Car parking strategy adopted

30 January 2019 - Media release

Campaspe Shire Council last night adopted the Echuca CBD and Historic Port Precinct Parking Strategy, a car parking strategy covering the three key areas in central Echuca.

Mayor, Cr Adrian Weston said the strategy analyses the supply and demand within the three areas, the central business district, the historic port precinct and health precinct. The strategy will be used in the assessment of planning applications for each of the areas which impact car parking.

“The new strategy will provide assistance to applicants at an early stage, as part of their planning application process,” Cr Weston said.

“It will ensure that applicants have access to up-to-date information to support their application, allow assessment to be completed by staff and ensure the appropriate rate for any cash-in-lieu contribution be included as a planning permit condition.”

Echuca’s current car parking strategy was completed in 2008. The need for a new strategy was identified in completing the Echuca Commercial Strategy in 2017, recognising that Echuca’s population had significantly increased and a number of new developments had been completed.

Objectives of the new strategy included:

Identifying future parking requirements, both on and off-street, including possible locations for new off street parking facilities; Identifying issues relating to the location, provision and management of parking (including disabled parking); Identifying parking needs for workers, shoppers and visitors within the context of current and emerging planning, development and transportation issues; Examining shortfalls in existing short and long term parking, on and off street parking based on the saturation surveys for car parking; Providing direction on the location and management of car parking so as to minimise traffic generated by searching for a parking space; Providing direction on the management of parking operations, in terms of provision, time limits, fees, permits, major event parking, etc.; Reviewing existing statutory implementation for considering waiving of parking requirements / cash-in-lieu payments; Identifying improvements to general amenity for pedestrians to increase the willingness for visitors and staff to walk to and within the CBD; and Encouraging the use of active and sustainable travel modes rather than increased private vehicle travel (including defining an acceptable walking distance between parking location and destination for short and long term stays).

The community was asked to input into the strategy through an online survey in April last year. This survey focused on asking the community how existing car parking was used, and how it could be improved.

“The strategy summarises this feedback, provides a response, and where justified, has the information included in the Action Plan,” the Mayor added.

“The adoption of the strategy will allow council to act on the Action Plan which includes the potential for increased and altered parking in and around the port precinct.”

A planning scheme amendment will now be prepared, to incorporate the strategy as a reference document in the Campaspe Planning Scheme, and update the parking overlay schedule within the scheme.

“The planning scheme amendment will be advertised, where the community will be given the opportunity to provide feedback or lodge a submission to the strategy,” Cr Weston said.

The Echuca CBD and Historic Port Precinct Parking Strategy is available on council’s website.