Victoria looks at increasing the amount of accessible parking new developments must provide

The City of Victoria is looking to introduce accessible parking standards for new private developments.

Such requirements were removed from the BC Building Code regulations in 2018, leaving it up to municipalities to establish their own regulations. The city’s aim is to create more spaces compared to those past requirements.

Victoria’s proposed requirements will also exceed the supply levels set by other CRD communities, according to staff.

The city said three key categories will see accessible parking levels increase compared to old building code standards. Those areas include commercial properties, institutions – such as schools and places of worship – and industrial spaces.

Each of those will need to provide a minimum of one accessible parking space once a parking lot has six stalls. At that point, one accessible space will be required for every 25 conventional ones, plus similar mandates for accessible visitor spots. The proposed policy also breaks down how many van-accessible spots must be provided.

Attached residential properties, such as condominiums or apartments, would also follow that supply rate.

Robin Bayley, in an address to council on May 26, said there are a number of oversights in the proposed requirements.

That included mobility scooter parking not being addressed and accessible parking rates in affordable housing being too low, which Bayley said is concerning given the large number of people living with disabilities who live in those homes.

Under the BC Building Code, hospitals and assisted living facilities have to provide one accessible spot for every 100 stalls in their parking lots. Victoria’s proposed supply rate would force those sites to dedicate five per cent and 15 per cent of their respective parking spaces to be accessible.

The city has also released requirements for accessible stall design and signage.

The accessible parking policies have been passed along to a public hearing.

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