91Ô­´´ Township will consider reducing parking space requirements for new condos and rental apartments near the future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route along 200 Street.

The motion by Mayor Eric Woodward, which asks staff to report back with options for council in light of the Metro Vancouver 2025 Regional Parking Strategy, considers two key changes.

First, the Township might reduce the "mandatory minimum" parking requirements near the BRT line, and second, it might create a "modest cash-in-lieu provision" by which builders could reduce mandatory parking minimums to support the new Cycling Infrastructure Improvements Fund.

Currently, almost all types of housing and businesses require a certain number of parking spaces when they are built. 

For apartments and condos in the Township, the basic minimum is a single parking space for studio apartments, and 1.5 spaces for each apartment with one or more full bedrooms. In addition, 10 per cent of parking spaces have to be set aside for visitor parking.

These minimum requirements are similar to those in cities and towns across Metro Vancouver.

However, the provincial government's housing reforms of last year removed all minimum parking requirements around "transit-oriented development areas," which means that within 800 metres of a SkyTrain station or 400 metres of a major bus exchange or West Coast Express station, local governments can't impose parking minimums.

A  found that parking was oversupplied by 47 per cent in most strata buildings and 35 per cent in rental apartment buildings. It also found that the cost of building parking – which is often underground, requiring extensive excavation – and that it is a major expense for developers.

"Removing minimum parking requirements does not necessarily mean that less parking will be built; however, this step is critical in avoiding arbitrary oversupply," the report said.

Woodward's motion calls for the possible reduction in parking requirements for areas along 200 Street, near where projected future BRT stations will go. Stations are planned at 64 Avenue, 72 Avenue, 76 Avenue, 80 Avenue, the Carvolth transit exchange, and at 96 Avenue within the Township.

91Ô­´´ Township's proposed 200 Street 2040 plan is looking at creating a higher-density, transit-friendly corridor down 200 Street in Willoughby, with village-style hubs of shops, offices, and amenities at 86 Avenue – near Carvolth – 80 Avenue, and 72 Avenue. 

Although the province and local authorities can reduce parking requirements, developers can still build complexes with as much or more parking than is legally required. Some condo developments in 91Ô­´´ have been built with up to two parking spots per unit.