Downtown Pay Parking

On May 15, 2023 at a Special Committee of the Whole, Council voted and authorized staff to proceed recommending "unlimited free parking for all beach pass holders in the downtown pay parking areas."⁠

On May 23, 2023 at a Regular Council Meeting, Bylaws to amend the Pay Parking Program were read 3 times to Council and staff were authorized to proceed with implementation of the Downtown Pay Parking Program.

Staff expect to bring back the proposed parking and fee bylaws for Council’s consideration for final reading on June 13, 2023, and implementation of program is anticipated to begin July 17, 2023.

The Downtown Pay Parking Program will begin it's first year with the following conditions:

• Tofino, Ahousaht, Hesquiaht and Tla-o-qui-aht residents are now eligible for free parking permits in Tofino's downtown.
  • Free parking downtown is granted through the Annual Beach Pay Parking Permit
  • Register at: tofino.robbinsparking.com
• Residents of Ucluelet and ACRD communities are eligible for a discounted permit ($60) to park downtown in Tofino's downtown.
  • Register at: tofino.robbinsparking.com
• Downtown Resident Permit Program
  • Each residential unit adjacent to a pay parking restricted zone is eligible for 2 Downtown Resident Permit decals.
    • First permit decal is free
    • Second permit decal is $150
  • Downtown Resident Permit decals grant long term and overnight access for registered vehicles limited to the resident's block.
  • To obtain a Downtown Resident Permit decal, applicants must register in person at the Municipal Hall with identification and proof of address that is adjacent to a pay parking restricted zone.
• Pay parking in effect from 9AM to 6PM, June - October
• Maximum 6-hour parking in all spaces other than Highway 4, and spaces otherwise designated (15-minute parking, school, etc.)
• Flat rate of $2.00/hour for regular vehicles
• Flat rate of $4.00/hour for Recreational Vehicles
• Active enforcement of timed parking zones 7 days a week
• Highway 4 (Campbell and First Streets) changes from Free 2 hour maximum to Free 1 hour maximum (timed)
• Parking spaces adjacent the post office, bank, Municipal Hall, Gaia Grocery, and the Telus lot are free 15-minute spaces
• Combines beach and downtown programs
• Includes the existing Offshore permit program
• Free parking is available:
  • along Campbell Street and lower First Street (Zone 1);
  • in the Parent Parking (Zone 9);
  • in the Very Short Duration Parking around the post office (Zone 4); and,
  • in the Long Duration Timed Parking (Zone 5) at any time, year-round subject to parking duration regulations.

Let us know in the comments section below on how the program is working for you, so staff can continue to make improvements that work best for the community.

Virtual Town Hall (May 17)

The District of Tofino is planning the next Virtual Town Hall for May 17, 2023 from 4:00PM to 6:00PM on Zoom to discuss the proposed downtown pay parking program.

Based on community feedback, research and consultations, staff prepared 3 options that were presented to Council for consideration at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, May 15, 2023.⁠ At this meeting, Council considered, discussed and debated all 3 options. During the discussion, Council voted and authorized staff to proceed with Option 1: recommending "unlimited free parking for all beach pass holders in the downtown pay parking areas."⁠

Register for the Virtual Town Hall here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HtMuSV1fQGqbCXsD_PsZCg

This Community Town Hall will be an opportunity for the public to discuss and provide feedback on the direction chosen by Council, the options proposed by staff, and ask questions.⁠

During the session there will be an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback. You can also submit questions in advance by emailing: parking@tofino.ca

Watch the May 17, 2023 Downtown Pay Parking Town Hall Meeting:

Watch the April 26, 2023 Downtown Pay Parking Town Hall Meeting:

Watch the April 12, 2023 Downtown Pay Parking Town Hall Meeting:

Due to timing limitations, we weren't able to answer all questions submitted during the virtual town hall. You can find answers to those questions here.

Based on community feedback, research and consultations, staff prepared 3 options that were presented to Council for consideration at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday, May 15, 2023.⁠ At this meeting, Council considered, discussed and debated all 3 options. During the discussion, Council voted and authorized staff to proceed with Option 1: recommending "unlimited free parking for all beach pass holders in the downtown pay parking areas."⁠

Watch the Special Committee of the Whole Meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/live/C3R7wcM7OI4?feature=share&t=3149

The following figure is an overview of the proposed pay parking areas. The Downtown Pay Parking Program is largely based on the existing parking system in the downtown core:

- Areas that are in green will be Pay Parking from 10AM - 6PM daily, from May to October each year.

- Areas that are in blue will be Free Parking with a time limit designed to encourage turnover.

- Areas that are in maroon are reserved for Offshore Parking and their terms will remain unchanged.

- Areas that are in yellow are regulated and historically shared with private business.

- Areas that are in orange are Coast Guard, Firehall or RCMP parking.

- Areas that are in red are designated no parking areas

***This map is a draft and is subject to change

Add your thoughts below about the location of the proposed Paid and Timed parking areas:

District staff are working to develop an affordable and progressive fee structure to encourage space turnover ever 2.5 hours. The intent is to stimulate alternative modes of transportation and shift preferred travel times, while not being set so high that parkers are penalized for visiting downtown.

The following fee structure proposes to implement hourly parking rates for drivers in the downtown core (or drivers without a Downtown Resident or Offshore Parking Pass) daily from 10AM to 6PM, from May to October each year:

• $1.50 per hour for the first two hours
• $2.00/hour for hours three and four
• $2.50/hour for hours five and six
• $3.00/hour for hours seven and eight
• The cumulative cost for parking all day in a paid spot is $18.00.
  
  

This fee structure projects net revenues of $230,000.00 for the year 2023 from the Downtown Pay Parking Program. Changes to this fee structure will impact projected revenues.

Add your thoughts below about the Downtown Core Pricing Model (the deadline to provide feedback on pricing is April 14, 2023 at 4PM):

The District's current proposal is to initially introduce one free annual Downtown Residential Permit per residential unit. A second annual pass per residential unit is currently proposed at $250. Over time it is expected that the cost of a Downtown Resident Permit will increase.

It is proposed that this fee structure is phased-in over a number of years to allow the community to adapt to the new system. It is expected that the downtown pay parking program will impact existing multi-family dwelling buildings more than single-family lots where residents have the option to park more than one vehicle on a lot.

Residents that may be eligible for a 'Downtown Resident Parking Pass' are those who have a permanent residence at an address adjacent to (on or accross from) the coloured lines (green, blue, red or maroon) on the map (see Downtown Pay Parking Locations).

Add your thoughts below about Permits for Downtown Residents.

The current proposal does not include discounted permits for Tofino residents (not living Downtown of Offshore).

Time of Day

Staff understand that any parking scheme must include accommodation for local residents to shop, bank, and pick-up mail without having to pay for parking during the summer season. Previous District parking studies highlight that parking demand in Tofino is highest between 10AM to 6PM resulting in a lack of parking spaces. The downtown pay parking program is proposed to be operational for eight hours each day from 10AM to 6PM ensuring that daily/weekly errands by residents can still be accomplished outside of pay parking hours.

Seasonality

The downtown pay parking program is intended to be operational from May to October each year reflecting the underlying principle of the parking program which is to manage parking during the busy visitor season rather than maximizing revenue. The May to October timeframe is also the time of year when other mobility options are available and attractive including the Free Shuttle, cycling, and walking.

Add your thoughts below about Seasonality & Time of Day: