Options sought for parking shortfall

Quotes and options for addressing Warragul’s car parking shortfall will be the focus of another report to Baw Baw Shire.

In November last year, council sought expressions of interest to develop council owned land in the Warragul central business district.

The process sought proposals to optimise and increase the supply of public and other car parking in Warragul, including a mutli storey parking facility.

Council received only two submissions during the process which suggested council sell current car parking sites in Barkly and Williams Sts for $1000 each for the proponent to further develop. Council last week rejected both proposals. Instead, councillors requested officers seek quotes and engage a consultant to prepare an options paper looking at ways of addressing predicted car parking shortfalls.

Council suggested the options should look at cash-in-lieu schemes, private and council partnerships and council funded models.

The 2015 Warragul Parking Study identified council needed to provide between 1400 and 1800 additional parking spaces in the Warragul central business district.

A number of council-owned sites were identified in the invitation for expressions of interest as potential options for construction of a multi-level car park or other developments including car parking to assist in the provision of parking into the future.

The sites included: Williams Square car park; Barkly St car park; Civic Centre (Albert Rd and Smith St); 21-29 Queen St; 48 Mason St; and, 51A-53A Victoria St.

Council received only two submissions during the process.

A report to council said the Williams St proposal included three levels of car parking, including ground level, with access to level one and level two car parks via a bridge from the Coles car park accessed from 30-36 Palmerston St.

The proposal suggested the Williams Square public car park and 30-32 Williams St be sold to the proponent for $1000.

Officers said the proponent would then construct the multi-storey car park and would lease car parking spaces back to council.

The Barkly Street proposal included Barkly St public car park; Senior Citizens building at 37 Mason St and land at the corner of Civic Place and Albert St (59-61 Albert St).

The proponent proposed two discount department stores on Barkly St and Mason St with car parking provided under one of the department stores and construction of a new senior citizens building at 59-61 Albert St with car parking underneath.

The proposal also said Barkly St public car park, 37 Mason St and 59-61 Albert St be sold to the proponent for $1000.

The proponent would construct the discount department stores, senior citizens building and car parks and lease the senior citizens building and car parking spaces back to council.

Officers said the selection panel was unable to score the proposals against the evaluation criteria relating to commercial principles, net community benefit and financial return to council.

Cr Danny Goss said the expressions of interest did not provide enough information to council.

He said the proponents wanted to purchase the sites from council and then develop them.

“The applicants need to provide a lot more meat on the bone.

“Selling off land for low amounts and then leasing them back is not a good deal at all,” he said.

Cr Michael Leaney said parking was becoming an increasing problem in the shire’s growing towns.

“But it shouldn’t be a resolution at any costs. We need to keep in mind the value for ratepayers and the value we get back,” he said.

Cr Peter Kostos said the submissions presented to council appeared to be a “very one sided partnership.”

A quad bike and trailer valued at $10,000 was stolen from the front yard of a Yarragon property last week.

Police said the blue Yamaha quad bike was on a trailer parked in the front yard of a property in Hazeldean Rd.

The bike is valued at $8000 and the trailer, with registration Q55774, is valued at $2000.

Police said offenders would have needed a vehicle to tow away the trailer and bike.

The theft occurred overnight on Thursday night.