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Overnight street parking rules change in Châteauguay

le jeudi 10 décembre 2020
Modifié à 9 h 11 min le 10 décembre 2020
Par Michel Thibault

mthibault@gravitemedia.com

People will be able to leave their cars parked overnight on Châteauguay’s streets this winter, but not just any which way. City council adopted the new regulations to that effect at the public meeting on December 7th. The fundamental principle remains that overnight parking is prohibited unless the city informs otherwise, explained Mayor Pierre-Paul Routhier. “Every time that the regulation is lifted, there will be a message specifying the date and hours,” he informed. Citizens will have to consult the city’s various platforms to determine whether parking is permitted or not. When it is allowed, parking will be tolerated exclusively on the even side of the street, due to snow accumulations narrowing streets during the winter months, Mayor Routhier stipulated. Excluded Streets Overnight parking will never be authorized on 120 streets as, at less than 6.5m in width, they are too narrow. The streets in question will appear on the city’s website, grouped under Annex D. Private streets are also excluded and will be listed in Annex A. Sanctions Owners of vehicles illegally parked overnight risk receiving a fine and paying towing fees. Trial Run “This is a trial run. We will continue on with the experience if it is positive and we don’t receive complaints,” Mayor Routhier specified. Councillor François Leborgne suggested registering people’s comments on the topic. “Excellent idea!” the Mayor responded. “This project deserves to benefit from everyone’s input.” “Things are always complicated in Châteauguay. I am disappointed in the direction this has taken. At its inception, this wasn’t supposed to be a pilot project,” lamented councillor Éric Allard. He would have preferred the city to allow parking except during snow removal operations. “We are doing it this way for legal considerations. If we allow parking, we will have the burden of proof in the event of a dispute,” explained Pierre-Paul Routhier. In his estimation the formula is “simple”. “People just need to see whether their street is on the Annex lists or not,” he observed. (Translation Amanda Bennett)

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