New parking restrictions planned for Lower Mackay Creek area

New parking restrictions are being planned for the Lower Mackay Creek area. The decision has yet to be finalized by the council, but DNV crews could be installing signs by May 4. The changes include 2-hour, 4-hour, and no-stopping zones along sections of West 3rd Street, West 1st Street, Welch Street, and Pemberton Avenue, with enforcement starting June 1.

At a council meeting tomorrow, staff will present to the District of North Vancouver council on parking restrictions after ongoing concerns about parking demand in the area. The District says the changes aim to improve curbside management, road safety, and visibility near intersections while balancing the needs of nearby businesses. Affected vehicle owners and businesses were notified the week of April 6 through hand-delivered letters and, in some cases, email.

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The new restrictions build on measures first introduced in April 2025, when 2-hour parking limits were placed along parts of Lloyd Avenue and West 3rd Street, the staff report to council notes. A second round of restrictions followed in September 2025, targeting sections of Lloyd Avenue, West 1st Street, and West 3rd Street, after complaints mounted about large and recreational vehicles that limited access for other drivers.

Since those September rules took effect, bylaw officers have issued 319 tickets to RVs found in violation of the Street and Traffic Bylaw. Despite that enforcement, the District acknowledges the restrictions have not cleared the area entirely. A point-in-time count conducted on April 10 showed RVs continuing to park within permitted time limits, with some relocating to nearby streets. A slight increase in RV parking was noted further west on West 1st Street.

Residents and businesses have raised a range of concerns, including vehicles parking beyond posted time limits, public health and sanitation issues such as discarded garbage, blocked laneways, impaired sightlines for traffic, and noise and disturbances affecting the neighbourhood. Business owners have also reported reduced parking availability for customers and employees, with some describing safety concerns affecting their operations. A delegation of business representatives appeared before the council on February 2 to raise those issues directly.

The District has also been updating its broader approach to RV enforcement. A standardized compliance notice has been introduced for vehicles found violating the Street and Traffic Bylaw, beginning with a formal warning before escalating to fines or towing. Enforcement procedures have also been updated so that officers can resume enforcement at the stage previously reached when a repeat offender returns, potentially leading to faster ticketing or towing. A new tracking system has been developed to support consistent monitoring of non-compliant vehicles.

Staff have flagged that expanding parking restrictions can push the problem into neighbouring streets rather than resolve it. The report being presented to the council notes that curbside management tools alone cannot address the underlying social and housing factors that lead people to live in vehicles. A broader, coordinated response will be needed, it says.

District staff say they have been working with Lookout Housing and Health Society, which provided support during the September implementation, and have been in contact with Vancouver Coastal Health to discuss servicing pathways for vulnerable residents.

District staff also continue to coordinate with the City of North Vancouver and the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission on joint RV counts and referrals to the North Shore Solutions Navigator program. Staff says they will continue to monitor conditions after the new signs go up and may make further adjustments as needed.