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In early February, Yaletown merchants and restaurateurs were horrified by a City of Vancouver proposal to eliminate dozens of parking spots along Mainland and Hamilton streets.

The city felt it was necessary to eliminate angled parking to enable larger fire trucks to gain access to the area in an emergency.

Today, the city announced that it had come up with a far more acceptable compromise following discussions with local businesses.

A new design will retain 117 of the 120 angled spots. There could be even more angled spaces if garbage bins along Hamilton and Mainland are removed in the future.

However, these angled parking stalls will be shorter. And that means longer vehicles won't be permitted in these spots.

It's being launched on a trial basis early next month and will be evaluated for up to a year.

"We feel confident that with some innovative signage and on street design, drivers will find it easier to park, and easier to find a parking spot in Yaletown," Yaletown Business Improvement Association executive director Annette O'Shea said in a city news release. "By working with the local businesses, we can improve the public realm in Yaletown."

There's already a public parking lot on the north side of Nelson Street.

The city's director of transportation, Lon LaClaire, said in the same news release that the BIA wanted to keep angled parking in the neighbourhood.

"While this doesn't create more parking in the short term, we may be able to work with the BIA to relocate some of the 60 Dumpsters in the area, which would create additional parking spaces in the long term," he said. "In addition, we will work to increase the amount of short-term parking in the area on other streets and parkades."