Regina looks to amend bylaw that determines size of shopping centre parking lots

The City of Regina may soon amend a zoning bylaw that determines shopping centres' parking space requirements.

The amendment would see parking lot space determined by the gross floor area rather than the use-by-use system in place now.

Currently, parking requirements for restaurants are different than formedical practices, for example. Theseregulations mean a shopping centre may end up with more or less parking than it needs,due to tenant shift over the life cycle of the building.

The amendment would also cut down on paperwork for shopping centresunable to meet the minimum parking requirements.

"Shopping Centre applicants who are unable to meet parking requirements have relied on complex calculations, parking studies and traffic impact analyses to support obtaining development approval," a report to the city's planning commission reads.

The report is recommended to be forwarded tocity council for approval on Nov. 27, to allow "sufficient time for advertising of the required public notices for the respective bylaws."