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Should we encourage more exciting central city development by relaxing the amount of parking private businesses must provide?
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Right now a lot of space in the central city is being taken up by private parking spaces. If you take a look at a aerial shot of Hamilton, there is a huge opportunity to encourage that space to be devloped for more exciting things. Instead of requiring private businesses to allow for a set amount of carparks we could negotiate the amount or get developers to pay a fee for the number of parks they provide so they can better understand the value of them.
What do you think?
This online discussion forum has concluded. You can still browse the site but the discussion area will no longer accept new comments or votes.
Comment 1 1 Sep 2010, 2:25 PM
I agree that we already have sufficient parking in the central city. Because the central area is depicted as vehicle friendly, it is natural for the vehicle user to expect to be able to park close to where they wish to shop and therefore create an impression that more parking is required. Surely, encouraging more parking facilities is sending the wrong message. Although I acknowledge that recent changes to Victoria and Hood Streets are an improvement, further changes need to be implemented.
1. All streets used for motorised traffic need to be at least 450 mm below footpath level. A more…
Comment 1.1 16 Sep 2010, 1:29 PM
Sounds sensible except for the 450mm cliff the edge of the footpath, we need to stick to widely used and proven methods to make our footpaths safer. Like the rails on victoria st.
Comment 1.2 17 Sep 2010, 11:11 AM
Thanks for your feedback. Council agrees that agree that allowing a new way of providing for carparks in the city could provide for some exciting opportunities for new development
Comment 2 14 Sep 2010, 4:29 PM
By adding friendlier public transport, and safer walk-ways, cycle ways, etc. you eliminate the need for employers to provide car parks. Instead of negotiating with an employer to remove an employee car park, why not incentivise the use of public transport with reduced rates for businesses who's employees carpool, walk, bus, cycle to work?
Comment 2.1 17 Sep 2010, 11:06 AM
Thanks for your comments. Sustainable transport modes are part of the District Plan Review. The outcome Council is looking for is a sustainable , multimodal transport network that offers a range of transport options. Key to this strategy is the promotion and provision of alternatives to the private car so that when residents do travel they have choices. There are a number of ways the District Plan could provide more travel choice and support using more sustainable transport. Check out the possible solutions in the Transport Factsheet and let us know what you think. It's an easy to read two-pager you can download it by pasting this link into your browser: http://fastforwardhamilton.co.nz/document/show/10
Comment 2.1.1 17 Sep 2010, 12:50 PM
Are there any plans to install walking bridges or cycle bridges between the existing bridges for vehicles and traffic (foot/cycle and otherwise) The river walks are an amazing resource. Is it possible to create alternate (quicker) routes by creating bridges from areas like - the Miropiko reserve to Rostrevor or Riro to Collingwood?
Comment 3 19 Sep 2010, 1:21 PM
I honestly don't understand where the council and some people are getting their ideas... It seems like no-one else has been a public transport user, car driver, walker and cycler except for me! The suggestions all seemed to be biased to one form of transport or another. You cannot give up parking and easy driving for the sake of pedestrians! Yes they need to be safe... but taking up street parking and making cars drive slower is not the way to do this. Garden place for example, who really hangs out here except young people who are not contributing to more…
Comment 3.1 26 Sep 2010, 9:41 AM
I live in Dinsdale and have been to The Base once. I can find a park in town, I don't mind paying for parking with spare change (as long as its only spare change and not too expensive) for the privilege of parking close by. I prefer the service that businesses provide to in the central city as opposed to the larger scale businesses in Te Rapa (Rebel sport for example).
One error with free parking - employees of businesses will park in them if there is no disincentive not to. The best way to do this is to charge people for parking and applying time limits. Why do you think the base has a huge carpark out the back for employees?
Lastly, Jasmine's wide ranging stereotyping of buses and bus users is one of the reasons people will not go on the buses. I regularly use buses (I am a young professional) and take my son with me also. They are in a lot better state than many other forms of public transport, in NZ and abroad.
To get back on topic, yes, minimise parking requirements for central businesses.
Comment 4 22 Sep 2010, 12:34 PM
Yes. Of course, I suppose I could be being selfish about this, as I live within a 15-minute walk of the CBD, but I do so on purpose. We need to encourage more residential use of land close to and within the centre of the city. After all, it's not as if every square metre of developable space is in commercial use. Older people in particular appreciate living in secure, low-maintenance residences close to such amenities as supermarkets.
Comment 5 18 Oct 2010, 9:08 PM
We really need to get past the idea that people have to be able to drive their car to the door of the shop they want to go to. This is never going to work for more than two or three people at a time! To get around it we need a regular, efficient public transport system which removes the need for private vehicles in the CBD. Park and ride facilities on the outskirts (maybe including one at the Claudelands event centre, or the proposed parking building on the old Sonning carpark site), and cycle- and walking-friendly paths which are more…
Comment 5.1 29 Oct 2010, 12:34 AM
Some companies/corpoates in Hamilton give incentives to staff to utilise public transport, i.e. free bus passes, Wouldn't it be great if managers of some of our corporates instead of getting a "Company car" they were given a "Company transport card" so instead of having empty cars filling up car parks that aren't moved all day!
Comment 6 22 Oct 2010, 8:37 PM
Why is all the parking above ground? Why are we wasting space above ground on cars?
Comment 7 28 Oct 2010, 8:59 AM
Rather than supporting minimum amounts of car parking per business I would prefer a MAXIMUM number of car parks per business. Management of parking by restricting supply is an effective tool to maximise the use of existing facilities such as on street parking and parking buildings.
By setting a maximum limit on the number of spaces a development can put in we can avoid what has happened at the Base with its unlimited parking which promotes traffic, congestion and excessive vehicle pollution.
Setting a maximum number of car parks per developed site also promotes compact urban form, absorbs rainwater leading to lower storm water infrastructure costs, promotes active travel, and more fairly places the cost of providing car parking on those responsible; car users.
Comment 8 29 Oct 2010, 12:50 AM
I think the Garden Place development is a huge waste of money, specifically the road through to Wards St. Inner city os not pedestrian or biking friendly, yet many have been requesting this for years. Parking buildings or many floor areas of buildings are going to be the only way to accommodate an inner city parking nightmare that it is at present, perhaps some form of solar power generation on the buildings to generate power to offset costs of providing free parking. Personally I haven't driven to work for 10 years prefer to bike, its quicker abd cheaper! But not safer! Public Transpot needs encouragement and publicised, don't let up, keep the marketing going, it's a catch 22 situation so provide incentives. Perhaps businesses should subsides as it is those people that need ot make the central city work for them not the community at large (council) they are preferring places like "The Base", unfortunate but true. The only good thing I think about the Hamilton V8 race is that you see 40 year old petrol heads using the buses over the race period!
Comment 9 29 Oct 2010, 3:35 PM
I tend to have to agree (albeit reluctantly) with some of the points above. Although my primary mode of transport is a bicycle, I also walk, drive and bus.
I don't agree with minimum private parking requirements to allow businesses to open, and I definately don't agree with the rising cost of public transport. I believe if our bus system was better maintained, cheaper and easier to utilise, it would be used more , by more people than those who absolutely have to.
I know the bus drivers get a raw deal, but often international visitors I have to stay have remarked on how rude and unfriendly the drivers and other passengers were.
Cost wise there are people I work with who feel they have to drive their cars to work because it is CHEAPER! Which I feel is amazing, their cars take a space all day.
I feel that fostering local businesses and transport should be separate issues.
