Paid parking plan on hold
The Porirua City Council has put a controversial decision to introduce paid parking in the city centre on hold.
The council introduced the bylaw just before Christmas citing the need to offset a rates increase of 7.65 per cent.
The council has subsequently taken a hammering on social media, with residents arguing that with Covid-19 impacting negatively on shopkeepers, paid parking would force people to shop elsewhere.
‘‘While the reasoning behind amove to user-pays for parking has not changed, this is not an appropriate time to impose further costs on our community.’’
Report by Porirua City Council chief executive WendyWalker, pictured right
Councillors on Thursday morning resolved to suspend paid parking until March 2023.
A report from chief executive Wendy Walker noted the impact of Covid-19 and the high level of inflation, 5.9 per cent, had resulted in ‘‘significant community concern’’ that she had been asked to address by the mayor, Anita Baker.
‘‘While the reasoning behind a move to user-pays for parking has not changed, this is not an appropriate time to impose further costs on our community,’’ her report said.
Suspending paid parking will have ‘‘little impact on rates’’, as long as the parking charges are reintroduced in 2023.
Baker said that since adopting the bylaw ‘‘new challenges’’ had emerged and the council acknowledged that now was not the right time to introduce parking charges.
Any revenue shortfall would be covered by additional borrowing.
Time limits for parking will still apply and be enforced, and existing paid parking will continue as usual, with fees applying.