City eliminating minimum parking requirements on new developments

Saskatoon is moving towards allowing developers, homeowners, and businesses to decide how much parking to provide on their properties.

City council voted to direct administration to make recommendations for removing minimum parking requirements from the city's zoning bylaw at its regular business meeting on Wednesday.

The change would allow the market to determine the appropriate amount of parking instead of meeting city requirements, though provisions for accessible and bicycle parking will remain.

"Parking should be a function of the market, not a function of building code bylaws or zoning regulations," Karen Kobussen with Strong Towns YXE said to councillors Wednesday.

Many people at Wednesday's meeting spoke in favour of removing parking requirements.

Proponents said the change could not only allow more developments, but could save the city and people looking to build in Saskatoon plenty of money and time.

"It does cost the city enormously in terms of regulatory process, reviewing plans, staff capacity and time," Kobussen said.

Former city planner Alan Wallace -- now working with National Affordable Housing -- said building additional parking costs developers lots of money, which ultimately gets passed down to residents.

He cited other cities, like Buffalo, which long required a minimum number of parking spots for new developments. Once the practice was abandoned, staff learned the city was mandating up to 50 per cent more parking than what was necessary.

"Really what it is, is trying to meet a bar that is arbitrarily set. You're trying to jump over that parking minimum, and it quite simply is nonsense," Wallace said.

Cam Choquette, the CEO of the Saskatchewan Landlord Association, said a recent 36-unit complex built in Saskatoon required 54 parking spots, even though it was an affordable housing complex filled with mostly seniors.

"The parking spaces almost take up more land than the three-storey building," Choquette said.

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Wednesday's decision directs administration to develop recommendations for areas across the city and to bring those forward to councillors in the new year. Councillors will also be able to add exceptions to the bylaw at a later date.

As the city grapples with its largest population growth in recent memory, many people reminded councillors this isn't strictly a parking issue.

More homes are needed to accommodate the growing population, according to Chris Guerette, the CEO of the Saskatchewan Realtors Association. She said using more land for housing instead of parking is a worthwhile start.

"This is exactly what we need to do to help our supply keep up with demand," Guerette said.

"Anything we can do to fast track that process, to eliminate red tape and eliminate fees -- anything will help that bottom line."

Engagement sessions with the public will begin in the new year before administration reports back with its review and recommendations.