Review of Wanaka parking underway

Consultation is underway on proposed changes to the way parking is managed in Wanaka.

“Rapid growth in Wanaka has put extra pressure on parking in the centre of town,” Queenstown Lakes District Council transportation planning manager Denis Mander said.

Historically the approach to parking enforcement in Wanaka had been reasonably relaxed.

“But over the past couple years we’ve seen a need for greater control of on and off-street parking in town, together with better enforcement of the existing controls,” he said.

The added pressure had raised a number of issues over the past few years, which the council was now trying to address through the review. These included:

Some areas being parked out by all day parkers and ski season workers;
Lack of short-term parking available at peak times.
Under utilisation of some time-restricted parking on Ardmore Street.
Lack of short-term and overnight coach parking.
Illegal and inconsiderate parking.
 

“The council has taken these issues as an opportunity to look at how to improve access and parking in central Wanaka and to ask the community what it thinks of the proposals,” Mr Mander said.

Generally the council was proposing more short-term parking in the centre of town where demand for short-term kerbside parking was at its highest, and the introduction of short stay and overnight coach parking spaces.

The council particularly wanted the community to consider whether the proposals:

Promoted access and turnover in high parking demand areas.
Were safe and accessible.
Gave priority to disabled parking, loading zones, public transport and short-term parking, ahead of unrestricted parking.
 

The community was also asked to consider whether it favoured parking restrictions applied seven days a week, or Monday to Friday restrictions instead.

A brochure clearly outlining the proposed changes would be distributed to all residents in this week’s Wanaka Sun and would also be available to download from the council website www.qldc.govt.nz

The changes proposed also needed to be supported by changes to council bylaws. Submissions would therefore be heard by a panel of councillors, who would then make recommendations on changes to the council.

Submissions needed to be with the council by Friday, December 12, 2008.