MEETING OF COUNCIL - Town of Cambridge

COUNCIL MINUTES
TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2012
Private parking areas • Expand pay parking areas - favour
short term.
• Introduce fee for provision and
enforcement of pay parking in private
car parks.
Cash in lieu • Cost of deck parking.
• Multi-level car parks.
COMMENT:
Since completion of Part 2 of the Strategy, the Town Planning Scheme Review Steering
Committee (TPSR) has spent considerable time reviewing the document and, in the main,
the Committee supports the underlying principles and general direction of the Strategy.
However, a considerable amount of time has been devoted to discussing aspects of the
Strategy with regard to its findings, as well as the ramifications of implementing some of the
recommendations proposed. In particular, the application of cash in lieu of parking bay
provision, parking ratios and concessions (for alternative modes of transport) and the
provision of public parking in the four commercial centres was discussed in depth with the
Consultant. The outcome of these discussions has resulted in some modifications and
adjustments to the final document.
Completion of Part 2 has now enabled the progression of a number of planning tasks that
had been set aside pending the findings and recommendations of the Strategy. The
following matters can now be progressed and endorsement of the Strategy will provide
guidance in this regard.
Review Draft Parking Policy - Policy 5.1: Off-Street Parking
This Policy had not been examined in great detail since its adoption in 1998. Due to its
complexity, it was reviewed as a separate exercise and following community consultation in
March 2010, Members agreed that further consideration needed to be given to parking
concessions proposed for alternative transport modes, parking provisions for medical
centres and cash in lieu provisions. The matter was deferred by Council in March 2010.
Luxmoore Consultancy was subsequently appointed to undertake an access and parking
strategy. The draft Parking Policy provisions were reconsidered as part of their brief. The
Steering Committee has since had further input into the draft Policy provisions and an
administration report, outlining the reviewed components of the Policy, and recommending
adoption for advertising will be considered by Council on this agenda.
Cash in Lieu of Parking Bay Provision
The application of cash in lieu of parking bays is a very complex issue that cannot be
considered separately from the matter of developing a strategy for the provision of public
parking. Steering Committee discussions have centred on this interconnectivity, however,
the Steering Committee, for a number of reasons, was reluctant to apply the Consultant's
favoured option of applying the true cost of a bay (land and construction), but with a 20 per
cent discount as a means of raising funds for the construction of public parking. In
particular, there was concern that an excessive charge would prohibit development in the
Town.
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