Regulated parking change threatens new urban idea

MP Rob Molhoek and Cr Dawn Crichlow yesterday celebrated the economic stimulus and jobs growth of the Southport Priority Development Area but also cited the key challenges of funding, affordability and car parking.

Funding is a wider issue, but affordability and car parking can be addressed locally and creatively.

As a key visionary behind Southport’s ENVI tiny-lot freehold house-and-land infill subdivision, I can easily recite its 10 affordability principles: 1 Less is more; 2 A la carte purchasing; 3 Domestic construction; 4 No super-profit; 5 Lower stamp duty; 6 Reduced selling costs; 7 Residential finance; 8 “Glow equity” (time vs. effort); 9 No body corporate; and, 10 Locate near jobs, amenity and transport.

But, “Too often, we … create a new approach, only to abandon the process before it has been given the chance to gain traction,” (The Voice, GCB, 22/06), and the ENVI affordability model is today – as the public consultation period for the proposed changes to the regulated parking law draws to a close – in jeopardy of being abandoned as a car parking solution, and instead seems to be blamed for the problem.

Currently, houses with no offstreet parking can secure up to six car parking permits, with the proposed legislation cancelling that right entirely for any house with a kerb frontage of 6m or less.

While six permits is excessive, the negative lifestyle impact on residents who will suddenly find that they cannot park even one car legally on their street during the working day is dramatic. Further, the disparity between the houses that “have and have not” those critical millimetres will most effect the very residents who have invested in the purchase of a home within walking distance of their work, only to find they now must drive in order to avoid a parking fine!

Let’s hope creativity can mediate a compromise.

AMY DEGENHART, DIRECTOR DEGENHARTSHEDD ARCHITECTURE + URBAN DESIGN, SOUTHPORT