Committee disregards concerns about changing London’s parking policies to address shortages at some new developments

The removal of minimum parking standards has caused a headache for residents, London city hall is considering tweaking requirements to accommodate.

Several councillors claim recent policy changes at London City Hall to help address the housing crisis have also led to a shortage of parking around some new high-density buildings and single-family homes where Additional Rental Units (ARU’s) have been created.

A motion by Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis, Coun. Peter Cuddy, and Coun. Corrine Rahman seeks to increase minimum parking standards for new medium and high-density developments, and to relax the rules limiting the width and location of driveways.

In 2022, council reduced minimum parking requirements for high-density residential developments to one spot per two units (0.5 spots per unit).

“We did so with the expectation that the market would decide for itself what level of parking they needed,” reads the motion. “However, we have seen (planning) applications come forward with reduced parking that have raised considerable neighbourhood concerns, and some applications where the applicant was clearly relying on on-street parking to make up their deficiency.”

However, increasing the parking minimums was criticized in a letter from Western University Political Scientist Dr. Martin Horak.

Horak explained that research shows mandatory parking minimums for high density developments are “simply bad policy”.

He wrote, “Mandatory parking minimums substantially increase average housing costs, on the order of $5,000 - $15,000 per housing unit depending on local land, materials and labour costs.”

In addition, Horak’s letter warns that parking minimums unfairly shift building costs onto less wealthy residents, can be an obstacle to the redevelopment of older buildings that predate the automobile age, and are contrary to the city’s goals to increase transit ridership and active transportation.

His letter concluded, “Policy responses to the issues identified in the Councillors’ letter should be based on sound analysis of the actual scope and severity of any problems, and should involve targeted, well-informed policy instruments, not the sledgehammer of mandatory parking minimums.”

But Lewis told colleagues on the planning committee, “We tried something, and it didn’t quite work out as planned. I think its okay to step back. Sometimes the way to address a problem is to go back to what we were doing before.”

The creation of ARU’s is also being hindered by parking limitations according to the three councillors.

In many cases, homeowners have been discouraged from adding a rental unit in their home or back yard because widening driveways or expanding into the front yard requires a variance from the Committee of Adjustment.

“In many neighbourhoods we are hearing that ARUs are relying wholly on street parking and creating conflicts between neighbours,” the motion explains. “This parking situation is also leading to boulevard parking, more enforcement ticketing, and more conflict.”

It claims that loosening the driveway restrictions would also accommodate the increasing number of multi-generational families living under the same roof in London.

But not everyone was convinced.

“If we go forward with this, it will change the look of our neighbourhoods,” warned Coun. Anna Hopkins.

Coun. Sam Trosow argued that requiring a variance from the Committee of Adjustment shouldn’t be seen as a negative, because it requires the development of a plan for the driveway expansion and the notification of nearby neighbours.

Despite the concerns, the planning committee recommended that Civic Administration bring forward a zoning by-law amendments that would establish updated minimum parking standards of one spot per unit in most cases, and increase maximum driveway widths including front and side yards that may not lead to another parking area.

Council will make a final decision March 3.