Council holds the line on residential parking regulations

Cold Lake, AB – Cold Lake City Council will make no changes to parking regulations to limit commercial vehicles from parking along Lakeshore Drive, or anywhere else in the community, for the time being.

The decision to maintain the existing parking regulations came after a resident’s concerns were brought forward regarding potential safety and aesthetic concerns of having commercial vehicles parked on the roadways for extended periods of time.

A municipality can make regulations regarding parking on its streets. This includes rules surrounding the types of vehicles which are parked on public roadways, the times of day or time limits for vehicles parked on the roads, and whether parking in certain areas is entirely prohibited.

“There is a tension in the community between people who regularly use commercial vehicles for their work and who prefer the convenience of storing vehicles at their residence, and between people who want to eliminate such vehicles from their neighborhoods,” Mayor Bob Mattice said. “We need to recognize that we are a working town, with tradespeople who require a wide variety of vehicles in their professional life, and we do not want to unduly inconvenience people because of the work they do, or the businesses they conduct.”

Mayor Mattice also noted that the matter may be revisited should the issue grow as work on major projects in the area ramps up. With more tradespeople coming to the community to work on projects associated with 4 Wing’s future fighters, and other major projects potentially getting the green light, congestion at the sides of residential roadways could reach a point where a change in regulations becomes warranted, in Council’s view.

“For now, we are happy with the status quo and Council is cognizant that the very nature of our community means that we will see a variety of types of vehicles stored in front of people’s homes,” Mattice said. “Later, if this becomes a problem, we will take a deeper look. For now, we are happy to let people get on with their lives and do the important work they’re doing.”

Council passed a motion to maintain the status quo regarding parking regulations along Lakeshore Drive, and throughout the community in general.

Council’s Regular Meeting and Corporate Priorities Meeting agenda packages, meeting minutes, and meeting schedules can be found at www.coldlake.com/council.

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