APC False Bay Parking Proposal - draft map
Here are photos of the draft map outlining the proposed parking areas in the False Bay area.
There are printed copies of the map at the Arts Centre, the Community Hall and (I think) the Post Office.
This work follows from the APC Report on Parking in False Bay, submitted to the LTC in June 2011.
Comments on the proposal are welcome and desired.
The Lasqueti Trust Committee will begin to discuss this draft, and comments on it, at our meeting next Thursday, February 28. We won't be making any final decisions then, just beginning the discussion.
Please submit your comments on the web site, or to one of the Trustees or APC members, or by mail or emai to our planner, Linda Prowse at the Gabriola Island office: 700 North Rd
Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X3 lprowse [at] islandstrust [dot] bc [dot] ca
Here are the exact items recommended by the APC on parking, taken from the minutes of their January 15 meeting, APC members Wayne Bright, Gail Fleming, Tim Peterson, Tom Weinerth, Susan Kristinsson and Nadine Simpson attending:
1. Main Road from T-Pot Corner: No ovenight parking from T-Pot Corner to Laing Lane on either side of the street.
2. Main Road from Laing Lane to Pemberton Road: No Parking.
3. Main Road from Pemberton to Church Parking Lot: 30 days parking (as per provinicial guidelines) for small vehicles only.
4. Main Road from Church Parking Lot to Weldon Road Corner: Maximum 7 days Northwest side only. No parking on the South West Side due to the extension of existing sidewalk from Weldon Corner to Regional District Property with Arts Centre.
5. At the corner eof Main & Weldon on the northwest side of Main Road: Create a barrier for a no parking zone for approximately 8 meters (to be surveyed).
6. From the newly created barrier to the dock: No overnight parking on Northwest side of Main Road.
7. From Weldon Road to Hotel Property on South West sid of Road: NO PARKING - sidewalk zone.
8. On Regional District lot at SW cornere of Weldon and Main, a bulletin board, and as suggested by PRRD, a water tower. (one abstention)
9. Create a minimum of three parking spaces designated "loading zone only" 30 minutes maximum.
10. Backfill old ramp to create a 'seawall' brought up to grade of road to create new parking spaces.
11. From the SW corner of PRRD lot (info kiosk lot) to Pat Forbes' property line: allow for 30 day parking.
12. Along the East side of Weldon Road: No Parking
13. Weldon Road Ramp parking is to remain as is currently posted (3 days in transit parking only).
14. On Weldon Road, on NW side of the land designated as "vip-74002 lot A (Pat Forbes' frontage): No Parking
15. False Bay side roads: Pemberton, Laing Lane, Williamd Road, Arts Centre Backstreet (to be created): 30 day parking on one side only. (Tim P/Sue K opposed)
The APC recommends that all newly created parking zones be signed and posted with terms and conditions noting that vehicles are subject to towing.
The APC recommends that a Long Term parking lot be developed by the Regional District.
APC views the parking and traffic issues as a high Public Safety issue and urges the trustees and staff of the Trust to move expeditiously to evaluate and address the recommendation coming out of this APC review.
It is moved that the marked map and the above "items" and motions be presented to the Lasqueti Trust Committee as our recommendations for the False Bay Master Plan.
Joseph drafted an informal summary of the Issues and Potential Solutions raised at the public meeting held Feb. 22 at the Arts Centre to help create a framework for constructive discussions (attached below).
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| False Bay Map | 74.94 KB |
| Map Legend | 58.69 KB |
| False Bay "downtown" detail | 56.19 KB |
| False Bay "school area" detail | 45.14 KB |
| Issues and Potential Solutions | 111.36 KB |
Parking Proposal
As far as I can see those most affected by this proposal are people who own land on Lasqueti but are not yet full time residents. We do our best to get to Lasqueti every 30 - 60 days but there are times when commitments (jobs/family/etc) prevent us from getting here for quite a period of time. Does that mean our legally insured truck will be towed? Where are we to park then? Are we to do the 2 hour walk to the dock with all our supplies in order to have our truck parked on our land and then vice versa when we come back?
Will there be "parking permits" alloted so we can leave our truck longer than 30 days? What will the cost of that be? Who will "police" parked vehicles?
Any information to my questions would be greatly appreciated.
Dianna and Vaughn Maycock
Cars at False Bay
In the past we have asked people to ask their neighbors for a ride to the ferry , pick up or drop car off. As long as your neighbors have a bit of warning they can fit it into their schedule We all want to assist the safety at the bay and the over crowding of unused vehicles that sit for weeks. It takes everyone to corporate But last minute requests are difficult , when neighbors are busy. There is always Barry Churchill, the taxi driver. I hope this helps
Hi Dianna and Vaughn
Barry Churchill runs a taxi service. Better yet, get to recognize your neighbours. Bum a ride to your place or close to it, come back with the truck to pick up your family and stuff. On the way back, deliver everybody to the coffee shop, take your truck home, and get on the road with your thumb out. You'll be blown away by the amount of traffic these days, and you'll actually meet people and start to become part of the community.
Re: long term parking
Dianna,
it's not that you or any particular group is being picked on. The problem is quite simply that space in False Bay is limited. If everybody left their cars parked on the roadside in False Bay while they are away, you would always run the risk of missing the boat for lack of a parking space, in which case you'd probably find yourself trying to figure out how you can avoid parking your truck near the ferry altogether.
Doesn't matter whether you are full time or part time or whatever, if you leave the island for an extended period of time, the logical place for your vehicle is on your property, where it is out of other people's way and also a lot less likely to get vandalized. That doesn't mean you can't use it to get your stuff to and from the ferry. It just means asking one of your neighbours to drive you or move your vehicle for you. Many people go "downtown" pretty regularly anyway, and it shouldn't be too hard to find somebody who would be happy to work you and your vehicle into their plans, especially if you are willing to offer something in return. We don't like to leave our car in False Bay for more than a few days, and it's never been a problem finding a ride home or to the ferry for it, but if you absolutely want to have your truck stay in False Bay while you are off-island there is long term pay parking at the Church Parking Lot, or you might find somebody in False Bay who would be willing to let you keep your truck on their property.
Best wishes, Brigitte
Long Term Parking Lot?
It would be wise to come up with a plan for Long Term Parking either in conjunction with, or *prior* to this short/medium-term parking proposal. A convenient, affordable long-term parking solution for licensed vehicles would solve many of the problems we continue to experience. Until this is done, the "Master Plan" is only half-considered. Regards, Dan
overnight parking
Overnight parking looks a little skimpy to me. Suggest changing #3 (30 days for small vehicles) to 10 days. This would cover all those times when the day trip or overnighter becomes longer once you're on the other side (hospital visits, weekends with the grandkids, and so on) and the 10 day limit would keep this area from getting plugged up with the first-come of the 30 dayers.
re: Parking bylaw proposal
Dear Ms Prowse
Please provide background rationale for the proposal to increase road parking on lasqueti island. I find it most distressing that the owners of the affected properties fronting the roads have not been contacted to alert them of this proposal. We are to be directly affected and yet know nothing of the concerns that are driving this .
Our property is located on Williams road which is one of the side roads to be designated 30 day parking. To date this road has collected 3 wrecked cars and two abandoned boats over the last two years in addition to several cars that have stayed put for greater than 6 months. Some have been there for years .This is without designation as " long term parking". From my observation I believe it is fair to say there is no community will to enforce the current parking regulations . To my knowledge there is no system or person designated to police this bylaw on island. I have never heard of or seen any means of keeping track of how long a car is parked in a given site other than on the hill where months long parking in the 3 day zone is frowned upon. Only moral pressure is used on " violators " of the current parking . Any side road that is removed from daily view is removed from moral pressure . To designate our access road as long term parking is to doom us to become a dump site .
From my observation the church lot is well run and does not have the same issues of abandoned cars. I suggest that the community approach the appropriate body that owns the unused road right of way beside the legion lot and buy it / transfer it to the community. This could then be developed along with the adjacent unused portion of the legion lot into a pay parking area .The revenues gathered would be used to pay for the land or be directed to the community . By having this privately owned the community can manage the use much more readily . There would be a revenue stream to pay for car removal and disposal. There would also be significant moral pressure to not abuse the parking area.
Many of the current parked cars lack insurance and or lack plates so they can not be traced .Even if you want to remove them it is a long and involved process. As I recall with the shutting down of the Scotty Bay car recycling site there is no place to remove abandoned cars to . Similarly there is no place to remove parking violators to . Nor can fines be collected . I suggest that there is likely no intent to enforce the proposed regulations as any bylaw enforcement requires a visit from the off island bylaws officer.No law should exist if there is no means or intent to enforce it.
From what I can read the parking issue is being positioned as a safety issue . I suggest that the issue is one of convenience and one of respect for others , not one of safety . Once you have a car parked the safety risk is the same regardless if it is there for one day or months . A filled parking space poses the same risk no matter how long the car stays.
There is perhaps an environmental risk to long term parking as from my personal observation the cars parked for lengthy periods tend to be the junkers . Regularly used cars are generally in much better shape that those that are used infrequently. Junkers generally leak oil , antifreeze etc.
We came to lasqueti to escape the city, not to have to an environmental nightmare of leaking cars of dubious integrity at my front door . This is a community problem . Deal with it so the entire community bears the burden , not just those close to the ferry .It is not that there is not enough space . It is that the space is abused. If the vehicles that abused the parking on false bay hill were removed regularly so that one knew beyond a doubt that to park too long was to lose your car most of the "parking problem" would disappear . Long term parking would naturally gravitate to the next convenient spot which should be a community owned parking lot .
People should be encouraged to leave their cars at home when absent from the Island for long periods . Consider setting up a ride share system where long term parkers help each other out with rides to and fro.
This situation is like trying to rid yourself of mice and rats . You can make it unpleasant for them in your house but as long as there is no place for them to go that is at least as nice as your house they will not move . Provide them with a nice habitat somewhere else and away they go . Long term parkers are not going to stop parking close to the ferry until it becomes untenable to do so , even then they have to have a convenient place to park or just like the rats they will be back.
Start with enforcing the current law before giving moral permission for people to park their vehicles for months at a time on the side roads and provide a controlled privately owned space to park in like the combination of a small portion of the legion lot and the undeveloped adjacent side road .
Here here to that. Without
Here here to that.
Without proper enforcement this whole plan is a waste of time. We need an impound lot or a crusher on the island. If the exciting rules we have were enforced this would be a none issue.
This is also not a safety issue, it's about being a considerate human being. If your vehicle dies, fix it or drag it home. If you need to park for more then a month, get a neighbor to drive you or your car home.
Feedback on draft map from Parking meeting
Here are the comments that were written on post-it notes at the Arts Centre meeting last Friday, in no particular order:
What about parking for the Arts Centre/Market?
Establish parking lot on WPM property Lot 4.
Vehemently opposed to 30 day parking on the side roads.`
Parking on a paved hill of 50 plus vehicles creates a problem with Hydrocabon Runoff which needs to be addressed with some kind of filter catchment - biofilter carbon basin with absorbent filter.
Would suggest keeping 3 day parking on the hill for locals who have Monday appointments on the other side who cannot return before Thursday.
Handicapped parking was questioned?
Your green zone is where the parallel parking signs were installed after heavy snow meant 1 lane for months.
There was also one sticky note that said "Room for Parking" and had an arrow, but I didn't see it until after it was removed from the map, so I don't know where there is thought to be room for parking.
Parking proposal
I am glad someone is going to do something about long term Parker's at False Bay. Maybe you can actually enforce new rules, but I doubt it. who's going to be the cop? Also, Laing Lane is way too narrow for parking.
posting from Dennis Bergen
Dear Trustees & Regional Representatives
Maybe this entry will strike a chord. With apologies to the Five Man Electrical Band
“Signs, Signs, Everywhere there's signs.
Blocking out the scenery. Breaking my mind.
Do this! Don't do that! Can't you read the signs?”
It seems that we have forgotten the past and the reasons we come to a spot like Lasqueti when we put forth this number of rules for parking. And as to the potential for blocking off the “old ramp”, for the sake of 1 or 2 spots, well that ramp probably saved a house and a lot more damage when the LVFD was able to roll down to the largest available water source to fight a fire in the area. An area that is the most populated on the island and may some day need that level of response again. Not to mention the ease of access for kids and adults to get to the beach, an access that is well used through the summer months and even in the winter.
Let’s cut the signs and excessive number of rules – we do not need the local politicians, RCMP or MOT to resolve issues and adding some 15 parking rules is ludicrous. Oh and our road sides will look so good with a bunch of “No Parking” signs posted.
So, here is the simple version,
One, let the RCMP enforce the vehicle registration, that is their job. if you can afford a car you can afford the isolated island policy, if not then walk. To enforce vehicle registration, let the RCMP send a community officer over unannounced from time to time – who knows the RCMP might come to realize that the island is not a total haven for hardened criminals. But really is that the biggest crime issue in the Parksville – Lasqueti area?
Two, let our neighbours and occasional residents know that long term parking is at their home – use social pressure and social support (offer to bring their car down for those occasional weekend visits) to move this concept forward.
Three, relax, enjoy the walk to where you park, talk to people as you walk up or down, look at the trees, consider just how good we have it on Lasqueti. Did any of us come here for more rat race? I sure did not.
The rules proposed for parking are not, in my opinion, related to safety, that is simply a motherhood comment used to disguise the purpose for any number of planned actions. It sounds so good but is not real.
If this is the most pressing issue maybe everyone should sit back and do some yard work, gardening or just relaxing. Think of it, if the ship is moving smooth and steady do not rock the boat, save us taxpayers money – now there is an issue worthy of your support. Pressing forth with this parking issue is a senseless waste of time and money.
Thank you for your attention. And to drive the point home, I will leave it to you to remember the rest of the song.
Dennis Bergen
comments recieved on plan and map
Here are comments on the parking draft that I've received:
Jenna:
what my thought is (and i see how it totaly relates to my needs because we go over for a few nights at a time regularly.) that there are little greenspots - up to 7 day parking, and my worry is that the looooooong term parking might become clogged with cars rarely leaving their spots leaving little space for the overnight trips off island.
Tolling:
I would like to suggest that the No Parking zone from the Teapot to the PO be ,"No Parking" "except for residents and business"!! Parking for the Spring Fling? Parking for C&C, parking for Ultimate and the sauna, overflow from the school parking area. Please address these issues. Thank you.
Gordon Scott:
I just have a couple of comments for your consideration:
1) I am having a little trouble discerning the difference in color between the "No Parking" and "No Overnight Parking" areas as depicted on the map and legend. Could a different color or pattern be used to show the two areas?
2) I have had the thrill of working with the public for many years as an environmental planner, in both public and private capacities, and one of the hard lessons I had to learn was anything we wanted the public to follow had to be simple. I appreciate the desire to accomodate everyone's particular parking desires, but if the outcome is too complicated it probably won't be followed, especially by the independent souls we love here on the island. Change is difficult for everyone, and if the parking options seem too complicated for the young mother who is arriving late for the 8 o'clock boat, or an old forgetful guy like me, and there is no threat of punishment, the temptation to default to the old ways will always prevail.
Suggestion: Create just three parking categories: "Less than 30 Days", "More than 30 Days", and "No Parking Ever".
Suggestion: Try and lump the three parking areas geographically, i.e., combine all "Less Than 30 Day Parking" together in one defined location.
3) I imagine this has already been hashed out but has it been discussed and is it posible to acquire a portion of the lot directly southeast of the ferry house and east of Weldon Road and construct a proper parking lot? Perhaps there are topographic, legal, financial and willingness constraints with this idea, but it certainly seems like a "logical" choice, at least to a mild mannered guy like me.
4) How will the new parking rules be enforced? An ugly topic no doubt but necessary to talk about and have a plan for enforcement in place, at least for one parking season? There is nothing like getting a ticket from the cops to teach me a lesson to drive the speed limit, let me tell you!
5) I really like the idea of fixing the "old ramp" so that: a) no vehicles can access the beach there (even accidentally!), and; b) stormwater runoff from the roadway is collected and treated. This is very important, and if a "seawall" is to be constructed, it is the time to do it right.
Thanks so much for your willingness to slog through this. I cringe every time I drive down to the ramp, dodging teenagers racing around on four wheelers, kids running back and forth to Mary Janes, seniors trying to back out of a parking space while folks jockey in line for gas. This is probably the most important public safety issue on Lasqueti Island.
Thanks.
comment received for last Friday's meeting from Dick Varney
The road and presently used parking along both the roads at the junction of Main and Weldon roads restricts a truck with a long load of logs from turning from Main Road onto Weldon Road. This makes the public ramp off Weldon Road inaccessible for most of the island to use for marketing their trees.
The log dump has been closed to public use, so we can no longer use it to get logs off the island.
Are there possible other sites for a log dump or log barge loading area? Another possibility for a log loading area was suggested to be at the old Tucker Bay boat dock area. I walked this area and discovered that there was not enough room for long log loading for this area of Tucker Bay.
>From my research, uUnless a very large area of Lasqueti is logged, there is not enough money to support developing a new log dump and/or barge ramp for transporting logs. For myself who has been managing (and logging) a quarter section sustainably for 26 years, the only option I have is to utilize the public ramp on Weldon Road to keep marketing my trees.
The present road situation at the corner is a perfect solution for islanders who do not want to see logs removed from the island, but does not recognize our Community Plan’s intention, the rate of tree growth on the island, or the economics of sustainable family forest farming. There have been no logs shipped off the island since 2002. Since 1890 about the same area has been logged on the island every 20 years. I believe Arne Baartz figured out the island grows enough wood to build and heat over 125 new homes per year.
I have been farming my forests for over 30 years in a sustainable way. This has included shipping logs off the island four different times. I have also been selling logs and firewood locally when I can. My forests have more log volume on them today, than when I first acquired the land. Without some help to overcome the local transportation of logs problems, sustainable family forest landowners will be forced to subdivide/liquidate their properties when they cannot market their major crop at a reasonable price.
comment received for parking meeting from Linda Strong-Watson
Don and I won’t be able to attend the meeting and discussions on parking this Friday.
I believe our concerns are not dissimilar to those being expressed by other people.
Our property (Chris and Cliff’’s old place) is directly impacted by the parking issue and we often have limited access to our property because of vehicles left for extended periods or simply abandoned in front of our gate. There is a vehicle that has been left there for months right now.
Pedestrian safety: parking on this side of the road forces pedestrians onto the road and into the path of vehicles in this often busy area.
There is a water line running parallel and adjacent to the road alongside our property with only a few inches of ground cover. The line has been exposed at various times by vehicles running over or parking on it. A little dirt has been shoveled to cover it over again but certainly not enough to provide any protection for the line.
We understand that what is being proposed is that the road allowance on our side of the road will be posted no parking and will be reserved for pedestrian and other non motorized traffic. Don and I support this approach. We are happy to be involved and assist in implementing solutions in whatever ways we can. We appreciate your and other people’s efforts to find solutions.
Objection to the proposal to allow any parking on the side roads
I would like to remind fellow Lasquetians that the proposal to allow parking on the three side roads near False Bay was brought forward by only 2-3 people of the APC. If those two people lived on or near the roads in question, do you think they would have brought forward this proposal as a solution to the parking problem in False Bay? Adoption of the proposal is by no means a forgone conclusion - it is meerly one of several suggested solutions. Austin and I, along with other property owners down these roads are vehemently opposed to expanding the problem, thereby enableing people to dump abandoned, derelict vehicles or park long term instead of taking responsibility for their personal property. Also please consider the exposure of the Clam/Oyster reserve to the polutants leeching into the ground/water from these vehicles. Please also consider the unfairness of subjecting the property owners to increased traffic, exposure of their properties to uninvited scrutany,, loss of privacy and tranquillity. These are not main roads and only lead to our private properties or in the case of Lang Rd, to the public access beach where day parking will be needed. Please put yourselves in our position and realize how you would feel if the access to your property was lined with other Lasquetians personal property!!! We are not contributors to the problem but are threatened with bearing the brunt of the problem if the parking on the side roads is allowed. If we solve the problem of abandoned, derelict vehicles taking up valuable parking spaces that could be used by day or short, short, short term parkers , ask the long, long, long term parkers to consider having their vehicles taken home to their properties, work hard to acquire some spaces on private land and develope more pay for parking spaces in the church yard or or elsewhere we will solve a good persentage of the False Bay Parking Problem.
comment received for parking meeting from Doane
I would hope that we can find a way to clear some or most of the long term parked vehicles off the area near “town” so as to be able to have the entire area available for short term parking.
I would like to see a mechanism in place to free our roads of unlicensed, uninsured vehicles.
I believe that the “blue roof” side of the hill should be used for pedestrian only from the cookie swtnad to the arts centre.
I feel strongly that there should be a way to catch all of the petro chemicals from the hill before they got to the beach. Probably this could be in conjunction with sediment catching but the petro chemicals are most important!
While II don't think the gas pumps are the cause of the spills I do hope that the congestion on the hill would be well served if there was a way to move the pumps up the hill and out of the path of the ferry traffic. The congestion gets pretty crazy at times.
backfilling old ramp for more parking space
Item #10 in the proposal suggests backfilling the old ramp space (to the right as you go onto the dock-- believe it or not, that was once one of the main boat and barge unloading ramps on the island) to create a small "seawall" for new parking spaces. This is the access to the little beach where the kids play and swim all summer. I think it's important to keep and encourage as much easy pedestrian access to the water as possible. As well as walking down, people can glance over and see down. With this beach open to view from the road, anyone can see which kids are there and what they are doing. I can imagine that parked cars would impede the lines of sight and reduce safety. Not worth it for a couple of parking spaces.
In no way should the taxpayer
In no way should the taxpayer pay for any parking lots, roadside or not. I am also in favor of enforcement
as I think there is a potential to create a couple of part time jobs, towtruck driver and more work for the local taxi. I would like to add if you left your car in downtown Parksville, or anywhere else, while you went away for a week or two, it would be towed by the time you got back.
False Bay Parking
; We would like to address the proposed parking plan for False Bay. While we are fully aware of the need to resolve the parking problem, we are adamantly opposed to the proposed plan, which we feel is hardly a solution. Cramming cars down side roads,(which are hardly more than driveways to begin with), only serves to move the problem from the majority of the public's view, while shifting it onto the doorsteps of those residents who happen to live on the side roads in question.
We live on Williams Rd and as Mr Smith mentioned in his (well worded), letter, we are at the present time subject to the presence of two derelict boats as well as having dealt with four abandoned vehicles over the last three years. The same can be said of both Laing Lane and Pemberton Rd.This, without designated parking!
All three according to the plan, would be a 30 day parking limit. Really, can anybody tell us who will enforce that limit, or the thee day, or the one day. What penalties will be in place for those who overstay those limits, or, just plain dump their vehicles?At the moment, unless we are mistaken, there is no where to take an abandoned vehicle and assuming there is someone who will tow it, who does he charge for the service? Until we as a community find a way to police our parking, this problem will continue to exist. Again, it is not a solution.
The ferry company owns a sizeable piece of property, which they may be amenable to selling or leasing. A charge for short and long term parking , would generate revenue for the community and offset the costs associated with the removal of abandoned and ticketed vehicles. A workable mechanism could be put in place, be it the ferry company who oversees it - or the community as a business investment . This, with the proposed lot behind the arts center, seems to us to be do-able , provided we have the will!
Very few people (on the Island), would opt for either a car ferry or a police presence and unless we as a community institute a "proper", public parking area within easy reach of the ferry and "downtown", instead of "sweeping the dirt under the rug",that is what we will end up with!
When we first came to Lasqueti, we were impressed with the respect shown for ones privacy. That's why we bought and plan to retire here! Quite definately, our privacy would be in peril as would that of our guests.
Another concern is that of the environment. Years ago it was impressed upon us that we were adjacent to the shellfish preserve in China Cloud Bay and that it is a delicate ecosystem. With that in mind are we not putting that ecosystem at risk with the heavy parking suggested in the proposed plan? Are leeching oil, gas and brake fluid helpful in that regard?
If we keep on with this plan in mind, we'll soon be parking on the "utlimate frisbie" field. Then we'll really hear about it!
We would like to be a part of the solution and will gladly work to bring it about. However we do not want to be victims of a badly thought out plan.
Sincerely, Rob and Jo Rose. The Old Bakery.
No parking over 10 days
I like Gordon's keep it simple rule. For now, how about daily parking below the Yellow House driveway, and nothing over ten days anywhere else? If your trip turns into a longer one, call a friend and ask them to move your car, or I bet Barry would do it for a fee if you left him a key. Or pay for a spot on private land.
It really is nice to be able to pull in close to the coffee shop during the day. What about a couple spots for the disabled or temporarily frail?
Definitely I support leaving the old boat ramp open for beach goers and the fire truck.
Who pays for abandoned car removal in Powell River? Regional District maybe?
Are there no alternatives to driving a 4 wheeled vehicle to FB?
At the severe risk of hearing "oh no, not again", I truly hope that pointing out the two things that I noticed missing in the discussion to date (at least what I was told about the meeting and the comments posted here and on the Lasqueti email list) will help:
1. What is the limit for parking cars? I don't mean time limit, I mean how many cars. The reason there is a problem is that there are many more vehicles on the island trying to use an area that easily accommodated all of the vehicles just 10 years ago.
Assuming more parking is magically created, unless alternatives to driving to the ferry are created, or development comes to a crashing halt, this about-to-be-created parking will fill up and the same problems today will persist tomorrow. How long do we want to keep doing this dance?
2. Alternatives to driving and parking at False Bay.
I agree with the suggestions that folks find someone to drive their vehicle back home as an alternative to parking at False Bay. But this community could and would provide many more, if the process encouraged and included them.
Recent history may also help resolve this issue for the long term.
The LETS van/community bus was one effort that tried to provide an alternative. It received no government support of any kind.
A previous effort to build bike parking near the ramp and Mary Jane's received no support from government either.
The bike parking at the Arts Centre would inadvertently benefit from a long overdue stripe of paint up the hill from Weldon (which, unfortunately, won't keep anyone from parking on it), but this bike parking is already chronically full.
And I haven't read one thing about encouraging motorized bikes either. Until now...
So let me piss off all those that choose to be and say:
1) Build Bike Parking, covered, convenient and plentiful, at False Bay. For ALL bikes, motorized and not.
2) dare I say it? No, I'm not going to despite the fact that most of us support it...
3) Real resources for a community shuttle/co-op/whatever that will facilitate folks getting to and from the ferry without their own vehicle. It can start very small and focus on a small area, but let's make it easy and free so it is fully used. Changing habits is difficult in the best of circumstances...
4) A power/recharging station at the corner of Weldon and Main was suggested to me by a visionary on the island. That would take resources and it would greatly encourage people to use electric vehicles, be they bikes, motorbikes or even golf carts.
5) Speaking of golf carts, ICBC offers a discounted rate I believe. They are much more compact and are designed to not go fast enough to kill easily, much less tear up the roads as much. Maybe a few designated golf cart spots would spur some folks to revive or bring them over?
If we don't build anything but one transportation system, how can people do anything but drive and park at False Bay? But to blindly continue to bulldoze any part of our paradise...does that really solve anything, much less fulfill our desires of why we choose to live here?
And to encourage these and other alternatives, the best parking spots could be designated for those that deserve/need them most: older folks, less able folks, car-pooling folks, non-petroleum-burning folks, fill-in-the-blank folks.
Spreading the malaise further will never end (is not 60 years of evidence enough to convince you, too?) and I fully support those side-road folks (Weldon included!) in voicing my opposition to spreading it down their way.
In summary: let's not encourage the cops, let's provide real resources for alternatives (the current parking issues get even bigger whenever it is warm enough to use two wheels), and let's look beyond the next 5 years so our children will still have a False Bay to be proud of and can live in.
Thanks for reading,
Appa Dave
Entitlement to Park
There are two underlining problems here:
One: the demographics of Lasqueti are changing. The bulk of the population is getting older and not so inclined to hitch a ride with all their stuff anymore. I don't blame them either. So..... it's time those folks in that demographic started harassing BC Transit for HandiDART service out here. You pay tax on your fuel to support transit, so why can't you get door to door service like the folks on the other side?
Two: people seem to think they're entitled to drive cars and park forever on public property; without caring about it's impacts on the local area, be it environmental or cosmetic. Driving is a licensed privilege. The only people that are entitled to use the roads are cyclists, pedestrians, and maybe horses(?).
No one would want someones leaky car parked in their front yard for months on end. So why do drivers get to impose their choice on the local neighbors? That's certainly not fair and I support the residents of the area in their efforts to resist being a dumping ground for someone entitled attitude, insured or not.
Other points:
As to making a new parking lot beside the Art's Centre? Imagine how that will look from the Saturday Market? What a fabulous view that will be for everyone that visits to see; a lot full of rotting cars (because that's exactly what we'll end up with). And the only thing it will accomplish will be to move the problem to there, instead of on the hill.
And I'm certainly not cool with cutting off beach access to people to serve a couple of cars. As weird as the set up there currently is, I like it. Though finding a way to deal with run-off from the hill would be a priority for me over making more room for more cars to create more unchecked run-off (which would also happen at the parking lot proposed by the Arts Centre).
The fastest way to keep people form parking on the roadside from Weldon Rd to the Arts Centre is to start putting large boulders along the edge of the road on this strip. Don't wait. Do it now. Whenever a car moves and leaves a space, it gets a big rock! Hell, I'll even help.
That and start using wheel-locks on cars that park beyond a reasonable limit. That way no one has to tow anything anywhere and if the person wants to use their car they can pay the fine. Heck I might even be willing to deal with that myself if there's some $ in it for me.
Well that's my 5 cents worth,
Scott
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