. Is there a motorcycle/scooter lobby for Toronto one can join?