Marina users and other members of the public voiced their concern over proposed changes to marina parking in Gibsons at a May 22 council meeting, pushing councillors to defer making a decision until next month.
Staff had recommended that council authorize a development variance permit that would “relax” the 191 on-site parking space requirement to allow 79 on-site spaces with an additional 63 spaces on Town roads through an encroachment agreement, reducing the marina parking to a total of 142 parking spaces. But following public comments expressing uncertainty about marina parking requirements, as well as objections about parking fees, councillors decided to wait until early June, when another report is expected to address parking and fees.
The parking bylaw requires one space for every two marina berths or moorings, and with 381 berths, that puts the parking spaces at 191; however, according to staff, marina parking has never adhered to that bylaw since its inception in the 1980s.
Gibsons chief administrative officer Emanuel Machado said when the Gibsons Public Market was built, a lack of parking for the market was identified. For a period of time, customers were encouraged to park on nearby Bay Road, “but that created quite a bit of concern for both the market and marina,” said Machado. During that time, developer Klaus Fuerniss purchased the marina and council required the marina to enter into negotiations with the market over parking. An agreement was reached that gave the public market 22 parking spaces, restricting marina parking to remaining lots and the roads.
While several members of the public raised concerns over the changes, many focused on the marina’s decision to charge a fee for parking, which took effect earlier this year, according to Gibsons Yacht Club commodore Mark Evans.
Kathy Tate has moored a boat since the marina’s inception in 1984 and said fees for parking is a problem. “We have never been charged for parking before so this is a ‘where does this come from?’”
She said normally parking isn’t charged in addition to the cost of a moorage. “All of a sudden they have increased the moorage at the marina and now on top of it they are trying to gouge the marina holders by charging for parking,” Tate said.
Others expressed confusion over how road marina parking will work, and where spots will be located. According to a staff report, 63 parking spaces would be allocated on Bay and Prowse roads through an encroachment agreement. Letters were sent to property owners in the area in early May.
Mayor Wayne Rowe said “the information we put out may not have been as clear as it could have been.” Additionally, Rowe said he had heard the concerns over parking charges. “The only purpose behind this is to bring into compliance what we actually see on the ground,” he said in reference to the variance permit and encroachment agreement.
Coun. Charlene San-Jenko said she didn’t have a problem “moving forward with something that basically puts into words what’s already happening,” but that she was concerned with the lack of communication.
Coun. Stafford Lumley said he did not condone a fee for parking and that it was premature for a variance to be approved before knowing the parking needs of the marina beyond what is stipulated in the bylaw.
Coun. Silas White agreed, suggesting that there should be a review of the parking bylaw “because it seems there’s too much parking allowance” for the marina.
“I think what I’m hearing from council is the desire to have this particular permit application set on a same agenda as a discussion of the parking costs,” said Rowe near the end of the discussion. The application was then deferred in a unanimous vote.
