A controversial parking plan set to shake-up Ballarat’s CBD will now be put to the people, with only minor new tweaks.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The City of Ballarat proposal suggested the city’s CBD be sliced into three zones with different prices. Motorists in the inner CBD would pay $2 per hour for parking, with 50 cents per hour in the outer-most zone.
Residents, workers and businesses in the CBD will be have their say on the proposal from next Monday, with eight weeks of consultation measures including a pop-up information shop in Sturt Street.
New options floated included the first two hours of parking be free in zones two and three, which encompass residential areas and the hospital precinct.
SEE THE FULL BALLARAT CBD PARKING MAP HERE
To quell concerns around workers paying to park all day in the same CBD car spot, council will potentially consider making the hourly rate in the inner city more expensive after four hours.
Council officers hope to have the amended parking plan considered at a November council meeting, to be implemented in early 2019 after the busy Christmas shopping period.
City of Ballarat’s executive manager of regulatory services Amy Boyd said they had primarily heard from residents at the council meeting, and needed to canvas a broader range of opinions before amending the plan.
“It would be disingenuous for us to make change [to the proposal] prior to us now going out to consultation. Everybody needs that same opportunity to have their say,” she said.
Ms Boyd said from discussions when the plan was announced, it became clear the “residential parking permit policy needed more rigor”.
The initial proposal for affected residents is they would receive their first permit free, and pay between $100 and $200 for subsequent permits.
At a May 31 special council meeting, councillors voted 8-1 for an amended motion calling for community engagement on the potential changed parking approach in the CBD and around the hospital precinct.
Residents will be able to drop in to the store at 315 Sturt Street between August 6-18 and September 14-28, with appointments out of hours available.
Forthcoming think-tank sessions across Ballarat are yet to be announced.
For more information, visit mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au
