I am horrified that allowing parking in residential zones is being pursued. It should have been a non-starter.
I am reading through the options that were scrapped, and parking on vacant commercial parking lots overnight is one of them – reason: paving standards unsuitable. And the paving standard on residential streets would be suitable for the added daily traffic of big rigs? I find that hard to believe.
My husband worked 50 years in the trucking industry, so we are not unsympathetic to inconveniences that truck drivers face when they need to park their rigs away from their home and arrange for a ride.
I face that same issue every time I go for a chemo treatment to our hospital.
We also experienced first hand the disadvantage of having a large rig parked in a lane next to our property when we lived in Burnaby.
It created a hazard for children walking to school or playing outside. We finally sold well below market value.
One truck owner didn’t actually park his rig at his home but brought it home to wash, hood open and allowing the dirty water, oil etc. to run into our water drain system.
Very bad for the environment, and you can be sure if we allow big rigs to park in residential areas, the washing will be automatic, even if it is prohibited in the bylaw.
Do you know how hard it is to get a bylaw officer to the site in a timely manner? I read in your draft that the complaint has to be made in writing. If considered valid, it would still take 30 days to enforce.
As a cancer patient, having big rigs disturbing my much-needed and hard-to-come-by sleep would add another layer of stress to my life, and I know I am only one of many individuals with health problems in Abbotsford.
Mr. Peary, please take time to read this comment, and consider every aspect of it before making a decision on which options to pursue.
Anyta Neustaedter
