MEETING OF COUNCIL - Town of Cambridge

COUNCIL MINUTES
TUESDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2012
Until such time as the Steering Committee has further contemplated these issues, it was
considered that the best means of addressing parking shortfalls in planning applications was
through the provisions of the draft Parking Policy (as discussed in the report to Council on
this agenda). In summary, this approach has resulted in the provisions of the Policy mostly
remaining unchanged, with the Steering Committee only revising the rates per bay and
restricting the total amount of bays, which can be substituted with cash in lieu of parking, to
be no greater than 20 per cent of the total parking requirement.
The TPSR Steering Committee determined that the cash in lieu payment will be calculated
according to the following rates:
• Floreat Forum and Medical Zone - $30,000 per bay;
• Cambridge High Street and Southport Street commercial nodes - $15,000 per bay;
• Wembley Town Centre - $5,000 per bay; and
• Other commercial centres - $5,000 per bay.
As part of the overall review of Town Planning Scheme No. 1. Council may also choose to
pursue an amendment to the Scheme to include a cash in lieu of parking clause. A similar
provision could be included in the minor town planning scheme for West Leederville. The
intention being to reinforce and strengthen the application of cash in lieu of parking when
applied as a condition of planning approval.
Potential Multi-Level Public Car Park Sites
A specific task in the study was to examine options for the construction of additional public
parking in multi-level car parks to be funded by cash in lieu. Potential sites were selected
and examined and a preferred site identified. In summary, the strategy recommended that
the Town urgently purchase, or otherwise secure land that will be necessary for these car
parks. It was concluded that the purchase of land and the eventual construction of deck
parking will most likely be financed largely by cash in lieu funds.
Since the completion of the Strategy one of the identified sites has been the subject of a
development approval and the Town no longer has the option of purchasing the site or
entering into negotiations with the land owner. This has confirmed the view that the Town
should consider a proactive approach to investigating the potential of a number of sites.
Alongside this, the Town's financial capacity to facilitate or undertake the development of
public parking on the sites identified in the Strategy, and by the Steering Committee, has
also come into question. It has also become apparent that exploring the strategic and
financial potential of sites may include investigating the feasibility of partnerships with private
parking operators. In considering locations for future public parking, potential options will
most likely be restricted to those where the Town either owns or has long-term tenure over
the land. Construction of parking bays can also be delayed as the accumulation of funds
from cash in lieu is dependent upon the rate at which property development occurs.
In this regard the Steering Committee views the Strategy as providing a guide to developing
a plan to identify and prioritise potential sites for the construction of parking to serve the
commercial centres.
The Steering Committee has also requested that further investigation be undertaken into the
application of cash in lieu funds for the purpose of developing Council owned land for public
parking in the West Leederville commercial areas.
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