Northdale parking

Council decision: On June 27, Council approved report IPPW2022-013, and directed staff to advance a paid on-street parking program in Northdale, subject to further investigation and future budget deliberations, as follows:

1. That funding in the amount of $12,500 be approved from Council’s Community Priority and Contingency Reserve to paint on-street parking space lines in Northdale in 2022, recognizing that work may not commence until 2023.
2. That Council direct staff to request biannual funding to repaint on-street parking space lines through future budget processes.
3. That Council direct staff to implement on-street 15 minute loading zones in Northdale in 2022-2023.
4. That Council direct staff to further investigate alternatives to pay-and-display machines to support those who cannot use an app to pay for parking and provide further recommendations to Council at a later date in advance of the next three-year budget process.

Council further directed staff to monitor on-street parking conditions in Northdale as the paid on-street parking program rolls out and as development progresses. Council affirms existing policies around parking management, which require all property owners to meet their regular parking needs on their own properties rather than relying on public roadways, Council acknowledged concerns raised about limited intercity travel for commuters by supporting the Region of Waterloo in their advocacy to the province on the urgency of developing robust intercity public transportation options, which would facilitate the travel of students living out-of-town to area post-secondary campuses without the use of a car.

Please refer to the minutes (p.164) for an official record of the meeting and council decision.

The proposed paid parking information, including impacted streets and available spaces is most easily shared through our pdf parking map. For those who do not find the map easy to use, we have summarized the information here.

The Northdale area in Waterloo is the area bordered by King Street North, Columbia Street West, Phillip Street, and University Avenue West. These border streets are not included in the proposed paid on-street parking project.

The proposed paid on-street parking includes all the parking spaces currently in the neighbourhood:

• two accessible parking spaces
• 222 parking permitted spaces
• nine parking permitted with restrictions (paid on-street parking allowed according to posted restrictions)
• 128 no parking with restrictions (paid on-street parking allowed outside of posted restrictions)
• no parking and no stopping areas

By Northdale neighbourhood street (streets listed alphabetically):

Albert Street - no parking either side

Balsam Street - 25 parking permitted spaces on the north side, no parking on the south side

Batavia Place - nine no parking with restrictions spaces (winter emergency no parking) on the west side, six parking permitted spaces on the east side

Beech Street - no parking either side (two accessible parking spaces at State Court)

Fir Street - 13 parking permitted spaces on the north/west side, no parking on the south/east side

Hawthorn Street - three parking permitted spaces on the west side, three no parking with restrictions spaces (winter emergency no parking) on the east side

Hazel Street - on the west side, no stopping (across from WCI high school) Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and no parking with restrictions (no parking Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) at the corner of west Hickory, 12 no parking with restrictions spaces (no parking Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) between Hickory and University. No parking on the east side.

Hemlock Street - on the west side, 10 parking permitted spaces west of Hickory (on the court), 16 no parking with restrictions spaces (no parking Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) between Hickory and Balsam, and no parking between Balsam and University. On the east side, 13 no parking with restrictions spaces (no parking Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) west of Hickory (on the court); no parking between Hickory and Balsam, and 14 no parking with restrictions spaces (no parking Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) between Balsam and University.

Hickory Street - no parking on the north side, 62 parking permitted spaces on the south side

Larch Street - no parking on the west side, two parking permitted with restrictions spaces (30 minute parking) and one 15 minute loading zone on the east side

Lester Street - 62 parking permitted spaces on the west side, no parking on the east side

Maple Court - six parking permitted with restrictions spaces (1 hour parking, Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Public Lane - no parking on both sides

Spruce Street - 29 no parking with restrictions spaces (winter no parking area December 1 to March 31) on the west side, no parking on the east side

State Court - two accessible parking spaces

State Street - four parking permitted spaces on the east side between Hickory and Fir Streets, no parking on the remainder of the street

Sunview Street - 32 no parking with restrictions spaces (no parking Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) on the west side, 37 parking permitted spaces on the east side

Please don't hesitate to contact our project team if you have any Questions.

Council has directed staff (passed unanimously on November 1, 2021) to develop options for a paid on-street parking program in Northdale. Following their direction, we are consulting with area residents, including students, area businesses, and post-secondary institutions, and will report back to Council by June 2022.

Currently, on-street parking in the Northdale area is the same as in other areas of the City of Waterloo: limit of 3 hours of free parking on residential streets where parking is allowed unless signs say differently. Overnight parking is not permitted on any streets in the City of Waterloo, but residents can apply for up to 15 overnight parking exemptions (not valid during a snow event).

With this project, paid parking spots would be indicated with painted lines on the streets where there are legal parking spaces, as shown on the map or described in the proposed parking section. Paid parking would be available for purchase up to 3 hours at a time, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Overnight parking would only be available through the City’s overnight parking exemption program (there is no cost for overnight parking exemptions).

Paid on-street parking in Northdale is being proposed not to meet a parking need, but as one option to encourage more sustainable transportation in this area. We hope to provide an incentive for those travelling to the area to consider doing so by alternate means including walking, biking or public transit. Surplus parking revenue from this project would be directed to sustainable transportation initiatives.