I received an email from a reader the other day wondering why I hadn’t written about parking squabbles in Burnaby lately.
Well, I was surprised because some others have complained that I’ve written about the issue too often – although a lot of people read these columns.
Sure, it’s not the most important issue, but neighbourhood squabbles do disrupt people’s lives.
The fact is, I was on vacation for a couple of weeks, but upon return I have received a flurry of messages about people violating parking rules on their street.
I also received a complaint by a clueless Burnaby homeowners I’ll call Ted because he totally sounds like a Ted.
“I don’t like people parking in front of my house because there are other spots on our street,” said Ted. “I have read some of your previous columns and wanted to defend homeowners. We paid big property taxes while renters don’t and then take up all of the parking on local streets. I need the parking spaces in front of my house open for when my elderly parents visit. There is nowhere else for them to park. So, I put out traffic cones I bought and put up a small sign letting people know, politely, that I need them to park somewhere else. I think that’s fair. But these jerks knocked over my parking cones. Not just once, but a bunch of times. I don’t see how vandalism solves anything.”
I agree. I definitely don’t support vandalism. However – and this is a huge however – there is a lot wrong with Ted’s comments.
First of all, sure, renters don’t pay property taxes, but they do pay rent and they deserve to have space so they can park their vehicles.
Second, paying property taxes doesn’t entitle you to own the street parking – that’s not how it works.
Also, put out road cones is, of course, is not allowed.
“No person shall excavate in, do or construct any works upon, cause a nuisance upon, encumber, obstruct, injure, foul, or damage any portion of a highway or other public place without written permission so to do from Council and except under such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the Council in such permission,” reads Burnaby’s traffic and street bylaw.
The bylaw, however, doesn’t seem to matter to some folks because the spots are in front of their homes and, dammit, “outsiders” shouldn’t park there.
One idea that several readers have put forward is for Burnaby to adopt the system that Vancouver uses - on a wider level - in which people can buy permits to park on the street in their neighbourhood. Annual permits start at around $45 and go up to $90 – unless you live in the West End, in which you can pay $400.
I’m sure homeowners already feel like they pay enough in taxes, but if a street is really struggling with parking issues, this could be a targeted solution. It’s not perfect, but according to the messages I’ve received, there are some really dirty parking wars going on and something needs to be done to people to stop fighting with each other.
Some support this idea for Burnaby.
“I agree that the City of Burnaby should implement the cash grab that is residential permit parking for locals that have parking issues,” wrote David Tieu, in response to a letter we ran. “I don't know that this will solve his problem entirely, but it would at least prevent folks that are using the streets as a park and ride for transit. So, take it up with the city.”
Having said all of this, I doubt Burnaby would do this on a wide scale. I think it’s too politically unpopular. It also punishes renters who often aren’t allowed to park in the basement suites they rent.
In the meantime, please don’t block sections of a public street.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
