Watsons Bay parking: Woollahra Council votes for legal advice around residents parking

An eastern suburbs council will spend further ratepayer funds investigating potential legal issues around residents-only parking at a tourist hot spot – after a recommendation was proposed to change the scheme.

Watson's Bay and Camp Cove. Picture: David Swift.

An eastern suburbs council has agreed to outlay ratepayer funds to re-examine a parking scheme that may have existed for 50 years, after a proposal to replace visitor-only spots with timed parking faced fierce resident backlash.

Woollahra Council passed a motion – first proposed at its September 11 meeting – to allocate up to $25k for a second legal opinion after the proposal revealed potential rule breaches to the council.

A report shared with the Woollahra traffic committee which recommended the introduction of two-hour timed parking on streets at Watsons Bay – to replace existing resident-only permit parking – has faced stiff opposition from locals since it was brought to the council in August.

The proposed change would impact 65 car spots along a string of streets at the harbourside suburb nearby popular tourist destinations Camp Cove and Watsons Bay Beach.

Crowds at Camp Cove Beach, a popular tourist destination in the summer months. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Since then, a raft of residents have made their opposition to the plans known, with a crowd addressing September’s Woollahra traffic committee meeting, supported by letters to the council.

They have argued the plan would increase rather than reduce fierce competition for parking during peak periods. The traffic committee was unable to come to an agreement with the four members split on the proposed change.

Now, another twist could threaten Watsons Bay residents’ valued parking protections.

Legal advice tabled at the council’s September 12 meeting revealed the scheme – which features signage stating “no parking – permit holders excepted” – could expose it to legal risk because it was available exclusively.

Tuesday’s meeting saw the council vote 14 to one to approve expenditure of up to $25k for a written legal opinion by a senior counsel on the existing Watsons Bay parking arrangements.

Sydney city skyline seen from Watson Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Picture: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images.

The legal advice would also advise council on “what resolutions can be passed in the event that we have two conflicting pieces of advice; and “the likelihood of any such resolutions being challenged”.

Council papers tabled with the original motion suggested the increased turnover of parked cars would ease problems during the peak summer period when congestion was highest.

Residents First Councillor Harriet Price, who represented the sole vote against further investigation of the legalities of the existing scheme, previously told the council she believed they were “privatising a public road” by continuing the existing system.

Former Woollahra mayor, councillor Susan Wynne, said claims the council was seen to be “elitist” in protecting its residents parking were “incredibly offensive” given the local area did not charge for parking compared with other local councils with popular tourist spots.

Student Super's Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Maloney.

Watsons Bay Association leader Andrew Maloney said it was “sad” the issue had become a “postcode war”.

Mr Maloney said two-hour timed parking would have a limited benefit to visitors looking to enjoy the beach compared with improving public transport, which was at “absolute bursting capacity”.

He said he hoped the outcome from the council would protect the residents’ parking as he believed people should be able to park within a kilometre of where they lived.

“The question here is; is there a social benefit to having a viable functioning residential community at a heritage precinct? And if there is, then can we allocate a little bit of parking so they can park in the same suburb as where they live?

“It’s a proposal where everyone loses – visitors and locals.”