Front yard parking could be allowed in Windsor — but only for the Walkerville area

Windsor, Ont., residents might be able to park vehicles on their front yards in the years to come — if they live in Ward 4.

A motion for a two-year pilot program allowing front yard parking in Ward 4 has been passed by the city's environment, transportation, and public safety standing committee.

"We're a growing city," said Ward 4 Coun. Mark McKenzie. "We've got to start looking into the future."

As envisioned by McKenzie, the program would make it possible to have "front yard driveways and on-street accessible parking spots."

Further details remain to be determined.

The idea still needs approval from city council before it can become a reality.

Ward 4 Coun. Mark McKenzie at a committee meeting on Sept. 25, 2024. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

Windsor's current rules and regulations are strict about not permitting parking on front yards. The municipal bylaw 9023 states that no persons "shall park, stand, or stop a motor vehicle on a front yard in a residential district except on a driveway."

The city has cracked down on front yard parking in past years. In 2013, it warned that owners of vehicles found to be parking on lawns could be subject to fines up to $25,000.

But McKenzie said he's heard from many residents of his ward who need more parking on their properties — and the need is growing with the more electric vehicles and additional dwelling units.

"We heard today that this policy hasn't been updated since 2009 or 2010," McKenzie said.

An example of a vehicle parked on a front yard in an informational video by the City of Windsor in 2013. (City of Windsor)

City administration agreed that Ward 4 has the most neighbourhoods where residents are parking in paved back alleys out of necessity.

McKenzie brought up issues with alley safety.

"If we're not going to be upgrading those alleys, if we're not going to make these alleys safe, then I feel that we have to do something."

McKenzie has been pushing the issue since last year. He first brought it up at city council in May 2023, asking city administration to take another look at the policy.

Later that year, in November 2023, McKenzie put forward a motion at the standing committee proposing an amendment to the parking bylaw so residents could "apply for a minor variance" that would allow them to park on front yards.

That motion was defeated.

A paved alley in Windsor's Walkerville area. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

But it was a different story at the committee meeting on Wednesday, with McKenzie's new motion for a pilot program passing by a vote of 3-2.

Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie and Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante were the opposing votes.

"I'm just not convinced that there aren't some unintended consequences," Kieran McKenzie warned.

While Costante said, "I do sympathize with the residents ... I just think we're going to create more challenges than we're going to solve."

Adam Pillon (left), City of Windsor manager of right-of-way, and David Simpson (centre), City of Windsor commissioner of infrastructure services, answer questions at a committee meeting. (Dalson Chen/CBC)

City administration does not recommend allowing front yard parking.

Complications raised include interruption of "neighbourhood character/appearance," increased risk of conflict between pedestrians and vehicles, increased risk of claims, and reduction of tree canopy.

In its most recent report, administration noted the city's official plan "encourages the creation of attractive residential streetscapes."

That would be compromised by vehicles parking on front yards, according to administration.

Another example of prohibited front yard parking, as shown in a City of Windsor educational video in 2013. (City of Windsor)

But Ward 4 resident Andrew Liburdi, who spoke at the committee meeting as a public delegation, said his home was designed to have similar characteristics as the neighbourhood — yet he's been denied a permit for a driveway.

His back alley is in use by the tenants of his additional dwelling unit.

"We're left with no accommodations except for street parking," he said.

"The pros (for front yard parking) here most definitely outweigh the cons, and our city should be evolving and adapting to the future," Liburdi told the committee.

"Every single person in this room, if they were in my shoes, would want the exact same outcome I'm asking for."

Andrew Liburdi, a Ward 4 resident, addresses a City of Windsor committee meeting. (Dalson Chen/CBC)