Public Hearing on Monday to seek consultation with public on Downtown Parking themes

The First Public Hearing for 2022 will introduce a frequent topic of discussion for the community that of the issue of downtown parking, with City Council hosting the session 

The plan to go to public hearing was introduced back in October of 2022 at the last regular Council session for the previous Council collective.  

You can review our notes towards some of the proposed changes at that time here.

Notice of the Public Hearing was posted to the City of Prince Rupert website on January 13th, outlining the focus for the session which will start at 6PM  in the City Council Chamber on Monday evening.

Of importance from the Notice include:

Purpose: Council is considering a zoning amendment bylaw that proposes to waive parking requirements for new buildings, with the exception of residential-only buildings, in a Parking Specified Area (PSA) in the downtown core (map of the proposed PSA is below).

Details regarding proposed changes, information on the City’s Interim Parking Management Strategy, as well as opportunities for the public to ask questions directly to staff is available via the City’s Rupert Talks platform at engage.princerupert.ca. 

Copies of the proposed Bylaw amendment can also be obtained on our website or the front desk of City Hall. 

The full study from the summer can be reviewed here. The Interim Parking Management Actions section begins on page 11.

The City also notes that at the Public Hearing all persons who deem themselves affected by the proposed Bylaw shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard or to present written submissions respecting the Bylaw. 

Towards that contribution to the discussion, all submissions (mailed, or electronic) must be received by Rosamaria Miller, Corporate Administrator by no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 20th, 2023. 

Those with an interest in the topic are asked to mail their correspondence to City of Prince Rupert, 424 3rd Avenue West Prince Rupert, B.C. V8J 1L7 or by email to rosamaria.miller@princerupert.ca.

As noted above the City has provided for additional notes on the topic through their Park Prince Rupert engagement page on the Rupert Talks Portal which you can review here.

That page expands on the city's plans for parking for many areas of the city not just the downtown core section.

Some unfortunate timing for the Public Hearing for Council we imagine will probably add something to the discussion that isn't on the agenda.  

With some participants in the consultation in the wake of this weeks snow, perhaps asking towards how the city's removal strategies may impact on the downtown parking planning, with much of the downtown core Parking space buried under the volume of snow that arrived on Tuesday/Wednesday.

A Snow removal management plan that is now being addressed efficiently by Mother Nature.

The snowbanks have been reduced significantly today as the rain
begins to eat away at the leftovers of the dump of snow this week

More notes related to City Council themes can be reviewed from our Council Discussion page.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.