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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday April 30, 2008 - 13 Plan to charge patients for parking draws fire Continued from page 5 Trafalgar Professional Centre would be 243. An additional 19 spots would be required for the approximately 500 square metres not used for medical purposes, for a total of 262 required spaces. The outcome is that 105 additional parking spots are needed. As a result of this revelation, Northwest Healthcare Properties submitted revisions to its application in October 2007. Some of the new aspects of the proposal were: changing the gated pay parking system proposal to a pay-and-display system with no gates, allowing the entire square footage of the building to be used for medical purposes, permitting the 221 parking spaces to be used despite the 265 that would be required and to allow 72 parking spaces off-site for the purposes of staff parking. "This is a good site for a medical building," Cheeseman told council Monday night. "We're convinced the site can work with the space that's there." But the majority of the crowd did not agree, with most focusing on the negatives of the paid parking proposal. Homeowners on neighbouring streets expressed concerns about increased traffic and parking congestion along their properties. Doctors said making their patients worry about getting ticketed while waiting for an appointment or test results would be emotionally draining. Then there were members of the community, who said that paid parking would be a financial bur- den, especially since families and seniors are frequent users of the building. Council asked Cheeseman if the profits would go to the tenants or to Northwest Healthcare Properties, to which he responded that the details had not been worked out. The reason behind the paid parking proposal, Cheeseman said, is to deter illegal parking rather than make profit. "People are parking on site long term, using GO buses and going to Sheridan," Cheeseman said. "Paid parking would help end that." When asked by council what parking rates were being considered, Cheeseman said it had not been determined, but he suggested a possible rate of $2 per hour. The owner has not considered other public parking possibilities, such as an off-site lot with a shuttle or constructing a parking garage, according to Cheeseman. The Northwest Healthcare Properties lawyer said that discussions had occurred with two apartment buildings that use 64 spaces in the lot to see if an arrangement can be made. "They are being cooperative," Cheeseman said. "We are talking to them about giving it up, reducing it or sharing it." Those opposed to pay parking provided a number of alternatives at the council meeting. A validation system suggestion came from Elka Ruth Enola, a 66-year-old resident, who frequently uses the medical building with her 84-year-old husband. "Put the system in as planned, but have tickets validated by building tenants so that parking is free for legitimate users," Enola said. "That means neither the doctor nor the patient would pay. Unauthorized parkers could be charged a high fee such a $5 an hour." Besides the issue of pay parking, another dominant topic of the night was what to do about the unauthorized medical usage of the building. Mark Gwartz, an orthodontist who has had an office in the centre for 12 years, said he was willing to relocate, but that council should give tenants ample time to find other locations as most were unaware the building was in contradiction of Town bylaws. "I believe increasing medical use to 100 per cent will not solve the issue and will in fact make the situation worse by increasing the demand for parking, which is unavailable off-site.... I believe Northwest should have to bring the building into compliance over a period of time. This staged approach could allow Northwest to offer non-complying medical tenants to be released from their obligation and offer compensation for relocation," Gwartz said. He suggested that in the meantime, alternate arrangements should be made. "We have to find temporary solutions, like off-site parking with shuttle buses," Gwartz said. "A paid parking lot will not solve the problems of demand and only increase revenue for the owner." Several delegates at Monday's meeting emphasized that approving Northwest Healthcare Properties' bylaw amendment maintaining the current amount of parking spaces is not the answer. Apartment-dwellers with balconies overlooking the lot, as well as tenants of the medical building, said the competition for parking is fierce, resulting in clashes between drivers and unsafe walking conditions within the lot. It is now up to the planning services department to take the information provided and find a solution. A recommendation to the planning and development council is not expected until the fall. Interior Design House is having a party! We will be highlighting the latest fashion jewelry and other personal accessories and you are invited! You're Invited Wednesday, May 7th at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Limited space. "We had the public information meetings back in the fall and tonight was the meeting in front of council so that people could give their point of view, so now we'll take that and do our technical review and give a planning recommendation to council," said Jane Clohecy, commissioner of planning and development. For more information on this issue, go to the Town's website at www.oakville.ca and click on the Town Hall, followed by Agendas & Minutes, and Planning & Development Council Agendas. ONE NIGHT ONLY RSVP to info@interiordesignhouse.com Please include your name, phone number and number attending. 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