‘Ignore the evidence of your eyes:’ Port Coquitlam council balks at proposed parking requirement reductions

While Port Coquitlam council gave staff the go-ahead to make it easier for market rental housing applications, they pressed pause on proposed amendments to minimum parking requirements at a recent council meeting.

Council was discussing the implementation of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), a $4.4 billion federal program to eliminate barriers d fast-track construction. Port Coquitlam received 10.3 million through the fund, with a target to deliver an additional 287 units over the next three years.

To generate more purpose built rental, staff suggested forgiving 50 percent of development application fees during the June 17 meeting.

Port Coquitlam generally provides additional support: “for applications deemed to be in the public interest,” like nonprofit and affordable housing.

Port Coquitlam staff described this as “a bit of hand holding we do for these types of applicants to make sure they’re getting through all the hoops, and checking all the boxes.”

Staff recommended amending this policy “to treat purpose built, secure rental housing in the same bucket as that public interest.”

When Coun. Steve Darling asked why they would waive fees for a regular development, staff responded that a lot of the city’s current market rental housing is in secondary suites and rented strata units.

“So, getting some more purpose built rental housing . . .  especially when it’s secure, so it’s not going anywhere, is really something that we want to promote. And we think this is small, but it can help,” said staff.

Council concerned about proposed amendments to parking

As part of HAF, staff also looked at reducing developers’ parking requirements in downtown Port Coquitlam. For example, the current parking bylaw requirement is 1.3 parking spaces per one bedroom apartment, and two spaces per dwelling unit for a townhouse.

They suggested cutting that down 1.25 parking spaces for one bedroom or more dwelling units for both apartment buildings and townhouses.

Staff said that this is relatively modest reduction, especially if compared to the provincial legislation to remove parking requirements in transit oriented areas. Staff also noted Port Coquitlam requires more parking than other cities, and more than what the data suggests Port Coquitlam’s needs are, according to studies they looked at from Metro Vancouver show that parking utilization is going down.

But some councillors raised concerns about cutting parking requirements.

“I understand there’s a reduction in parking or vehicles in certain areas, but we get lumped in,” said Coun. Dean Washington. “Is it true that there’s less cars in our part of the region? Because when I drive, I would say,  ‘No.”

Mayor Brad West said what staff proposed “subscribes to the same theory” of the province, in that there is an oversupply of parking.

“Which I think to believe, requires you to ignore the evidence of your eyes.” In Port Coquitlam’s downtown, West said it seems like there are cars everywhere.

He also said it might impact the city financially, if Port Coquitlam lowers the amount they are making from parking in-lieu payments.

Council voted to refer the parking bylaw for further information from staff.