Contentious decision

Council permits RVs on driveways

Laurent Robillard-Cardinal

Gatineau council’s May 5 debate over parking recreational vehicles (RVs) on city streets was divisive and confusing. In discussion for many years, and often addressed by residents at council meetings, city council finally decided where residents can park their RVs in Gatineau.

Unless a final vote on May 12 (after the Bulletin goes to press) reverses this preliminary vote, owners will, in a nutshell, be able to park their RVs in their front entrance driveway 3 meters away from the curb.  However, there’ll be no RV parking on the street.  These new rules come into effect in late September.

At the plenary meeting, ten councillors voted for the change, seven against, with one abstention and one absentee. Some, such as Lucerne councillor Mike Duggan, came out of the debate satisfied, while others, such as Deschênes’ Richard Bégin, less so.

“It was a great disappointment for me and for many residents who wish to have a prettier and greener city,” commented Bégin. “We were faced with only two choices: to ban RVs from streets (where it is currently possible to park because of an ambiguous policy) by allowing owners to park them between May 15 and October 1 in their driveway; or keep the current policy banning parking in the driveway, but not banning parking on streets.”

Councillor Bégin wanted more options from the administration. “I would have liked a much more intelligent and judicious approach,” said Bégin.

Lucerne councillor Duggan was content with part of the outcome. “Now you can’t park RVs on city streets. That’s the most important thing.  Residents were upset, mainly those on Wilfrid-Lavigne, because some people with RVs park them on the street in front of their neighbours’ -- for the whole summer they have an RV in front of their house! This was allowed, which was mind-boggling,” Duggan told the Bulletin.

Duggan was pleased council had compelled the administration to alter its stance.

“The most important thing was to convince the administration they had the power to ban parking RVs on city streets without having to post signs all the over the city, that’s what the administration was telling us,” said Duggan.

Simply banning them from city streets is a quick fix and does not take into consideration residents who own RVs. Therefore, an alternative was required.

A “transitional decision”

“If somebody has an RV it is unreasonable to expect them to get rid of it. This is a transition decision. We are going to allow RVs, with conditions, parked on driveways. Those against RVs don’t own RVs and don’t want them anywhere in the city. In governance, we must make balanced decisions,” added Duggan.

Residents can use nearby storage facilities. Monthly cost at Aylmer Storage on Vanier Road is between $65 and $110, depending on vehicle length.

Mr Bégin favoured a formula based on the difference between trailers and mobile homes, on the size of the lot and height of fences, and perhaps on the choice of all residents in each neighbourhood.

Mr Duggan said a decision had to be made, and the rules can now be tailored based on complaints and public feedback.