Well, the battle for parking spaces on suburban roads continues to grow. It's often due to a lack of off street parking or as we've talked about, garages that are too small to take the larger susvs and youths. And the issue has taken another term, this time south of the city. Some residents will be hit with a two hundred dollars parking permit across Onley after council has voted to overhaul parking fees. Joining us now the mayor of the City of Only, Michael Hewittson. Michael, good morning, thanks for being with us.

Well, the battle for parking spaces on suburban roads continues to grow. It's often due to a lack of off street parking or as we've talked about, garages that are too small to take the larger susvs and youths. And the issue has taken another term, this time south of the city. Some residents will be hit with a two hundred dollars parking permit across Onley after council has voted to overhaul parking fees. Joining us now the mayor of the City of Only, Michael Hewittson. Michael, good morning, thanks for being with us.

Good morning Graham, and good morning to your listeners.

Good morning Graham, and good morning to your listeners.

What's prompted this move?

What's prompted this move?

So you've summed it up very well. Inner city suburbs have got more and more cars and purer and pwer parking curves and as a result there are more cars than there are parks, and so to make it fair for everybody, for two years we've undertaken a parking strategy plan where we had three or four hundred people directly involved and from them we set up a panel are made up of different ages, different locations around the city and different jobs etc. To come up with a plan that was fair to all and that did a really.

So you've summed it up very well. Inner city suburbs have got more and more cars and purer and pwer parking curves and as a result there are more cars than there are parks, and so to make it fair for everybody, for two years we've undertaken a parking strategy plan where we had three or four hundred people directly involved and from them we set up a panel are made up of different ages, different locations around the city and different jobs etc. To come up with a plan that was fair to all and that did a really.

Good job when we look at it, has there always been pay I mean I drive down a suburban street and you see you permit only and so forth together a permit you have to make a payment. Is that the case. It's always been.

Good job when we look at it, has there always been pay I mean I drive down a suburban street and you see you permit only and so forth together a permit you have to make a payment. Is that the case. It's always been.

That way, Yes, it's always been that way, But we've made changes instead of having permits, Like we've got about five permit parking because there's five houses right near King William Road up in over Avenue which are designated a car for each car park, and so when the cars are not there, and they're often not there during the day of course, and people want to go shopping, they can't part there and so those parks are useless. Now we will retain those because they just temporary for the life the people that have got the permit because they rented the place without a car park and there's a permit there. So whilst that particular person's got the permit, it won't be transferable to the new one. So that's the first change. So we've got about one hundred and twenty five historic permits when houses were built with no parking before their cars were in existence. The second group we've now established in streets with a time parking a new set of licenses which allow residents in that street for two hundred dollars for two years a grab, that's two dollars a week to have the right to park in anywhere in the street and extend beyond whatever time they like, so that they've got parking twenty four hours a day somewhere in their street. And that means that instead of having a street like for example, Salisbury Avenue used to be half empty because all the permit holders went off to work and left the street with half the parks empty, and as a result, the businesses and every people visiting they weren't allowed to use those parts.

That way, Yes, it's always been that way, But we've made changes instead of having permits, Like we've got about five permit parking because there's five houses right near King William Road up in over Avenue which are designated a car for each car park, and so when the cars are not there, and they're often not there during the day of course, and people want to go shopping, they can't part there and so those parks are useless. Now we will retain those because they just temporary for the life the people that have got the permit because they rented the place without a car park and there's a permit there. So whilst that particular person's got the permit, it won't be transferable to the new one. So that's the first change. So we've got about one hundred and twenty five historic permits when houses were built with no parking before their cars were in existence. The second group we've now established in streets with a time parking a new set of licenses which allow residents in that street for two hundred dollars for two years a grab, that's two dollars a week to have the right to park in anywhere in the street and extend beyond whatever time they like, so that they've got parking twenty four hours a day somewhere in their street. And that means that instead of having a street like for example, Salisbury Avenue used to be half empty because all the permit holders went off to work and left the street with half the parks empty, and as a result, the businesses and every people visiting they weren't allowed to use those parts.

So how do they work? How will that work now?

So how do they work? How will that work now?

Then?

Then?

You know?

You know?

So well they'll pay, they'll pay two dollars a week if they want an off street parking permit to overstay the time limit. Yeah yeah, I'm just like we should have raised the council. It was charging you know, around forty nine dollars for the two years instead of the two hundred, So it sounds dramatic, three hundred percent more increase. Frankly, we probably should have increased them more gradually. Over the last ten years.

So well they'll pay, they'll pay two dollars a week if they want an off street parking permit to overstay the time limit. Yeah yeah, I'm just like we should have raised the council. It was charging you know, around forty nine dollars for the two years instead of the two hundred, So it sounds dramatic, three hundred percent more increase. Frankly, we probably should have increased them more gradually. Over the last ten years.

Anyway, what do you what do you say to residents who say, look, it's just a money grab by the council.

Anyway, what do you what do you say to residents who say, look, it's just a money grab by the council.

Two dollars a week. What we're doing is making it so that if somebody no longer needs it, they don't maintain it and it can be passed on to new people. So it's there, there's a turnover parking. It ours people who want to go visiting people in the street, the ability to part for whatever hours that two hours or four hours, whatever the zoning is for that street. And so it means that every ratepayer of Homney can park in streets around Omney with some without some street has been totally locked up for private use. Because each car park's about sixty thousand dollars worth of land, and for two dollars a week they have use of That's pretty good.

Two dollars a week. What we're doing is making it so that if somebody no longer needs it, they don't maintain it and it can be passed on to new people. So it's there, there's a turnover parking. It ours people who want to go visiting people in the street, the ability to part for whatever hours that two hours or four hours, whatever the zoning is for that street. And so it means that every ratepayer of Homney can park in streets around Omney with some without some street has been totally locked up for private use. Because each car park's about sixty thousand dollars worth of land, and for two dollars a week they have use of That's pretty good.

Yeah, I'm still trying to work out how, like, all of a sudden, if a whole group of residents say, look, we're just not playing the permit, what is the practical result.

Yeah, I'm still trying to work out how, like, all of a sudden, if a whole group of residents say, look, we're just not playing the permit, what is the practical result.

What is going to happen if the residents don't pay the permit? Yeah, well they most of them, Well, most people have got parking in their own properties they'll use that. If they overstay the permit, well then they are overstaying and they will duly get a parking farn. So it's certainly not a money raiser. Our council, Graham, has lowered its rates by up seven percent against CPI over the last six years. So we've been very careful. We've got debts carefully managed, and so we're very careful. We're not interested in a money grab. We're interested in fear parking rules for everybody across the city. People around only can come and park outside our house, and they do, and often those parks are full around outside of our husk as we live next to a wonderful park and people come and use the park, and so they should. And so one day our street will probably get time parking and if we wanted to, we could get an overstay permit to park in our street for as long as we like, and visitors come use our driveway.

What is going to happen if the residents don't pay the permit? Yeah, well they most of them, Well, most people have got parking in their own properties they'll use that. If they overstay the permit, well then they are overstaying and they will duly get a parking farn. So it's certainly not a money raiser. Our council, Graham, has lowered its rates by up seven percent against CPI over the last six years. So we've been very careful. We've got debts carefully managed, and so we're very careful. We're not interested in a money grab. We're interested in fear parking rules for everybody across the city. People around only can come and park outside our house, and they do, and often those parks are full around outside of our husk as we live next to a wonderful park and people come and use the park, and so they should. And so one day our street will probably get time parking and if we wanted to, we could get an overstay permit to park in our street for as long as we like, and visitors come use our driveway.

What sort of feedback have you been getting?

What sort of feedback have you been getting?

Generally, the feedback's pretty good. People understand it because we've understand extensive consultation. But Graham, there are always people who invent a story about how this is, you know, and they get it actually get it wrong. We've had people complaining viciously saying they don't get a permit when they are entitled to a permit whilst they've got one now because they've got no parks in their in their house, they can continue they have one until there's parks are removed, until they don't continue their license and then they will join and become overstay parking permits.

Generally, the feedback's pretty good. People understand it because we've understand extensive consultation. But Graham, there are always people who invent a story about how this is, you know, and they get it actually get it wrong. We've had people complaining viciously saying they don't get a permit when they are entitled to a permit whilst they've got one now because they've got no parks in their in their house, they can continue they have one until there's parks are removed, until they don't continue their license and then they will join and become overstay parking permits.

Yeah. I believe you also made changes to Ali and Daddy business parking permits.

Yeah. I believe you also made changes to Ali and Daddy business parking permits.

Yes, of course, because one of the great places of living in Oney. For example, I've described the one five permit park parks which are empty when not in use by the residents and they remain empty alongside Kim William Road. People want to access the businesses in Uney because local business jobs in Unney is part of the life and vibrancy of the place. And if you want to go to restaurants and cafes and staff around and you can do that if you've got a business appointment because you're doing your supernovation or tax you can do that. People want to be able to get access and fair parking and we can't have it sitting empty all day because the residents are driven off to work and leaving idle non us empty street parking we reckon. About eighty percent is about when a street's full, that's eighty five percent. You know you need some empty car parks for a street to work.

Yes, of course, because one of the great places of living in Oney. For example, I've described the one five permit park parks which are empty when not in use by the residents and they remain empty alongside Kim William Road. People want to access the businesses in Uney because local business jobs in Unney is part of the life and vibrancy of the place. And if you want to go to restaurants and cafes and staff around and you can do that if you've got a business appointment because you're doing your supernovation or tax you can do that. People want to be able to get access and fair parking and we can't have it sitting empty all day because the residents are driven off to work and leaving idle non us empty street parking we reckon. About eighty percent is about when a street's full, that's eighty five percent. You know you need some empty car parks for a street to work.

Explain to me that the daily business parking permits, I mean, are these just in residential streets or around cafes, restaurants, etc.

Explain to me that the daily business parking permits, I mean, are these just in residential streets or around cafes, restaurants, etc.

Well, in honey, you would know, aney that the cafes and restaurants and things are all butting through onto residential streets, and so yes, the parking permits people want to go on now walk to go to their favorite shops or for or whatever.

Well, in honey, you would know, aney that the cafes and restaurants and things are all butting through onto residential streets, and so yes, the parking permits people want to go on now walk to go to their favorite shops or for or whatever.

So generally the council is obviously happy with the outcome at this stage you're prepared to.

So generally the council is obviously happy with the outcome at this stage you're prepared to.

I am proud of our council. I think the process of two years preparation, massive community consultation on the strategy. Now. The other thing I'm proud of is the counselors are meeting with the residents who have particular needs etc. To work through. But for example, how long should the street be timed, how many should be four hours, how many should be three, how many two, and how many one? And get that balance so that there is a suitable turnover. So as you hold a two year for two hundred dollars one hundred dollars a year to overstay the time limits, you need to have places about a park industry. So we've got to get that right and that'll take probably six months to sort through. Only a change, but it's a long term strategy for the future of a vibrancy.

I am proud of our council. I think the process of two years preparation, massive community consultation on the strategy. Now. The other thing I'm proud of is the counselors are meeting with the residents who have particular needs etc. To work through. But for example, how long should the street be timed, how many should be four hours, how many should be three, how many two, and how many one? And get that balance so that there is a suitable turnover. So as you hold a two year for two hundred dollars one hundred dollars a year to overstay the time limits, you need to have places about a park industry. So we've got to get that right and that'll take probably six months to sort through. Only a change, but it's a long term strategy for the future of a vibrancy.

Is there any consideration for people with disability?

Is there any consideration for people with disability?

Of course, of course, and there will be for those sorts of cases parking permits where the parking permit the place will be empty and will be occupied because of particular need, and of course they won't be given away lightly, and when the need passes, the payment will return to community use.

Of course, of course, and there will be for those sorts of cases parking permits where the parking permit the place will be empty and will be occupied because of particular need, and of course they won't be given away lightly, and when the need passes, the payment will return to community use.

Michael, thank you so much for your time. That's Michael Hewitson, the mayor of the City of Only

Michael, thank you so much for your time. That's Michael Hewitson, the mayor of the City of Only