To the editor,
Re: City could consider exemptions to 24-hour parking regulations, Aug. 3.
I am one of the several seniors in my building who are affected by the 24-hour parking regulations because of inadequate parking provided by our landlord.
I take exception to Mayor Krog’s comment that we have a three- or four-day grace period. Our street is regularly patrolled by bylaw officers because of the government offices. When I was ill I got a ticket after 48 hours. In addition the statement that we only have to move our vehicles two or three feet off our original spot is incorrect. We were told we had to move at least 12 feet. Once you move, it can be difficult to find another spot.
Compounding our parking problems, the city gave the hotel on the street two parking spaces for unloading. We have seniors in our building who are in their 80s with handicaps who must move their cars no matter how they feel in all kinds of weather, because they can’t afford to take the ticket gamble.
Susan Barr, Nanaimo
EDITORIAL: New parking requirements provide a nudge
To the editor,
Re: City could consider exemptions to 24-hour parking regulations, Aug. 3.
Providing exemptions to the 24 hour parking limit will only make a bad situation worse.
As stated, the enforcement of the current 24-hour rule is ineffective and pointless. If there is a three-to-four-day grace period then effectively we have 96- to 120-hour parking. Also, most timed parking limitations don’t allow you to move the vehicle two to three feet to restart the clock. To make timed parking limits meaningful, most municipalities require a vehicle to be moved out of sight of the original parking spot to restart the clock.
The cause for most of the street parking problems is Nanaimo’s suite parking rules. In order to have a legal suite a property must have at least three parking places, but this rule is meaningless. First, there is no requirement to give one of those parking places to the tenant. Second, once the suite is approved there is no requirement to keep three parking places available. The double garage, which counts as two parking places, can immediately be turned into storage leaving the property with inadequate parking.
The mayor’s comment about parking “gestapo” clearly shows he feels parking transgressors are the victims not the problem. It also shows he has never lived in a country that had a real gestapo.
S.I. Petersen, Nanaimo
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