At the March 11 Durham Region Committee of the Whole meeting, councillors will receive a presentation and report on Durham Region Bicycle Parking Guidelines.

Within the presentation, the project goals are outlined as:

• Supporting the regional policy goals in the 2021 Regional Cycling Plan to supporting a more cycling-friendly network
• Addressing gaps and inconsistencies in bike parking design, supply and integration across the Region
• Encouraging mode shift by improving parking availability and accessibility to support short bicycle trips
• Guiding municipal action with clear, data-driven design and maintenance practices.

The full recommendations can be found in the Durham Region Bicycle Parking Guidelines – March 2025.  Some highlights include:

• The Region, local area municipalities (LAMs), partner agencies and developers should prioritize the provision of long-term parking that maximizes security, using solutions such as lockers, cages or secure indoor rooms.
• Provide long-term bicycle parking at…multi-unit residential sites…
• Consider using minimal bicycle parking rates by land use type as a baseline, while allowing flexibility to adjust for local context and future growth.  Where possible, exceed minimums to better meet community standards.
• Integrate bicycle parking early in site planning, development review, and capital projects to ensure facilities are accessible and seamlessly incorporated into the broader site design.
• Local area municipalities without existing bicycle planning guidance should consider developing a Bicycle Parking Review Checklist or incorporating bicycle parking criteria into the Site Plan Application Guidelines to support consistency across developments.

The report also states that the Regional Official Plan encourages local area municipalities to enhance active transportation environments by ensuring that secure bicycle parking is incorporated into new developments and existing public facilities.  It also supports climate change and sustainability objectives by promoting design features such as including sheltered bicycle parking through the site plan approval process.

Recommendations for residential parking supply include:

• Single Family: no short-term or long-term space required.
• Multifamily without a private garage per each unit: one short-term space for every 30 units, minimum recommendation of 4 short-term spaces; and one long-term space for every 2 units, minimum recommendation of 2 long-term spaces.
• Other residential uses: 0.05 spaces per 1,000 m².

Questions of staff can be directed to Chris Leitch, Manager, Transportation Planning.