The concept of paid parking has been floated for the Coffs Harbour CBD, as council looks for ways to fund a potential $60 million infrastructure spend over the next 15 years.
One councillor warned the notion of paid parking will be controversial, however council staff stressed no decisions have been made.
Demand set to spike: City of Coffs Harbour believes an additional 750–900 public parking spaces will be required by 2041 to “support future growth and maintain convenient access to jobs, businesses, services and community facilities”.
The Coffs Harbour CBD currently has about 3,810 public car parking spaces, both on and off the street.
According to the council, the CBD hosts more than 6000 people at peak times during the week.
By 2041, this is set to rise to over 8000.
Big price tag: Council estimates building the additional parking required may cost “in the order of $40 million to $60 million”.
What’s the plan?: Council is currently exploring a range of options, with one being paid parking zones.
Others include encouraging CBD visitors to ride bikes, walk or take public transport, and making more efficient use of existing parking facilities.
Council will also explore Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), where it would contribute land and co-fund the construction of parking alongside a developer or government body.
No decision made: The issue was discussed at council’s August 20 meeting, with councillor Jonathan Cassell suggesting any mention of paid parking was “going to be controversial”.
CEO Murray Wood was quick to point out that it was “not a short-term proposition”, while City Planning director Ian Fitzgibbon described it as one of “many funding opportunities”.
“Paid parking has been used by other cities across Australia to help with building and managing car parking infrastructure, as well as public infrastructure,” Fitzgibbon said.
What now?: Council has produced a discussion paper outlining the options for future parking management.
Community members are invited to have their say here until October 6.