Provide Long and Short-Term Bicycle Parking

Description

Long-term, secure bike parking provides a safe place to store a bicycle.
Short-term bike parking provides a convenient location for visitors to secure their bicycle typically near building entrances.
A horizontal bicycle parking space refers to securing a bicycle to the ground, or to the floor of a building or structure. A vertical bicycle parking space refers to securing a bicycle to a vertical surface such as the wall of a building.
Long-term bicycle parking is located within buildings and can present a challenge for cyclists to access the area. Allocating an entrance that is accessible to cyclists and separated from vehicular traffic increases the safety and convenience of cycling as an everyday mode of travel (see Measure 2.4).

City of Vaughan Comprehensive Zoning By-Law Section 6.5 outlines Bicycle Parking Space Requirements for all character areas in the City.

LEVEL 1 GUIDANCE:

Provide the minimum amount of bicycle parking required by the City of Vaughan Comprehensive Zoning By-Law outlined below:

6.5.1 General Provisions for Bicycle Parking Spaces

A minimum bicycle parking space requirement shall not apply if the total gross floor area of all non-residential uses on a single lot is less than 500 m2 .
Where a required bicycle parking space is wholly located within a building or structure, it shall be subject to the following requirements:
- A required bicycle parking space shall have direct access from an interior communal area of a building or structure; and
- A required bicycle parking space located within the ground floor area of a building or structure shall have direct access to the exterior of that building or structure.
The minimum width of an aisle providing access to a bicycle parking space shall be 1.75 m.

6.5.2 Bicycle Parking Space Dimensions

Table 6-5: Minimum Horizontal Bicycle Parking Space Dimensions

Dimension	Minimum Requirement (m)
Length	1.8
Width	0.6
Vertical clearance from the floor	1.9

Dimension	Minimum Requirement (m)
Length or vertical clearance	1.9
Width	0.6
Clearance from the wall	1.2

For a stacked bicycle parking space, the minimum vertical dimension for each bicycle parking space shall be 1.2 m and the minimum vertical clearance from the floor shall be 2.4 m.

6.5.4 General Provisions for Long-term Bicycle Parking Spaces

A long-term bicycle parking space shall be located wholly within the building where the principal use is located and for which the bicycle parking space is required.
A long-term bicycle parking space required for a dwelling unit shall be required to be located within the following areas of a building:
- Within the ground floor area;
- On the storey above the ground floor area; or,
- On the first storey located below grade.
A required long-term bicycle parking space shall have direct access from the exterior of a building, and that access shall be located on the ground floor.

6.5.5 General Provisions for Short-term Bicycle Parking Spaces

A short-term bicycle parking space shall be required to be located in the following areas:
- Wholly within a building in which the principal use is located and for which the short-term bicycle parking space is required; or,
- In any yard, provided the short-term bicycle parking space is wholly open and unenclosed.
Where a short-term bicycle parking space is located in a yard, it shall be permitted to be located in a required yard, subject to the following:
- A short-term bicycle parking space shall have a minimum setback of 0.6 m from the nearest lot line.
- A short-term bicycle parking space shall have a minimum setback of 3.0 m from a parking area.
Where a short-term bicycle parking space is located wholly within a building, the following additional requirements shall apply:
- A short-term bicycle parking space located wholly within a building shall be located within the ground floor area; and,
- A short-term bicycle parking space shall have direct access from the exterior of a building.

6.5.7 Gross Floor Area Exemptions for Bicycle Parking Space Calculations

For the purpose of calculating a required bicycle parking space for a dwelling unit, the gross floor area of a building shall not include the following:
- A garage or parking structure;
- Storage rooms, washrooms, electrical, utility, mechanical, and any ventilation rooms located below grade;
- Elevator shafts; and
- Any exterior stairwells that serve as an emergency escape from a building or structure.

LEVEL 2 GUIDANCE:

Option 2:

Provide bicycle parking in excess of the minimum requirements to negotiate a potential reduction in vehicle parking spaces (up to 20% in VMC and MU zones only, as per the Comprehensive Zoning By-Law).

Option 3:

Install overhead weather protection for short-term bicycle parking located outside.

Option 4:

Install e-bicycle charging infrastructure in the long-term bicycle parking area.

Option 5:

All bicycle parking spaces are required to be clearly shown on the site plan and depicted with the minimum required dimensions and accompanied by a detail or specifications sheet for the types of spaces proposed. All outdoor bicycle parking spaces should be in the form of inverted U-shape racks secured to the ground.
Indicate access routes on the site plan to reach the underground bicycle parking.
City of Vaughan staff shall review the proposed infrastructure and provide a recommendation for either approval or modifications to meet City requirements.

York Region Required