Agenda item

Parking Management in Warburton

Minutes:

SUMMARY

Over recent years, Council has been reviewing parking and transport across the municipality as part of delivering committed actions under Council’s Integrated Transport Strategy 2020 – 2040.

Our community has also told us their concerns about congestion and the availability and safety of parking, particularly in our tourist locations during the summer months.

At the start of 2024, Council increased enforcement in major tourist areas to address these concerns. This included using number plate recognition technology, along with physically chalking vehicles.

Tourism is expected to double over the next 10 years. This means we need a clear approach to support our popular townships with this increase.

Currently, all Council owned car parks are free across Yarra Ranges, so visitors use the assets and facilities that ratepayers predominantly fund.

An assessment of parking utilisation in key tourism areas, coupled with community feedback, increased tourism and availability of Council land, has identified Warburton as presenting the strongest opportunity to address traffic congestion and parking issues.

It is proposed to pilot real-time parking information technology alongside a paid parking program for a period of up to 12 months to enhance the existing enforcement effort at Warburton. These actions are consistent with of Council’s Integrated Transport Strategy 2020-2040 Implementation Plan.

Yarra Ranges residents would be exempt from parking fees.

The pilot program is expected to benefit the community by:

·                Improving traffic flow, parking accessibility and safe parking behaviours

·                Supporting local businesses with vehicle turnaround and patronage

·                Providing clarity on the number of parking spaces available within the town

·                Contributing funds to local Council assets 

Paid parking would be for visitors (non-residents) only. A permit process would exempt all Yarra Ranges residents from paying to park within the municipality. Details around the permit process are yet to be finalised. This will be communicated to the community in advance of installation. Parking restrictions and enforcement will still apply to all users.

Future expansion of the pilot across other tourism hotspots would be subject to an evaluation process by Council that would consider operational performance, end to end system performance (including resident permit system), community and local business feedback and the endorsed Parking Management Framework.

 

 

In accordance with Governance Rule 29.1, Cr Child  and Cr McAllister spoke to the Motion.

Moved: Cr Child
Seconded: Cr McAllister

That Council

1.         Note the traffic and parking congestion challenges across the municipality, in particular areas with high tourism visitation.

2.         Note increased parking enforcement across the municipality as a key step to improve parking congestion and deter inappropriate, unsafe or illegal parking.

3.         Continue to improve parking outcomes through commencement of a pilot program for up to twelve months, which implements real-time parking information displays, in conjunction with paid parking for nonresidents, consistent with the Yarra Ranges Council Integrated Transport Strategy 2020-2040.

4.         Commence the pilot program in the township of Warburton in 2024.

5.         Invest revenue from parking fees into the local community.

6.         Evaluate the pilot program, incorporating community and local business feedback and completion of Council’s Parking Management Framework, prior to any decision by Council to expand the program

7.         Continue to investigate parking infrastructure opportunities with State departments and authorities in areas of high tourism visitation.

The motion was Carried unanimously.

In Favour:   Cr Heenan, Cr Eastham, Cr Higgins, Cr Todorov, Cr Child, Cr McAllister, Cr Fullagar and Cr Cox.

Against:       Nil

 

Supporting documents: