Residents of Sixth Street in Irricana may not have to worry so much about parking on the street in the winter months.
“We received a letter from a resident suggesting a change to the traffic bylaw, which focuses on Sixth Street,” said Alvin Melton, Irricana’s chief administrative officer.
Council discussed the traffic bylaw at their March 18 meeting.
The existing bylaw stated that residents were not allowed to park on an emergency route, on the even side of the road from Sundays through Wednesdays, and on the odd side of the road Wednesday through Saturdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Those caught parking on the wrong side of the street, on the wrong day, could be subject to a fine or could have their vehicle towed, because it is an emergency route.
The current bylaw created problems, as residents were constantly having to move their vehicles, Melton said. Councillor Laura Thiessen asked where Sixth Street residents would park, if required to move for a certain period of time.
Sixth Street is a residential street. Thiessen, who lives on Sixth Street, said residents often park in their back alleys, which causes other parking problems.
Other streets in town that are also emergency routes include Second Street, First Avenue, and Madison Drive to Sixth Street.
Currently, parking restrictions on these streets are only in affect Nov. 1 to March 31, to allow for snow removal.
“All of the vehicles on Sixth Street will have to go somewhere else, but where?” Thiessen asked.
Changes to the bylaw would see a simple measure put in place, to clear the streets faster for police, fire and ambulances.
“We’re going to put up temporary signs that tell residents to move their cars because we’re going to plow,” Melton said, adding that they would give residents 12 hours notice or more.
This temporary parking ban could be used on any street in Irricana, and could be used in the summer as well, for street sweeping.
Town administration is working on refining section nine of the bylaw, which would see the implementation of specific time frames for parking bans and notice periods.
Council will be reviewing the bylaw again April 7, when administration comes back with a revised bylaw suggestion.
