London, Ontario, Bicycle Parking Requirements
In London, Ontario, bike parking regulations and standards are established to ensure the provision of both long-term (Class A) and short-term (Class B) bicycle parking facilities. These regulations are intended to promote sustainable transportation and improve accessibility for cyclists.
Long-Term Bicycle Parking Requirements
- Purpose: Long-term bicycle parking is intended for long-term use by residents, employees, or individuals who need secure and weather-protected storage.
- Location: These spaces are required to be provided in enclosed, secure, and weather-protected areas, such as inside buildings or in secure bicycle lockers.
- Quantities:
- Residential developments, such as apartment buildings or lodging houses with 11 or more residential units, are required to provide 0.9 long-term spaces per dwelling unit
- Residential care facilities, such as nursing homes, retirement lodges, and similar facilities, must provide 0.1 long-term bicycle parking spaces per 100 square meters of gross floor area
Short-Term Bicycle Parking Requirements
- Purpose: Short-term bicycle parking is for short-term use, typically by visitors or customers, and is placed for easy access near building entrances.
- Location: These spaces should be easily accessible and located close to main entrances for public use.
- Quantities:
- For residential care facilities, 3 short-term bicycle parking spaces plus 0.1 space per 100 square meters of gross floor area are required
- In non-residential developments, the minimum requirement is typically 3 spaces plus additional spaces based on gross floor area depending on the specific type of use (e.g., office, retail, institutional)
Design Standards for Long-Term Bicycle Parking
- Security: Long-term bicycle parking must be in secure, locked areas, such as bicycle rooms or lockers.
- Space and Clearance: These parking spaces should be large enough to accommodate different types of bicycles, with minimum dimensions for each space being 0.6 meters wide and 1.8 meters long. There should be sufficient clearance to allow ease of access.
Design Standards for Short-Term Bicycle Parking
- Accessibility: Short-term parking spaces must be located within easy walking distance of main entrances, with sufficient lighting and visibility to ensure the safety of users.
- Rack Design: The design of bike racks should allow for bicycles to be secured by the frame and one wheel, using U-shaped racks or other secure options.
- Spacing: A minimum spacing of 0.6 meters between bike racks should be maintained, with sufficient aisle space for maneuverability.
Required Long-Term Bicycle Parking Spaces by Facility Type
| Building Classification | Required Class A Bike Parking Spaces |
|---|---|
| Apartment Buildings and Lodging Houses with 11 or more residential units | 0.9 spaces per unit |
| Residential Care Facilities | 0.1 spaces per 100 m² GFA |
| Non-Residential Uses | No requirement. |
Required Short-Term Bicycle Parking Spaces by Facility Type
| Building Classification | Required Class B Bike Parking Spaces |
|---|---|
| Apartment Buildings and Lodging Houses with 11 or more residential units | 0.1 short-term bicycle spaces per unit. |
| Residential Care Facilities | Minimum of 3 short-term bicycle spaces plus 0.1 space for each 100 m2 gross floor area |
| Non-Residential Tier 1: Arena (with and without seats), Assembly Hall, Auction Establishment, Auditorium Automobile Body Shop, Automobile Rental, Automobile Repair Garage Establishment, Automobile Sales & Service Establishment, Automobile Supply Store, Bake Shop, Bulk Beverage Outlet, Bulk Sales Establishment, Clinic and Outpatient Clinic, Clinic (Methadone), Commercial Recreation Establishment, Community Centre and Hall, Convenience Service Establishment, Data Processing Establishment, Day Care Centre, Department Store, Duplicating Shop, Emergency Care Establishment, Farm Food and Products Market, Financial Institution, Food Store, Funeral Home, Garden Store, Hardware Store, Home and Auto Supply Store, Home Furnishings Store, Home Improvement Store, Hospital, Kennel, Laundromat, Liquor Beer and Wine Store, Office (Medical/Dental inc. converted), Patient Testing Laboratory, Personal Service Establishment, Pharmacy, Pharmacy (Methadone), Place of Worship, Private Club, Post Office, Recreational Vehicle Sales and Service Establishment, Repair and Rental Establishment, Restaurant (Fast-Food Drive-in, Take-Out), Restaurant, Retail Store (all sizes), School (Commercial), Service and Repair Establishment, Shopping Centre, Tavern, Taxi Establishment, Video Rental Establishment | 3 spaces plus 0.3 spaces for each 100 m2 gross floor area |
| Non-Residential Tier 2: Animal Hospital/Clinic, Artisan Workshop, Bakery, Brewing on Premises Establishment, Business Service Establishment, Carwash, Dry Cleaning and Laundry Depot, Film Processing Depot, Fire Station, Gallery, Gas Bar, Household Appliance Sales and Service, Industrial and Agricultural Equipment Sales and Service, Laboratory, Library, Museum, Music School, Office (all types except medical/dental), Police Station, Private Outdoor Recreation Club, Public Recreation Facility, Public Use, Retail Warehousing, Salvage Yard, School (Elementary, Community College, Private, Secondary & University), Service Industrial Use, Service Trade, Studio | 3 spaces plus 0.2 spaces for each 100 m2 gross floor area |
| Non-Residential Tier 3: Advanced Manufacturing Industrial Uses, Advanced Manufacturing Educational Uses, Automobile Sales – Ancillary to Automobile Repair Garage, Automobile Service Station, Building Supply Outlet, Caterer’s Establishment, Commercial Outdoor Recreation Facility, Craft Brewery (excluding retail/restaurant area), Custom Workshop, Dry Cleaning and Laundry Plant, Farm Equipment Sales and Service Establishment, Group Home, Industrial Mall, Hotel, Manufacturing Establishment, Nursery, Nursing Home, Open Storage, Printing Establishment, Private Zoo, Rest Home, Retail Warehousing, Retirement Lodge, Self-Storage Establishment, Supervised Residence, Terminal Centre, Vehicle Sales and Service Establishment, Warehouse Establishment, Wholesale Establishment | 3 spaces plus 0.1 spaces for each 100 m2 gross floor area |
| Theatre, auditorium, stadium, arena, or similar place with spectator facilities. | A minimum of 6 spaces for any portion of each 300-person seating capacity. |
| Apartment Hotel | A minimum of 6 spaces for any development containing a minimum of 2,000 square metres of gross floor area. |
| Bed and Breakfast Establishment | A minimum of 6 spaces for any development containing a minimum of 1,000 square metres of gross floor area. |
| Campground | A minimum of 6 spaces for any development containing a minimum of 75 dwelling, housekeeping or sleeping units, or any combination thereof. |
| Golf Course | No requirement. |
| Mobile Home | A minimum of 2 spaces for any development containing at least 20 dwelling units, and one additional space for every additional 20 dwelling units. |
| Motel | 1 space per unit |
| Racquet Facility | 3 spaces plus 0.2 spaces per court |
No short-term bicycle parking requirement will apply to non-residential uses in all Downtown Area 1 and 2 Zones.
The above information represents a partial list of the building classifications and their bike parking requirements for London, ON. Please refer to the links below for more detailed information.
Additional Requirements
The regulations apply city-wide, but in certain dense areas such as the downtown core, the requirements may be modified or exemptions provided for parking space numbers.
Official Regulations
The official bicycle parking regulations for London, Ontario, can be found in Zoning By-law Z.-1. See Section 4.19.
