Following concerns raised about Merimbula’s car parking spaces, council’s general manager, Leanne Barnes has moved to reassure ratepayers that parking pressures in Merimbula and the shire’s other commercial centres are “front and centre in council’s planning for the future”.
“Council acknowledges the issue of car parking in Merimbula, and in particular at peak times this has been, and will continue to be a challenge as the town grows,” Ms Barnes said.
Local developers have written to council wanting to know how section 94 money has been spent and whether a register has been kept. Section 94 payments are made by developers in lieu of providing car parking spaces and the money has to be kept separately to be used solely for car parking in the vicinity of the development concerned. Developers believe there are now less car parking spaces than there were 25 years ago.
There are about 1860 car parking spaces in Merimbula, an increase of two per cent since 2009.
- Leanne Barnes, general manager council
In 2009 consultants, Gabites Porter said there were a 1819 public parking spaces in Merimbula and while there have been losses and gains, they have been offset by an increase in spaces made available through developments in Cabarita Place, Palmer Lane and Park Street, as well as at the RSL, Ms Barnes said.
“From council’s view, this raises the total available spaces in Merimbula to approximately 1860, which is an increase of just over two percent on the 2009 figures.”
Ms Barnes said council holds $385,187 in car parking contributions in a recorded register and intends to commit that money and the sale proceeds of council’s Main St land towards the provision of car parking in Merimbula.
“The properties yet to be developed in Main St will be providing their own onsite parking.”
An Office of Local Government spokeswoman said that the totals collected by councils under section 94 developer contributions are disclosed in each council’s annual financial reports under Note 17 Statement of Developer Contributions.
