North Shore Community Newsletter 8 – Parking

There’s a disconnect between Planning Rules and Reality of Finding a
Parking Spot

Why’s it hard to find a parking spot in North Sydney’s Council area?

Yes! Between 2011 and 2016 the number of:

• dwellings increased by 1,763
• resident with no cars decreased by 213

It’s set to get worse.

• The Government tells us to prepare for a 30% increase in population over the next 20 years.

Where to park those cars?

• Our Council restricts the number of parking spaces for each studio/one bedroom apartment to 0.5 – that’s right, ½
• That restriction relieves developers of the cost burden of providing car spaces leaving owners to park on the streets.

Why?

• Our Council wants to minimise reliance on private cars; to facilitate the use of
  public transport, walking and cycling.

Policies detached from reality serve no good cause.

• Try transporting kids around to sporting events in buses, on bikes and by foot.
• Not everyone can use public transport to get to work and travel around with work.

What’s needed? There’s no “one” answer; what’s needed in the short term:

• Amend the policy (North Sydney DCP 2013) to require a minimum of one parking spot for every new home – no matter how small.
• Give North Sydney Council area residents priority access to on street parking.
• Adopt schemes that facilitate the orderly use of shared cars and bikes.