Bilinga residents stung by Gold Coast Council’s parking change on Golden Four Drive

CHANGES to regulated parking in residential streets on the southern Gold Coast have addressed the issue of airport passengers using ‘free’ parking. But now residents are the ones being penalised.

A GOLD Coast City Council bid to free-up on-street parking along Golden Four Drive at Bilinga is causing headaches for locals.

Warren Baker, who moved from Arundel six months ago with his family into their three-bedroom duplex with two garage spots at Bilinga, said he was ineligible for a resident parking permit because his home was not a “house’’.

Warren baker with the offending ticket. Picture: Jerad Williams

“Yet under the council’s parking policy if we were a freestanding three-bedroom house with two off-street car parks, we would qualify for an on-street parking permit — go figure,” he said.

GOLD COAST CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS PARKING CRACKDOWN

Resident parking permits are available for residents who live within a time-restricted parking area and have limited off-street parking. The permit allows residents to park for an unlimited period of time in a time-restricted parking area, subject to conditions.

“Instead we have to apply for and purchase a visitor’s permit for $88, which we must renew each year. And we can only have one,’’ he said.

“My daughter just received a $75 fine for parking outside our property last week, when she forgot to move her car while caring for our dog.’’

Bilinga resident Warren Baker is unhappy with council’s crackdown. Picture: Jerad Williams

In January the council enforced new parking conditions, from unlimited to strict four-hour timeslots, on the southern end of Golden Four Drive to deter jetsetters from taking up spaces.

“There were a lot of people parking their cars for days on end and walking over to the airport to avoid parking fees,” Mr Baker said.

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“Now on any given day if you walk outside our property there are several hundred metres of potential car spaces that are not being used.”

A parking ticket Warren received. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mr Baker said he had approached the council several times but received no written response.

It was only after persistent contact that an officer spoke to him.

“I tried to be reasonable when I spoke to the gentleman,” he said.

“My grievance is that the policy is wrong. In terms of the rejection of my application for an on-street parking permit, I understand they’re just following their rules.”

Mr Baker said the council listened to his comments and was looking into potential changes for who is eligible for on-street parking, even if they live in duplexes or apartment buildings.

“They said they will look at the policies, but with the red tape of getting changes passed through council, it could take up to 12 months.”

Bilinga resident Warren Baker said council’s parking permit policies need to be reviewed. His daughter received a parking ticket outside their Golden Four Drive property because the family is ineligible for a permit. Picture: Jerad Williams

Division 14 councillor Gail O’Neill agreed the policies, around duplex owners and apartment owners being ineligible for permits, were outdated.

“It’s a law that’s years old and council probably hasn’t kept up with the changes like we should have,” she said.

“Things have changed over the years. People own more cars than they did when the policies were first implemented.”

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Mr Baker’s grievance is just one example Cr O’Neill hopes to address at Mayor Tom Tate’s citywide councillor workshop on parking to be held on Monday.

“We need to nut out the issues of how much it will cost council, how much ratepayers will need to fork out. That will all play a part in our recommendations,’’ she said.

“I won’t be at all surprised if there are a number of calls for change.

“These things don’t happen overnight, but you’ve got to start somewhere.”