Calgary city council parked a decision to consider a motion to adjust its residential parking permit fees to its meeting on July 4..In March, council approved major changes to the Residential Parking Permit Program, adding a substantial increase in fees for homeowners in single detached homes, and introduced the City Centre market permit, which allows residents of high-rise apartments to obtain permits and park within 150 metres of their buildings for $150 per month..There is also an inner-city market permit of $100 per month, a suburb market permit rate of $75 per month and a low-income market permit of $6.25 per month..Residents of large multi-family buildings built before 1945 are eligible for a select permit at $75 per year..The changes were scheduled to come into effect on Aug. 1..Currently homeowners in residential parking zones receive two free permits, with a third available for $108 per year and were also given two free visitor permits. .The changes approved in March would have seen annual fees for street parking in residential neighbourhoods increase to $50 for the first permit, $75 for a second permit, $125 for a third for a single address, plus two visitor permits priced at $75 each..An online petition protesting the new charges garnered more than 12,000 signatures from irate Calgarians, enough to get the attention of 10 city councillors, in particular Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot..Chabot sponsored a motion, signed by the 10 councillors, directing city administration “to set the fee for the first vehicle linked to an address for a standard permit to be no charge when fees are introduced on 2023 August 01.”.Fees for the second and third permits, visitor permits and select permits (for medium density buildings) will remain in place and become effective Aug. 1..The motion also directed administration “to bring back an update on permit uptake, budget implications and recommended future fee schedule to support transition to full user pay of the program as part of the 2023 November Business Plan and Budget adjustments.”.Administration already reported a free first permit would reduce revenues from the city’s residential parking program by $600,000..The decline in revenue has not pleased Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, who cautioned council in its meeting on Tuesday, saying, “My advice, my best advice to council, is to take some time and think about what it is you actually want to do.”.The motion does not include a method or methods to offset the costs to the city, but Chabot said earlier this month using parking revenues the Calgary Parking Authority collects from its Park Plus Program could be an option..“(Park Plus) has generated quite a bit of revenue for the City of Calgary through a dividend as well as created a significant reserve,” he said..“Obviously it has been operating at a profit (and) arguably we could use some of that revenue to offset some of the costs that residents are facing in residential parking zones.”.At Tuesday’s meeting, Chabot said, “Hopefully between now and July 4th I can work with other members of council and administration to come up with something that council can actually sink their teeth into.”
