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Home My WebLink AboutCSD-15-044 - Noise Exemption & Parking Enforcement - Big Music Fest 2015d Staff Report I rTC'.�► t .R Community Services Department wmkitchener.ca REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: June 15, 2015 SUBMITTED BY: Shayne Turner, Director of By-law Enforcement, 519-741-2200, ext. 7753 PREPARED BY: Shayne Turner, Director of By-law Enforcement, 519-741-2200, ext. 7753 WARD(S) INVOLVED: 6 DATE OF REPORT: June 2, 2015 REPORT NO.: CSD-15-044 SUBJECT: NOISE EXEMPTION REQUEST AND PARKING ENFORCEMENT - BIG MUSIC FEST 2015 RECOMMENDATION: That an exemption to Chapter 450 (Noise) of the City of Kitchener Municipal Code be granted for the Big Music Fest, to be held at McLennan Park on July 10, 11 and 12, 2015, between the hours of 10:00 AM and 11:00 PM, each day; and further, That a by-law be enacted to designate the area around McLennan Park as a special events parking area, pursuant to the City of Kitchener Traffic and Parking By-law 2007-138, during the event, as outlined in Report No. CSD-15-044. BACKGROUND: Big Music Fest 2015 will be held at McLennan Park on July 10, 11 and 12, 2015. This event is an outdoor live music concert. As such, the vent requires an exemption from Chapter 450 (Noise) of the City's Municipal Code. Further, staff have developed a process to help discourage event patrons from using the surrounding residential area for parking, and to encourage them to use the shuttle bus services and/or designated parking lots. This process requires Council to designate the subject area for the purposes of special event parking. REPORT: Noise Exemption: This is the second year for this event at McLennan Park. Staff advise that there were relatively few complaints regarding noise throughout the neighbourhood during last year's event. This is largely due to the extensive communications efforts put forward last year, ensuring that all ***This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. 13 - 1 affected residential areas in close proximity to the park were well informed in advance of the event. At minimum, the same level of communication and awareness building will take place prior to the event. As such, it is highly likely that the vast majority of residents in close proximity to the park will be aware of the event well in advance. The performing entertainers will begin at 3PM each day. However, this year, the noise exemption is proposed to take effect at 10AM each day, in order to cover the period in which sound checks may take place. Last year, staff did receive some inquiries from people who were inquiring about the noise prior to what had been advertised as the start time. Special Event Parking: Last year, By-law Enforcement staff had an extensive presence in the neighbourhoods and were enforcing the parking violations that would typically be present in residential areas. The key piece of the enforcement program related to enforcing the 3 hour limit violation for any vehicle that did not display a parking permit issued by the City. These permits were made available to each household within a designated area around the park. In general, this approach was appreciated and successful in maintaining a balance between enforcement and flexibility to allow residents access to their streets. As a result, the process of issuing parking permits to residents in the subject area will be implemented again this year. These permits will allow vehicles to park on the street without being ticketed for parking longer than 3 consecutive hours. As part of the review process after last year's event, staff decided to look at ways to help further discourage event parking on the residential streets in proximity to the park. A factor that was identified last year was that the fines for the most common residential parking violations were not much different than the cost of using offsite parking lots and the shuttle service. Thus, the potential to receive a parking ticket was not as much of an incentive to use other means, than perhaps it could have been. In order to address this factor, Council considered a staff recommendation in April that lead to an amendment to the City's Traffic and Parking By-law, 2007-138. The effect of this amendment is that Council can now designate certain areas as "special event parking areas" for a specified time during an event. When this designation is in effect, the fines for the typical residential parking violations will double from their normal rates. For example, parking longer than 3 hours will carry a fine of $40 for the duration of the event. The process to designate a special event parking area involves the enactment of a by- law that prescribes the dates and time limits for the event, along with an attached map, in the form of a schedule to the by-law, that depicts the designated area. Thus, staff are recommending that Council pass a by-law to designate the desired area around McLennan Park for the purposes of special event parking, from 12 noon on 13 - 2 Friday July 10, to 11 PM on Sunday July 12, 2015. A sample of the map that depicts the designated area, is attached to this report. As last year, and despite the increased fines to be put in place for the event, By-law Enforcement staff will continue to use sound judgment and discretion in terms of how enforcement is applied during the event. Their focus will be on balancing education and prevention with enforcement to help ensure that this community event is well received and that enforcement does not shift the focus from the event itself. ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN: This request supports the Community Priority Quality of Life, as contained in the City's Strategic Plan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: During last year's event, the cost of parking enforcement in the neighbourhood for the 3- day event was approximately $14,000. This cost was reported to Council in staff's debrief report last September as an unbudgeted cost. Staff anticipate similar costs for this year's event. At this point it is difficult to determine what the financial impact may be in terms of parking fine revenue, as a result of declaring the special events parking area. It is likely that some fine revenue will be experienced, however it will not be a driving factor in the enforcement program for the event. It is hoped that the implementation of the special event parking provisions will support the neighbourhoods by serving as a deterrent and lead to less violations. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Big Music Fest 2015 will continue to be communicated extensively throughout the community in advance of the event. ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO, Community Services Department Encl. 13 - 3 - - ---------------- 0 3 aA35�3H5- /_ -- (WIN k - 3 t/ Y� v / �3oA�fl\ ----------------------- LU m +ztoW P j p p Js U< _ s U \ \ r V LJJ a \ �� NP s 0