Free-parking benefits doubted
Coun. Lynne Sinclair questions whether last year's pilot program that provided free parking along Marine Drive in the winter months actually benefits Marine Drive businesses.
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Updated: October 22, 2009 4:11 PM
Free parking could return to Marine Drive this winter.
White Rock’s finance committee is recommending council re-instate free waterfront parking, Monday to Thursday, from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28.
But Coun. Lynne Sinclair, who made the motion to continue the policy – introduced last winter as a pilot project – said she is not convinced reducing a major source of city revenue is the best way to support Marine Drive businesses.
Sinclair said she moved the recommendation this week to continue the program because “if we didn’t do it now, it would be a very abrupt departure from what people were expecting.”
The committee endorsed her follow-up motion, asking for a more detailed staff report on the effectiveness of the free-parking measure. It also passed a motion seeking more information from staff on advertising the waterfront free parking on the city’s uptown street banner, a move Sinclair had cautioned could create confusion and send mixed messages in a city still reliant on pay parking.
“What we need is analysis that provides some kind of causal link between business and free parking,” Sinclair said after Monday’s meeting.
“What we got from the Business Improvement Association is very sparse,” she noted, adding she understands the reluctance of businesses to share specific financial information.
But she believes a study could be done that ensures anonymity, while tracking before, during and after the free-parking project.
“A continuum of analysis has been lacking,” she said.
The city’s financial services director, Sandra Kurylo, had reported to council the estimated hit to pay parking revenues for reinstating the program would be $56,700.
“This is a large amount of money for the city to lose,” Sinclair said. “It’s a large part of our revenues, whether you agree with it or not. We should have some basis to do it.”
The decision came in the context of a quarterly financial report presented by Kurylo that shows pay parking as one of the few bright spots in an otherwise gloomy picture for the city.
As of Sept. 30, gross pay parking revenues were over $2,200,000 – $96,249 higher than at the same time last year.
Gross pay parking revenues were projected to be $65,000 above budget by the end of the year, although Kurylo warned the estimate did not factor in a return of the free parking program.
“(Pay parking) was a huge success – but it’s entirely weather dependent,” Sinclair said. “On a sunny day, whether it’s November or July, people will come to the beach. It’ll be interesting to see an analysis, which could give us evidence of other things, not just free pay parking, that could be advantageous to businesses.”
Other income down
Kurylo’s snapshot of the city’s finances also showed building permit revenues down $113,285 from the same time last year, with an estimate of a year-end deficit of $25,000. Development cost charges received to Sept. 30 this year are $11,205, in contrast to $173,250 received in the same period last year.
Net investment income was also down by $375,676 due to reductions in short-term interest rates; the collective agreement with the city’s firefighters was $60,000 over budget, while janitorial contract costs are expected to be $42,000 over budget, and parks maintenance contract costs $83,000 over budget – although the last two items are expected to be partly offset by savings in vehicle fuel and other costs.
While net cost of the city’s recycling program is estimated to be $100,000 over budget, it is expected to be offset by a $75,000 surplus for green-waste, and a $25,000 surplus for garbage collection.
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