Overnight On-street Parking.

[go_leafs_go02]

One of biggest critiques and problems with the city of Hamilton is overnight parking. I was curious what you think about this.

Currently, Hamilton has a very very lax parking bylaw in regards to overnight on-street parking. Apparently the law is you can only park on the street for 24 hours straight, but on my own personal experience, this is not enforced in any way. (I had a vehicle break down and towed and parked on the street in the winter, and it was not ticketed for 6 weeks, and it took them 8 weeks to finally tow it away) (and it had over a foot of snow on it for weeks straight)

Some cities have very strict parking bans. London won't permit parking on street from 3-5 AM YEAR round. It leaves the roads open for street cleaning and snow clearing.

I don't think year round needs to be done, but definitely an overnight 2-6 AM parking ban in the winter months (November-April) would be my suggestion. Cluttered streets filled with cars is an problem for emergency vehicles, especially with little room for snow to be moved to.

Some american cities justl have when 2" of snow or more is forecast, No overnight parking is permitted.

I know down below the mountain there is little/no room to park due to the urban design, and that problem doesn't exist in London.

I live on a cul-de-sac in hamilton (yep shoot me..it's a place where I live for school and that's the only reason I live there) and during those huge winter blasts last year, there was about 6 inches clearance for a normal vehicle to get down the road due to the snow piled high against the car parking spots on the road. Imagine if a fire took place or an emergency. Also we had to go knocking door to door ordering people to move their cars to simply allow a snowplow to get through.

[Millstone]

14. Can I park my car overnight on City streets?

Parking in Hamilton is limited to twelve hours unless otherwise posted. Parking is prohibited on all through streets between the hours of 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. This information is posted at the major entrances to the City.

[MsMe]

My street is a problem too with parking. As it still has both side parking here. Plus my driveway doesn`t have a driveway opposite it. So if I have 4 cars parked around my driveway, I have a hell of a time getting out of it. I took a petition around a while ago to have one sided parking and alternate sides as most streets are in Hamilton. But I didn`t get enough signatures for it. So you could imagine snow removal vehicles having a hard time going around all of these cars. Even Burlington has a strict ban, on parking on streets. So I`d be for a ban it if helps with ER and snow removal vehicles.

[flar]

You're lucky, I get parking tickets all the time here. Enforcement is very strict in the lower city, perhaps it's different on the mountain.

Also, a lot of homes in lower Hamilton don't have driveways, so street parking is necessary.

[MsMe]

Every house on my street do have driveways. But some aren`t house driveway, house driveway. Some are house to house then with double drives. So mine happens to be across from a house to house setup, my next door neighbour has his driveway opposite to the double drive across the street.

[SteelTown]

Enforcement is definitely not strict on the Mountain. The only time you would get a parking ticket on the Mountain is if you either didn't pay at the municipal parking spots, paid for the municipal parking spots but parked too long (happened to me) or a neighbour called the parking office to make a complaint.

Definitely don't dare parking overtime at either Westdale, close to McMaster, or around St Joe's Hospital.

[raisethehammer]

not to sound like a broken record, but you're NOT IN LONDON. this is a big city with a completely different urban fabric than a smallish, mostly suburban town.
Hamilton was once one of the most powerful and largest cities in Canada. Back in those days, they didn't design neighbourhoods with 25 metre wide sidestreets, useless boulevards and any thought of cars.
I'd like to see more on-street parking everywhere and less regulation of it, along with less driveways.
I'd really like to see a moratorium in the lower city on new driveways. We don't need any more. If someone chooses to live downtown with 2 or 3 cars let them figure it out.

[rousseau]

not to sound like a broken record, but you're NOT IN LONDON. this is a big city with a completely different urban fabric than a smallish, mostly suburban town.
London has wide, American-style streets in the neighbourhoods east of the big park downtown. Those neighbourhoods are filled to the brim with gracious mansions in yellow brick. It's quite something, actually.

[raisethehammer]

yes, I know, although that area is small compared to the rest of town. and from what I could tell on my few visits, the rest of it also has wide, American style streets in developments that appear to have been built mostly between the 50's and today.
I don't know London's history, but it obviously was never a 'huge' Canadian city that rapidly developed as such before the private automobile.

Delaware Park area in Buffalo is a great example of the huge streets and boulevards leading into the park. It's pretty amazing.

[flar]

London has wide, American-style streets in the neighbourhoods east of the big park downtown. Those neighbourhoods are filled to the brim with gracious mansions in yellow brick. It's quite something, actually.

Woodfield-an amazing neighbourhood of Victorian homes. They have big front yards and the sidewalks are mostly very far from the street. Everyone in London has a big yard even in the old parts of town.

[raisethehammer]

ahhh, the huge front yard - biggest waste of space in the history of mankind.

[FairHamilton]

I think part of the problem with parking in the lower city is that people have extended their backyard living area. Where there was laneway parking, they've eliminated their parking spot(s) for more backyard, so now park on the street.

IMO, this shouldn't be allowed to happen. I have parking for 3 cars at the rear of my 30' x 100' property, and that's where I park my car. Many of my neighbours have no parking, as they've built fences at the end of their lots for more backyard living area, or stuffed their garages full of stuff, and now park for free on the street.

The elimination of on-property parking and parking for free on the street is questionable to me. In older parts of Toronto (I know a different city) people need to purchase parking stickers for their neighbourhood to park overnight.

Hey look, a new revenue stream for a city that is 'cheaping out' on it's City Hall reno.

[flar]

There are areas in Hamilton where the street parking is by permit only. Sounds like more of this would be a good idea.

[oldcoote]

Definitely don't dare parking overtime at either Westdale, close to McMaster, or around St Joe's Hospital.

Yup the streets are full of garbage and broken beer bottles, but you're damned if you park in front of my house for 65 minutes.

So I get to pay $65/year for a street parking pass, so my kids can shoot baskets in the driveway. I guess that's what you get for paying some of the highest taxes in the city.

*rant over*

[raisethehammer]

my neighbourhood is permit parking. seems to work just fine.

[FairHamilton]

No permit required in my neighbourhood. You can park on the street for free anytime you want.......

[Jon Dalton]

In my extensive experience living downtown and owning a car that is not daily driven, parking fines are complaint driven. If your car looks old and ghetto-like or is smashed up, you will get warnings and tickets. I accept that cars are a liability in the city and parking isn't a right. I would support paid permits for overnight parking and the ability to reserve a spot in front of your house rather than turn your front yard into a driveway.

[adam]

Currently there is a law in Hamilton that you can't put a new driveway in a residential property unless you maintain a certain percentage of green space. I think its (at least) 50% greenspace. This makes it impossible to put a driveway in many homes in the lower city.

[FairHamilton]

Currently there is a law in Hamilton that you can't put a new driveway in a residential property unless you maintain a certain percentage of green space. I think its (at least) 50% greenspace. This makes it impossible to put a driveway in many homes in the lower city.

Many have (had) laneway parking, but have eliminated that parking space for extra backyard.

[DC83]

my neighbourhood is permit parking. seems to work just fine.

My neighbourhood is a Bylaw Officer's quota-dream! They're everywhere!!!!

If someone has parked on Walnut bet Forest & Charlton for 1hr 2mins (2mins over limit), they tag em ($35). Overnight? Nice try... $55. Want to park on Patrick St, the lil free-parking street behind the Olympia? I hope you don't mind vandalism.

OH and don't EVER park @ the N/W corner of Walnut & Forest. Some guy in a full-sized Van has that marked to himself. If you park there, chances are he'll smash-in ur window just so you know to never park there again.

[DC1983]

One night this week, everyone who was parked facing the 'wrong direction' (first off, it's a small, downtown residential street, not a major artery) was fined by Hamilton By-Law for being parked facing the wrong way. About a dozen cars were tagged.

Just a heads up as there seems to be some crazy By-Law Blitz in Hamilton since Bratina took over.

Bars/Clubs have huge lineups due to new 'capacity' by-laws. Cars are being tagged for stupid infractions that ppl have been doing for decades. And some bars have even been closed down for by-law infringements.

All this never happened before? Is this all due to Bratina's reign?

[mattgrande]

Which bars have been closed? Do you know why?

[DC1983]

Which bars have been closed? Do you know why?

Five Star Cafe on James @ Robert for about 3 weeks back in the winter.
Not that I'm complaining (I actually hate that bar, esp the ppl who cause havoc outfront daily), but it was closed for allowing ppl to smoke right outside.

[oldcoote]

One night this week, everyone who was parked facing the 'wrong direction' (first off, it's a small, downtown residential street, not a major artery) was fined by Hamilton By-Law for being parked facing the wrong way. About a dozen cars were tagged.


I was told this was a by-law that could be enforced on streets with a painted line down the middle. ie. side streets would be exempt.

[markbarbera]

Just a heads up as there seems to be some crazy By-Law Blitz in Hamilton since Bratina took over.

Bars/Clubs have huge lineups due to new 'capacity' by-laws. Cars are being tagged for stupid infractions that ppl have been doing for decades. And some bars have even been closed down for by-law infringements.

All this never happened before? Is this all due to Bratina's reign?

Five Star Cafe on James @ Robert for about 3 weeks back in the winter.
Not that I'm complaining (I actually hate that bar, esp the ppl who cause havoc outfront daily), but it was closed for allowing ppl to smoke right outside.

I don't think there is a correlation between Bratina's term and bylaw enforcement. There was a blitz for wrong-way street parking on my street a couple years back. While it may seem petty, it is actually a distinct traffic hazard having cars parked in the wrong direction as they are crossing the flow of traffic when parking and then again when driving away from the parking spot.

With regards to 5-Star specifically, I am not sure who your information source was, but the bar was closed by AGCO, not bylaw officers, and it was for serving an intoxicated customer (not for smoking near the entrance). The infraction occurred back in May of 2010, the hearing was on November 8 and the fine of a two-week closure was served in January of this year. While the penalty was served during Bratina's current term, the charge itself predates this term and was brought forward by a provincial authority well beyond the scope of the Mayor's office.

Details of the case were reported in the Spec:

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/309416--james-street-north-bar-sees-liquor-licence-suspended

[flar]

Wow, parking the wrong way on side streets is a time honoured Hamilton tradition. (actually, Hamilton is the only place I've ever seen anyone do that)

[holymoly]

Agreed. We call it "parking Hamilton-style."

[bornagainbiking]

This is just laziness. What a 5 sec reduction in movement from the driver's seat to the TV? We were taught to drive on the right side of the road. Check out the stretch of road on Ferguson between Barton and Burlington. What a disorganized mess.

[Casandrita]

In the inner-city more houses are being converted into multi-family rentals bringing more cars into neighbourhoods that only offer on-street parking. Introduction of new traffic lights wipes out entire blocks worth of parking spaces.

And then there is a rat in our midst who prides him/herself on calling in to the bylaw office to complain when cars don't switch to the other side of the street at midnight and/or are parked facing in the 'wrong' direction.

$1000's of dollars are drained from this poor neighbourhood every month at the whim of a single citizen. I don't think this is right. Complaints should only bring a bylaw officer running if cars are blocking a laneway or intersection i.e., if the situation directly effects the individual calling in.

Sorry for the rant ... I can't even offer a solution to the parking situation.

[drpgq]

In the inner-city more houses are being converted into multi-family rentals bringing more cars into neighbourhoods that only offer on-street parking. Introduction of new traffic lights wipes out entire blocks worth of parking spaces.

And then there is a rat in our midst who prides him/herself on calling in to the bylaw office to complain when cars don't switch to the other side of the street at midnight and/or are parked facing in the 'wrong' direction.

$1000's of dollars are drained from this poor neighbourhood every month at the whim of a single citizen. I don't think this is right. Complaints should only bring a bylaw officer running if cars are blocking a laneway or intersection i.e., if the situation directly effects the individual calling in.

Sorry for the rant ... I can't even offer a solution to the parking situation.

Wow that's a jerk move. Are you sure bylaw isn't just sending someone in at the end of month of their own volition? That wouldn't surprise me either.