LETHBRIDGE – A proposal to hike parking fees and fines in Lethbridge will go before city council at a meeting of its community issues committee Monday.
The administration is recommending parking rates increase five cents per hour in zones where two or three hour rates apply. In ten hour zones, the increase would be ten cents per hour.
The proposal also calls for a large increase in fines, from $25 to $40. The early reduction payment would also change from $15 to $20. If the parking ticket is paid within seven days, the fine would be cut in half, to $20. Currently, the fine is $10 if it’s paid within a week.
The city says the proposal to increase rates is based on inflation and lower compliance rates. In his presentation, urban revitalization manager Andrew Malcolm says smaller incremental increases are preferred over larger infrequent increases. The administration says rates should reflect trends with other municipalities of similar size but points out the timing for any increase will never be ideal.
Lethbridge introduced a new parking system in the spring of 2018. Aging parking meters were replaced with on-street parking kiosks that, according to the city, allows for more flexibility for residents and collects important data on parking usage.
Prior to the new system being put in place, Lethbridge parking coordinator Val Fellger maintained parking rates and fine rates would not be increased as a result of the project.
Under the proposed plan, the first increases would go into effect Jan.1, 2020. Future hikes are proposed for 2024 and 2028.
An open house will be held Wednesday, Oct. 23 for public consultation on the increases.
Council is expected to give first reading to a bylaw amendment on Nov. 12, with second and third reading scheduled for Nov. 25.
