KENILWORTH – Wellington North council was informed of relatively minor revisions to the township’s parking control bylaw at a May 23 meeting.
The bylaw will include provisions for electric vehicles and charging station parking spots, among others such as not allowing parking on the curved portion of an angled roadway bend.
For residents, the significant change comes in a fine increase to $35 for early payment and a set fine of $45 for most infractions — the exception being for parking in “accessible parking spaces” which continues to carry a $300 fine.
The fine currently associated with voluntary ticket payment is $20.
Wellington County OPP are obligated to enforce parking bylaws in Wellington North, however a report on the revisions from township clerk Karren Wallace notes that isn’t the case on private property.
The township does not conduct parking enforcement, nor does the township’s arrangement with the City of Guelph for bylaw enforcement allow city staff to enforce parking infractions.
Guelph bylaw staff enforce the township’s property standards, swimming pool enclosure, door-to-door sales and zoning bylaws.
The revised bylaw hasn’t yet been approved by council, and will require a vote to pass it once the province stamps its approval on set fine amounts and bylaw verbiage.
An average of 21 tickets are issued in the township each year, based on data since 2019. Since then, 85 total tickets have been issued within the township, Wallace’s report states.
