Northern Beaches Council to review rules on long term boat, trailer parking on backstreets
A spike in complaints from residents frustrated at having to battle for scarce kerbside parking with “unattended” boats, trailers and caravans, has prompted a rules review by Northern Beaches Council.
Manly
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Authorities are set to get tough on boat, trailer and caravan owners who leave their vehicles parked for “months on end” in residential and industrial areas on the northern beaches.
A spike in complaints about backstreets becoming “chockers” with vehicles taking up scarce kerbside parking has prompted Northern Beaches Council to investigate the rules around “unattended” vehicles.
The council has passed a motion calling on its staff to report on its current powers to stop parking on streets in residential and industrial areas for long periods.
It will also examine the impact of parked boat, trailer and other large vehicles on residents and businesses, focusing on safety, traffic flow and reduced parking for locals.
And council staff will look at setting aside designated parking areas for these vehicles.
Once the report is handed to the council, in four months time, it will consider calling on NSW parliament MPs on the northern beaches to lobby the State Government to change laws to allow council to “develop and enforce rules consistent with its residents’ needs”.
As part of current government rules on “unattended vehicles in public places”, registered, roadworthy vehicles parked in the same spot on a residential street for more than 28 days, must be moved, or risk a $660 fine.
Owners have 15 days to move the vehicle, once they have been notified.
In moving the notice of motion about boat and trailer parking, Liberal councillor Karina Page said the parked vehicles were a safety risk that disrupted sightlines for pedestrians and car drivers.
“By reviewing and implementing effective measures to manage boat and trailer parking, we can enhance the safety and accessibility of our roads for everyone,” Cr Page said.
“The long term parking of boats and trailers diminishes the aesthetic appeal and liveability of our neighbourhoods.
“Residents face reduced parking availability, leading to frustration and inconvenience.”
Cr Page said setting up designated, safe parking and storage areas could “alleviate pressure on our residential streets”.
Greens councillor Kristyn Glanville said parking issues “seemed to prompt a lot of neighbourhood disputes” and that was not “not good for the community’s wellbeing”.
Good For Manly independent Candy Bingham said around Manly and Little Manly “we are chockers with boats”.
“I suspect many of them are not from the area,” Cr Bingham said.
“And they get left there for months and months and months on end.”
Independent councillor Vincent De Luca, who seconded the motion, pointed out that local tradespeople, in an effort to save money, were using trailers parked on the street as de facto storage facilities for their tools and materials.
THE RULES FOR LEAVING VEHICLES IN PUBLIC PLACES: Source: NSW Office of Local Government
As part of NSW Government rules on vehicles, including boat trailers, other trailers and caravans left in public places, local councils can notify the owner that their vehicle is causing a safety risk or an obstruction or has been left unattended in one place for too long.
— If the vehicle is causing an obstruction or safety risk it must be removed immediately;
— If unregistered, and left in place for more than three days, it must be removed within 15 days of the owner being notified;
— If registered, but unable to be legally driven (e.g. due to damage), and left unattended in one place for three days, it must be moved within 15 days of the owner being notified.
— If registered and left unattended in one place for more than 28 days, it must be moved within 15 days of the owner being notified.
— If the vehicle is not moved within the time frames, the council may move the vehicle causing a safety risk or an obstruction to a safer place in the same general area, or take possession of the vehicle and move it to a place of storage, and issue a fine.
— Fines of $660 apply for leaving a vehicle unattended
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