Parking requirements for an apartment building project in Rutland sparked a lengthy debate at city council鈥檚 Aug. 12 meeting.

A 54-unit development at 450 Montgomery Road provides only 27 parking stalls. That works out to .5 spaces per apartment.

City bylaws allow the rental-only development a 20 per cent parking reduction, and the applicant to provide cash-in-lieu for 16 stalls (approx. $11,000 per stall).

Several councillors were unhappy with the number of parking spaces but noted the proposal met city requirements.

"They might know that if they come with the minimum allowed in that neigbhourhood it might be a tough sell to get by council," Coun. Rick Webber said.  "We don't always have to approve the minimum but they (developers) don't always have to apply with the minimum." 

Coun. Mohini Singh said while council wants to see more public transit being used, she is concerned about parking on the street.

"I'm uncomfortable about saying yes (to the development), but I don't think we're left with a lot of choice."

Coun. Luke Stack added it was only fair to support the application.

"Because our current rules say this is permissible." 

Coun. Loyal Wooldridge noted that additional parking adds to the cost of housing.

"The initiative around reducing parking, especially around transit-supported areas, is to reduce the cost of housing and make it more affordable."

Discussion then turned to a possible review of the city's parking requirements for multi-family developments.

"Both parking requirements on buildings such as this, as well as the parking-in-lieu policy, whether we want to have one or not and what the amounts would be," Stack said.

Coun. Rick Webber supported a review pointing out that when council's views and rules agree they will be consistent.
 
"Right now we're not being consistent." 

Coun. Gord Lovegrove cautioned his colleagues that a review could cause uncertainty in the development community.

"We're sending another signal out," he said. "Businesses like stability."  

Council voted to move the Montgomery Road project forward with councillors Webber, Ron Cannan and Charlie Hodge opposed.

It also directed staff to look at parking concerns related to recent multi-family projects and bring forward possible amendments, with Lovegrove opposed.