City of Toronto motorcycle parking exemptions/ammendments

[Rob MacLennan]

Correct.

 

[georg]

Schneller raises a valid point. In the original post in this long thread, the actual by law amending the municipal code for parking machines is shown and it makes no distinction between metered and pay & display parking spaces.

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Schneller raises a valid point. In the original post in this long thread, the actual by law amending the municipal code for parking machines is shown and it makes no distinction between metered and pay & display parking spaces.

You are correct. I should pull up the current bylaw and reread it. I may well be incorrect on that. The early drafts also included on the boulevard parking for scooters, which never made it to the final draft.

 

[saberx]

Hi,

Where do u park at Ryerson or close by streets?
The place in front of the library building only has place for bicycles.

thnx.

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Hi,

Where do u park at Ryerson or close by streets?
The place in front of the library building only has place for bicycles.

thnx.

The most common place, these days, is at Gould and Bond, in front of Balzac's Coffee. It's pay-and-display on street parking, so it's completely legal.

 

[saberx]

The most common place, these days, is at Gould and Bond, in front of Balzac's Coffee. It's pay-and-display on street parking, so it's completely legal.

are you talking abt this area? google maps shows construction but I guess it must be done now.
[img=http://s9.postimg.org/fsvn2kscr/gold_and_bond.jpg]

I also noticed Gerrard st. E. (Yonge/Gerrard St E) has a pay and display area with some bikes parked. Is that fine too?
[img=http://s17.postimg.org/5iomps0cr/21_Gerrard_st_E.jpg]

thnx for the reply

 

[Rob MacLennan]

are you talking abt this area? google maps shows construction but I guess it must be done now.
[img=http://s9.postimg.org/fsvn2kscr/gold_and_bond.jpg]

I also noticed Gerrard st. E. (Yonge/Gerrard St E) has a pay and display area with some bikes parked. Is that fine too?
[img=http://s17.postimg.org/5iomps0cr/21_Gerrard_st_E.jpg]

thnx for the reply

Both areas are good and yes, the one showing construction is what I was talking about. The Bond street area is probably best, if you get there fairly early in the day, because the constant foot traffic tends to make your bike more safe from damage by parking cars.

 

[saberx]

Both areas are good and yes, the one showing construction is what I was talking about. The Bond street area is probably best, if you get there fairly early in the day, because the constant foot traffic tends to make your bike more safe from damage by parking cars.

awesome thanks. I parked at Gerrard a couple days ago. Bond street also had many bikes parked.

R they strict on the 3 hours max rule? Is the bond street in front of Balzac's better if parking for more than 3 hours?

 

[throwaway0921]

This may be changing soon:

During the October 8, 2013, City Council meeting there will be a debate on whether to continue to allow motorcycles and scooters to park for free on the street:

Requiring motorcycles to pay between 25 and 50 per cent of the hourly rate for full-sized vehicles — in newly designated motorcycle parking areas — would generate up to $250,000 per year, says a staff report signed by Stephen Buckley, general manager of transportation services.


Motorcyclists initially would be offered free parking in these new designated spots, while the Toronto Parking Authority shifts to a “pay-by-plate” payment system that doesn’t involve paper receipts, the report says.

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_ha...ders_ending_free_parking_for_motorcycles.html


If you do not want this to happen, and you live in the city, please contact the local councillor of your home. If you do not live in the city, but perhaps work in it and commute, contact the councillor for the ward of your place of employ:


http://app.toronto.ca/wards/

I created a separate thread:

http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?177050-no-more-free-parking

 

[espro]

This may be changing soon:

During the October 8, 2013, City Council meeting there will be a debate on whether to continue to allow motorcycles and scooters to park for free on the street:





http://www.thestar.com/news/city_ha...ders_ending_free_parking_for_motorcycles.html


If you do not want this to happen, and you live in the city, please contact the local councillor of your home. If you do not live in the city, but perhaps work in it and commute, contact the councillor for the ward of your place of employ:


http://app.toronto.ca/wards/

I created a separate thread:

http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum/showthread.php?177050-no-more-free-parking

Emailed my city councillor, please all do the same.

 

[bryand]

I have emailed my councillor and the mayor (mayor_ford@toronto.ca). I suggest people write their own emails, but here is what I wrote:

I am a new motorcyclist having obtained my licence in 2011. I ride a 250 cc motorcycle that gets outstanding gas mileage, conserving gasoline and polluting less than my other transportation, a mid-sized SUV.

The last few years, I have taken to riding my motorcycle daily to work, weather permitting, and on the majority of longer trips that I take in or out of the city to take advantage of its energy efficiency and easy parking.

I am very concerned about the proposal to end free parking and replace it with designated parking areas for motorcycles. I don't see how the city can possibly designate sufficient space on every block for motorcycles alone. Without that, will I be required to ride blocks out of my way to park?

At present, I can usually find small spaces between cars that would otherwise be wasted. If the new system of designated motorcycle spaces is implemented, more space will be required for motorcycle parking which could actually reduce the city's revenues from parking Since cars won't be able to park in the motorcycle spaces, there will either be insufficient parking spaces allocated for motorcycles, or there will be too many and the space will be wasted.

I urge you to reject this bad idea.

 

[gnatwest]

Here are two notices from my councillor

Thanks for writing Councillor Davis regarding motorcycle parking.

The report discussed at Public Works and Infrastructure Committee last week is available here:
http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/<wbr>viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=<wbr>2013.PW25.11

The committee adopted both of the staff recommendations:
1. City Council request that Transportation Services and the Toronto Parking Authority create designated on-street motorcycle parking spaces on a pilot basis, and maintain the exemption from the requirement to pay until Pay-by-Plate technology can be deployed.
2. City Council maintain the existing exemption for motorcycles from the requirement to pay for overnight parking permits in designated on-street permit parking areas.

There is no plan to charge for motorcycyle parking at this point. Councillor Davis is a strong advocate for community consultation on any new City policy and would certainly support consultation if a proposal to charge for motorcycle parking is presented.

Please let me know if you have any further concerns or require any additional information.

Sincerely,
Jay


Jayson L. Thiessen
Executive Assistant
City Councillor Janet Davis
Ward 31 | Beaches-East York
Phone: 416.392.4035
www.JanetDavis.ca
Twitter @Janet_Davis

I then asked for clarification on the 300 spaces.

According to the report, motorcycles would still be able to park in regular street parking spaces. The purpose of the pilot 300 spaces is to use the space more effectively so that more motorcycles can fit in a smaller space. Motorcycles will also still be exempted from having to pay for street parking, until the City develops a payment method that does not involve paper tickets. At that point, I believe the plan is to charge motorcycle users less than cars since they take up less space.
Hopefully this information is helpful.
Thanks for writing,




Marc Acton Filion
Student Intern
Councillor Janet Davis
Ward 31 | Beaches-East York
Phone: 416.392.4035

www.janetdavis.ca

Twitter @Janet_Davis

 

[katmandoo]

You can park in any "pay-and-display" spot. If there are public parking spots that aren't "pay-and-display", I'm not sure the law applies. It also doesn't apply to lots or green-Ps.

Yes, you can park between "parallel to curb" and 60 degrees. That means you can't jam it in between cars at 90 degrees to the curb. They want to make sure that you don't interfere with cars' ability to get in and out of parallel parking spots in front of and behind you, I presume.

--- D

I asked the Green P folks directly and here is their response:
From: "Greenpcs" <greenpcs@toronto.ca>
Sent: October 1, 2013
Subject: Re: Parking for motorcycles

Hello
Parking is not free in parking lots. Free parking for motorcycles is free only on the street.
Purchase a ticket and take it with you. If you receive a parking charge for no ticket then just send it in or call us for instruction on getting the ticket rescinded.

TPA

 

[throwaway0921]

So the following motion passed:

The Public Works and Infrastructure Committee recommends that:
1. City Council request that Transportation Services and the Toronto Parking Authority create designated on-street motorcycle parking spaces on a pilot basis.
2. City Council maintain the existing exemption for motorcycles from the requirement to pay for overnight parking permits in designated on-street permit parking areas.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2013.PW25.11

There was a "technical" amendment of the original motion which removed the following text: "nd maintain the exemption from the requirement to pay until Pay-by-Plate technology can be deployed".

<tbody>
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You can see the vote, without any debate/discussion, pass at the 286:10 mark of the October 11 session:

http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=16&sid=1030&gid=118745

So where a designated area exists, two-wheelers can still park there without charge (until we finally get a Pay-by-Plate, perhaps in the future). From the background material:

Motorcycles would be offered free parking in these spaces for a limited time, until Toronto Parking Authority has the technology to address concerns about securing receipts to motorcycles. Once Toronto Parking Authority is ready to offer Pay-by-Plate payment options that do not involve physical receipts, the City could then consider charging motorcycles hourly rates that are proportional to the space they occupy.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-61471.pdf

So once/if they set up designated motorcycle spots, park in them. The TPA is supposedly working on a non-paper parking system. Once that system is ready, only then can yet another motion be tabled on whether to amend the by-law/s to charge two-wheelers.

At least that's my reading of the situation.

 

[johnp]

......

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/pw/bgrd/backgroundfile-61471.pdf

So once/if they set up designated motorcycle spots,.............

That's a good read. Thanks.

From

- page 5, Toronto motorcycle population jumped by about 50% after free parking showed in 2005
- top page 6, est that motorcycles will pay 25-50% of the rate for cars eventually
- bottomish page 6, pay by plate pilot will start in 2014 so we risk having to pay, say the following year?

 

[throwaway0921]

Just a quick follow-up.

I e-mailed some City staff in Transportation Services and got the following reply:

From my reading of the item, this means there will be designated spots created, and where they exist, two-wheeled vehicles should use them. Where they do not exist, two-wheelers should simply park on the street during non-prohibited hours as before.


Regardless of that, there will be no parking fees until (a) the TPA implements a Pay-by-Plate system, AND (b) the City amends the by-law(s) to start charging motorcycles again.


Is that a correct assessment?

Yes. That is correct.

And per the background PDF:

TPA will begin to use "Pay-by-Plate" technology in the spring of 2014, as part of its mobile payment system pilot. After the pilot, TPA intends to deploy the mobile payment system and Pay-by-Plate technology across the city.

So the PbP pilot will probably run in spring 2014, and go full service late-2014 or 2015. Once it's fully implemented, then City Council can vote on whether charge two-wheelers. Again from page 6 of the PDF:

Once TPA is ready to use Pay-by-Plate technology, TPA would install separate Pay-by-Plate machines in designated motorcycle parking areas. These machines would charge motorcycles reduced hourly rates in proportion to the space they occupy. As three motorcycles may be parked in a single standard parallel parking space, motorcycles could be charged between 25% and 50% of the hourly rate for full-sized vehicles. Motorcycles would also be able to use TPA's mobile payment system once it becomes available.

Even when the PbP system is introduced, it will still be necessary to amend the City of Toronto municipal code to remove § 910-2B / By-law No. 928-2005:

Despite any other provision in this article, where a fee is stipulated in this article for a given parking period in a parking space, the requirement to pay or deposit a fee and to use or activate the parking machine shall not apply to a person parking a motorcycle.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_910.pdf
http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/bylaws/2005/law0928.pdf

So even though it will be possible from a practical point of view for motorcycles to pay fractionally, Council could still decide not to get rid of the exemption. Who wants to hold their breath with me?

 

[gnatwest]

Here is an update from Councillor Davis

Thank you for your input on motorcycle and motor scooter parking. Many of you wrote to us in support of parking incentives which encourage the use of small, efficient vehicles and decrease congestion on our streets.

Earlier this month, Council voted to create designated on-street motorcycle parking spaces on a pilot basis and to maintain the fee exemption for motorcycles in designated on-street permit parking areas. These vehicles will have the choice of parking in the new pilot spaces or regular on-street permit parking spaces without fees.

Pilot spaces are meant to provide convenient parking for motorcyclists and address complaints about motorcycles parked in illegal locations (e.g. on boulevards, on sidewalks, in "No Parking" zones, and within corner parking restrictions).

The minutes of this discussion are available here:

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/<wbr>viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=<wbr>2013.PW25.11

Exemptions to on-street meter/machine parking fees for motorcycles were implemented in 2005 to address complaints from motorcyclists who received parking tickets after their Pay-and-Display receipts were stolen or blew away, and to promote the use of motorcycles rather than larger personal vehicles.

Reducing traffic congestion and encouraging efficient transit solutions is very important to me. I value your input, and will continue to keep you updated on this issue.

Sincerely,

Janet


Councillor Janet Davis
Ward 31, Beaches - East York
Phone: 416-392-4035
www.janetdavis.ca

 

[daught]

The few motorcycles parked on boulevards are already addressed under 337 (Unauthorized Parking on Boulevard)...

 

[Rob MacLennan]

The few motorcycles parked on boulevards are already addressed under 337 (Unauthorized Parking on Boulevard)...

... and those people aren't likely to use the new spots, anyway, if they aren't using the current free parking. They need to be aggressively ticketed and legal parkers in the free areas need to be left alone.

 

[DDean]

Ive been looking for a map or description of where the currently designated motorcycle parking areas are because I think that those are likely to be the pilot locations but I cant find a map or anything saying where they are. I know that one is behind the King Eddy, but I dont think that Front street or Temperance (where there are usually 100+ bikes at) are designated areas. Anyone have a map showing where they are?

My concern is that the deletion of the language that would maintain status quo during the pilot project is not being matched with surveys outlining what size and where designated motorcycle areas should be. I envision that the designated areas will be quickly full and that the overflow will have the same full fare parking ticket issues that Toronto had 10 years ago.

Pay parking is coming for us and based upon the recommendation that they have spots for 300 motorcycles across 25 to 27 areas across the City, I dont think that Council will manage this adequately. Ive spoken to my Councillor once already; I need to speak with her again.