Cul-de-sac angle parking steps closer to becoming legal in Calgary

Calgary City Council has directed administration to come up with a way to make angle parking legal in culs-de-sac.

Councillors approved a motion on Tuesday that suggested residents be allowed to petition for angle parking in their culs-de-sac, then pay a small fee for the signage.

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Mayor Naheed Nenshi says it's a sensible approach.

"I think the argument is if this is something that you want, that is an extra step for the city, then it's probably reasonable to ask you to pay it. But it will be very nominal," he said.

There are 2,500 culs-de-sac in Calgary and not all of them are big enough for angle parking.

Under provincial law, vehicles can only be parked parallel to the curb.

However, under the rules, cities can post signs that allow residents to angle park.

Currently, for spatialreasons, manycul-de-sacresidents in Calgary opt to angle park so all neighbours have a space in front of their homes.

City parking officials say theyonly enforce the parallel parking law on a complaint basis.

• Calgary tickets some cul-de-sac angle parkers, but not all.

It's important that there be enough room for waste and recycling trucks and emergency vehicles to get through, Nenshi said.

Council expects a report back by July.

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