Windsor launching front yard parking pilot in Ward 4
New two-year program lets residents apply for driveways — not park on grass. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)
Windsor is paving the way — literally — for more accessible parking in one of its busiest wards.
City council has approved a two-year pilot project that will allow residents in most of Ward 4 to build front yard driveways — a shift meant to address growing frustrations over street parking shortages and safety concerns in back alleys.
The program, approved by city council Monday, will not apply to homes in the Walkerville Heritage District, but most other properties in the ward will now be eligible to apply for curb cuts and paved driveways, subject to approval by city staff.
It's a change years in the making for Ward 4 Councillor Mark McKenzie, who said outdated rules were putting residents at a disadvantage simply because of the way their neighbourhoods were designed.
'If you had a paved alley, you weren't allowed to have a front yard driveway,' he explained.
'Administration was recommending, look, have your driveway in the back off the alley. Well, we've had those discussions numerous times about our alleys — they aren't maintained. They're not safe. They're not well-lit. They're not even plowed in the winter.'
McKenzie said he hears from residents about the issue every week and pushed for this pilot after repeated concerns about how alley-only access was no longer practical.
'This is a practical solution to give people driveways — especially in those areas where parking is already at a premium,' he said.
For Bobbie Bruneau, the change can't come soon enough.
'I've lived in my home for 25 years. The parking has been absolutely ridiculous,' she told council Monday.
'It's only growing worse because our neighborhood has changed so much.'
Bruneau lives on Erie Street and said she's dealt with everything from crowded curbs to property damage.
'My car has been hit a couple times just from being on the streets,' she said.
'People come there that don't live there. They park; they take up two spots. Now we have garbage out on the front of the street, so it's even harder.'
She added that parking in the alley doesn't feel safe either.
'It's very dark. I only have one spot, to fit my car in the garage. And honestly, I feel very nervous… My biggest fear is that someone's going to run into my garage and attack me.'
The pilot will allow residents to apply for a permit to build a front yard driveway.
Each application will be reviewed by city administration to ensure there's enough space, no obstructions like trees or utility poles, and compliance with all existing regulations.
'It's not going to be a free-for-all,' McKenzie emphasized.
'No one's going to be parking on grass or blocking sidewalks or anything like that… Some people are going to be denied because there's just not going to be enough room. But at least it gives people an option.'
Designer and developer Andrew Liburdi also spoke in support of the program.
'The point here is that the residents should have the right to park in front of their homes, especially when their neighbours already can,' he told council.
He also pointed to the pilot's potential impact on housing.
'Unit one and two can use front yard parking to utilize a property's fullest potential, which would help the housing issue we face today and create more density within a neighborhood.'
While it remains to be seen how many residents will actually apply, McKenzie said he expects the number to stay relatively low — estimating one or two dozen applicants during the two-year window.
Residents will need to pay for the installation of the driveway and necessary permit.
Still, he said that's enough to test what could be a meaningful policy shift.
'We can learn from mistakes and then move forward,' he said.
'But I think to just have a status quo — which isn't working right now anyway — we need to at least try things. And I'd rather try something and say, you know what, maybe it didn't work, but at least we tried it.'
City administration will report back in 2027 with data on how many driveways were approved and whether the project should be expanded, tweaked — or scrapped altogether.
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