The City of Joondalup will consider developing a policy to outline where it would and would not approve the introduction of paid parking along the coast.
The council has asked the chief executive to prepare a report on the development of such a policy, to be submitted to the city’s policy committee in August.
It follows a petition the city received last year against introducing paid public parking at Ocean Reef Marina or implementing it at another coastal location managed by the town.
In the city, there is only paid parking for boat trailers at Ocean Reef and Hillary’s boat harbors.
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This has been in effect at Ocean Reef since the city was incorporated in 1998, with the cost currently $11 per day or $200 for an annual permit, with a seniors discount of $180 for a yearly license.
The Department of Transport sets the fees and permits for Hillarys.
The petition was initiated by including parking proceeds in a business case submitted to the municipality as part of the land transaction process for the Ocean Reef Marina.
According to the report, this considered introducing fees for parking boat trailers or exclusive parking for boat owners and any commercial arrangements where the city manages parking on private property.
“The presence of a parking fee in the business case for the Ocean Reef Marina appears to have caused some concern within the community,” the council report said.
While the report acknowledged that paid parking was an option to ensure it was used efficiently by as many people as possible, providing free parking for people to visit the beach was also widely supported.
“There is widespread suspicion that local authorities will provide parking for the beach in metropolitan Perths without paying a fee. To be clear, it is not recommended or suggested to change this in any way,” the report said.
The report also acknowledged that an attempt by the City of Cottesloe in the early 2000s to consider charging parking fees at the two car parks closest to Cottesloe Beach had sparked some controversy.
It said the state government at the time went so far as to change local government ordinances to prevent the city from doing so.
The report said the state’s intervention in the local affair demonstrated the level of public interest it had and that there was “nothing to indicate that public sentiment towards paid parking to access the beach has changed since then.” “.
However, city officials said it was not recommended to oppose paid parking on the coast, as requested in the petition, because “a blanket approach like this can lead to unintended consequences”.
It said the management of parking at the Ocean Reef Marina would be “complex and challenging” with “various competing requirements,” including residential and commercial, as well as for boat trailers, boat pen holders, the clubs, and the public wishing to visit the beach or other areas. marina facilities
“The municipality will likely need different approaches to manage this district successfully,” the report said.
It said that while there were options to maximize parking and keep it free, such as implementing time limits, permits, or reserving lots for specific uses, there were also circumstances where the city could introduce a fee.
“While there is currently no intent to charge parking fees for attending public facilities such as the beach, parking fees are a legitimate way to recoup the cost of parking management for specific-use parking, such as boat trailer parking or pen holder access. Earn,” it said.
City officials, therefore, advised drafting a policy to consider each scenario in detail before making a final recommendation to the council on where paid parking in coastal locations is and is not appropriate.
It is also recommended that before a policy is passed, it be advertised for public comment.
