Tauranga CBD fringe parking fees spark resident backlash
Liam Jackson will have to pay $10 a day to park outside his Park St home from August 4 after the council decided to expand paid parking to the city centre fringe.
"Over $2000 a year just to park outside my house – that seems crazy."
On-street parking between the eastern end of Fourth Ave and Park St, north of the CBD, will cost $1 an hour for the first two hours and $2 for every hour after until 5pm, to a maximum of $10 on weekdays.
New two-hour parking limits would also apply to some CBD-fringe streets as far south as Eighth Ave.
ADVERTISEMENT
The streets are often used by people working in the city who park all day.
Residents in Tauranga city fringe streets will have to pay to park outside their homes. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting)
Jackson, who works in the city, said his flat has one off-street parking spot that his flatmate needed, so he parked on the street.
He said the parking changes seemed to work against the council's efforts to revitalise the city centre — which needed people to want to live there to succeed.
"It seems like a tax on living in the CBD, which is counterproductive to what they're trying to do with revitalising the CBD."
Councillors approved the parking costs and time limits at a Tauranga City Council meeting on July 14, having approved the Tauranga Parking Management Plan in April.
After a split vote, councillors opted not to approve the staff recommendation of resident permits for those living in the city fringe.
ADVERTISEMENT
The permits would have given residents an exemption from fees.
Staff proposed to allow residents to apply for up to two permits per dwelling with a two-year expiry.
Mayor Mahé Drysdale said two permits for every property was "excessive" and would take out all the parking in the area.
Te Papa ward councillor Rod Taylor said trialling resident permits would be worthwhile and staff could report back on how they were working.
Te Papa ward councillor Rod Taylor. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting)
Jackson said he had lived in many cities in the United Kingdom, and all had an option for resident permits.
He said he would be happy to pay for a permit if it was cheaper than on-street parking.
ADVERTISEMENT
Jackson wanted the council to pause the CBD fringe paid parking until it had sorted out resident permits.
Grace Rd and Neighbourhood Residents' Association chairman Phil Green said the idea behind the time-limited parking in The Avenues was to prevent CBD workers parking all day, but they would just find somewhere else to go.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the atmospheric river arrives, Epstein's girlfriend pushes for appeal, and Jennifer Lopez's wardrobe malfunction. (Source: Breakfast)
He saw people park in the avenues, then use a scooter to get to the city centre so he expected the time limits would just push people further out.
Further down around Sixteenth Ave, where Green lived, workers from businesses and the hospital were parking all day and filling up the streets.
"The overflow is not just affecting the CBD and its fringes; there are other issues further out as well."
The council needed to look at the whole problem of parking and why people weren't using buses or the CBD parking buildings, Green said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Grace Road and Neighbourhood Residents' Association chairman Phil Green. (Source: Local Democracy Reporting)
"It's got to be addressed as an overall view rather than just looking at each thing in isolation.
"It seems to be a knee-jerk reaction; you fix one and then there's an ongoing effect and another ongoing effect."
Council parking strategy manager Reece Wilkinson said the time-restricted parking would be monitored by a licence plate recognition car.
If a vehicle remained in a P120 zone for longer than two hours, it may be subject to enforcement, he said.
Fines for parking over the time limit start at $20, increasing incrementally and are capped at $97.
Taylor said the council understood changes to parking could be challenging, especially when it meant a change of routine or a new cost.
At the council meeting, after the councillors did not approve the resident permits, they asked staff to explore options for a parking zone permit, to ease the impact on affected residents and visitors, he said.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
14 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Tauranga reverses water services decision, partners with Western Bay of Plenty
Tauranga City Council will now partner with its 'little brother', Western Bay of Plenty District Council, and possibly Thames Coromandel District Council, on a water services organisation from July 2027. Drysdale said the information reconfirmed that a multi-council water organisation was the right direction. 'Western Bay are our family, they've cried out for help, and it's our responsibility as the regional leader to step up and look after our little brother.' The Department of Internal Affairs made it clear that councils needed to consider what was best for their regional partners, as well as themselves, he said. The multi-council organisation was a 'win for everyone' because 'everyone pays less,' Drysdale said. Western Bay of Plenty mayor James Denyer asked Tauranga to reconsider its water decision. Photo / John Borren Western Bay Mayor James Denyer wrote to Tauranga expressing his 'dismay' at the city council's in-house decision. Tauranga's decision put Western Bay in a 'very challenging situation' where it would be unable to meet the financial sustainability requirements, the August 6 letter said. Denyer asked Tauranga to reconsider its decision and to work toward a multiple-council water organisation with them. Thames Coromandel Mayor Len Salt also wrote to Tauranga on August 13, saying its water services plan would be sub-optimal without its regional partners. At Friday's meeting, councillor Hautapu Baker said this was the biggest decision this council would make. The respectful thing to do was give equal time and weight to all the possible water scenarios, which the decision to stay in-house allowed for, he said. The decision to work with other councils was subject to due diligence. Mayors Mahé Drysdale and James Denyer went rowing on the Wairoa River in April to get people talking about Local Water Done well. Photo / Tauranga City Council Western Bay of Plenty needed to be satisfied that concerns expressed by its iwi about Treaty of Waitangi settlement considerations would be considered before Tauranga would include Thames Coromandel. Western Bay of Plenty councillors also met on Friday to decide the way forward. Initially, the district council was going to request a Crown facilitator to help deliver a viable water services plan, but this was not required after Tauranga's latest decision. The cost of a Crown facilitator would have been $1600 a day had it been required. The district council would stick with its original decision to work with Tauranga on water services. It noted Thames Coromandel District Council's desire to be part of a multi-council-controlled organisation with Tauranga and the Western Bay. Also, the district council requested the Office of Treaty Settlements work urgently with tangata whenua to resolve treaty settlement issues raised by iwi. These issues made it difficult for Western Bay to partner with Thames Coromandel for water. Western Bay of Plenty District councillor Margaret Murray-Benge. Photo / John Borren Councillor Margaret Murray-Benge asked if there could be an extension to the September 3 deadline so the council could continue to consult with the community. However, the deadline for an extension request was August 3. Both Tauranga and Western Bay held public consultation on options for water services in April. Murray-Benge said the mayors using casting votes to 'make sure' the in-house options were 'never considered' was a 'vote of no confidence in the whole process'. Mayor James Denyer used his casting vote to opt for a multicouncil water organisation at Western Bay's water meeting earlier this month. Deputy mayor John Scrimgeour said there were benefits to everyone by working with other councils. 'If we are trying to get the best result for our ratepayers, we need to be talking about how we can involve as many councils as possible.' Scrimgeour respected the issues raised about working with other councils, but they needed to work together to get the 'best possible outcomes'. Denyer said Tauranga's decision allowed Western Bay to move forward with confidence. 'Working with Tauranga is the best step forward for both councils,' he said in a statement today. 'We are all working toward the same goal: sustainable water services under the new framework.' Both Tauranga City and Western Bay will submit a Water Service Delivery Plan by September 3. The Department of Internal Affairs will assess them and provide a decision by the end of the year. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
High Court case and contentious letterbox drop: Who is Andrew Clark?
An Invercargill mayoral candidate says he is still fit for office despite past events landing him in the headlines and court. Andrew Clark is contesting the position currently held by his brother Nobby, in a move which has surprised and irked his older sibling. In Tasman, where Clark currently lives, he is also running for mayor under the first name Maxwell. The business owner made headlines for a range of incidents following the early 2000s including a land dispute, receiving money from a gang-affiliated event and spreading misinformation through pamphlets. Clark said he gave a lot of voluntary help to people and the issues were 'out of perspective' compared to what normal life had been for a long time. 'We've dealt with everything that comes up in a fair and reasonable basis, and I don't see any issue there whatsoever." In 2004, Clark faced legal action after the purchase of a neighbouring estate went awry. Problems arose when Clark and his partner presented a written agreement which was signed by all parties, only to be later contested for not reflecting the verbal agreement. The elderly neighbour - a trustee - said it was clear they were retaining the house and a parcel of land, but Clark and his partner maintained the $300,000 price tag included everything. Judge Ronald Young said in his judgement he did not find Clark to be 'a credible witness at all'. 'I had the distinct impression throughout his evidence that if he had no recollection of a proposition he was prepared to construct the happening and timing of it to suit himself,' Young wrote. He believed Clark knew he was getting a 'remarkable bargain' at $300,000 - a figure which was at least 50% under market value - and ordered the written contract be corrected. Clark told Local Democracy Reporting the neighbour "begged" them to buy the property with the sale only falling through after the other party pulled out thinking they could get more. He said the judge did not like him and he would have challenged the court ruling if he had money at the time. 'Very unfortunate. I'm very saddened by it all... I wish I could undo what had happened, but that's not possible.' Between 2012 and 2018, Clark was linked in media reports to a controversial Nelson biking event called Poker Run. Stuff reported the event was traditionally run by motorcycle gang associates with money raised going towards Clark's ambulance business Medimax. The events were monitored by police. Clark is still running Medimax and confirmed it operates as a business, not a charity. There were never any problems with the motorcycle group, which was charged like any other organisation, he said. 'These people, whether it's liked or not liked, they live in the community, they work in the community. 'For us it was just a professional role, do a professional job. That's all that was.' In 2018, Clark featured in a 1News bulletin as the man behind a pamphlet drop warning of a potential 8-metre tidal wave if the proposed Waimea Dam failed. Two thousand leaflets were distributed in Brightwater - a move labelled 'dirty and sneaky' by then-Nelson MP Nick Smith. Former Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne said a catastrophic failure would see water going through houses at levels between 50cm and 100cm. Clark confirmed to Local Democracy Reporting he personally delivered the brochures and said he was just trying to share a risk which he thought hadn't been fully considered. The information included contact details for elected representatives. Clark is one of eight candidates contesting the Invercargill mayoralty this year and said he would move south, if elected. He will be in attendance the Southland Business Chamber mayoral debate on Tuesday. • LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
A High Court case and contentious letterbox drop: Who is Andrew Clark?
Nelson-based Andrew Clark is running for mayor of Invercargill while simultaneously going for the top job in Tasman. Photo: LDR / Matthew Rosenberg An Invercargill mayoral candidate says he is still fit for office, despite past events landing him in both the headlines and court. Andrew Clark is contesting the position currently held by his brother Nobby, in a move which has surprised and irked his older sibling. In Tasman, where Clark currently lives, he is also running for mayor under the first name Maxwell. The business owner made headlines for a range of incidents since the early 2000s including a land dispute, receiving money from a gang affiliated event, and spreading misinformation through pamphlets. Clark said he gave a lot of voluntary help to people, and the issues were "out of perspective" compared to what normal life had been for a long time. "We've dealt with everything that comes up in a fair and reasonable basis, and I don't see any issue there whatsoever," he said. In 2004, Clark faced legal action after the purchase of a neighbouring estate went awry. Problems arose when Clark and his partner presented a written agreement which was signed by all parties, only to be later contested for not reflecting the verbal agreement. The elderly neighbour - a trustee - said it was clear they were retaining the house and a parcel of land, but Clark and his partner maintained the $300,000 price tag included everything. Judge Ronald Young said in his judgement he did not find Clark to be "a credible witness at all". "I had the distinct impression throughout his evidence that if he had no recollection of a proposition he was prepared to construct the happening and timing of it to suit himself," Young wrote. He believed Clark knew he was getting a "remarkable bargain" at $300,000 - a figure which was at least 50 percent under market value - and ordered the written contract be corrected. Clark told Local Democracy Reporting the neighbour "begged" them to buy the property with the sale only falling through after the other party pulled out thinking they could get more. He said the judge did not like him and he would have challenged the court ruling if he had money at the time. "Very unfortunate. I'm very saddened by it all... I wish I could undo what had happened, but that's not possible." Between 2012 and 2018, Clark was linked in media reports to a controversial Nelson biking event called Poker Run. Stuff reported the event was traditionally run by motorcycle gang associates with money raised going towards Clark's ambulance business Medimax. The events were monitored by police. Clark is still running Medimax, and confirmed it operates as a business and not a charity. There were never any problems with the motorcycle group, which was charged like any other organisation, he said. "These people, whether it's liked or not liked, they live in the community, they work in the community. "For us it was just a professional role, do a professional job. That's all that was." In 2018, Clark featured in a 1News bulletin as the man behind a pamphlet drop warning of a potential eight-metre tidal wave if the proposed Waimea Dam failed. Two thousand leaflets were distributed in Brightwater, a move labelled "dirty and sneaky" by then-Nelson MP Nick Smith. Former Tasman mayor Richard Kempthorne said a catastrophic failure would see water going through houses at levels between 50cm and 100cm. Clark confirmed to Local Democracy Reporting he personally delivered the brochures and said he was just trying to share a risk which he thought hadn't been fully considered. The information included contact details for elected representatives. Clark is one of eight candidates contesting the Invercargill mayoralty this year and said he would move south if elected. He will be in attendance at Tuesday's Southland Business Chamber mayoral debate. * LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
