BATHURST Regional Council will review its Section 94 Plan to consider whether businesses outside the main business district should be held to the same parking requirements as those in the centre of town.
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The question was posed as councillors last week agreed to vary the car parking requirements in approving a development application for the Dudley Hotel on Stewart Street.
The DA sought council approval for the hotel to continue using an existing function room and outdoor deck that had not previously had consent granted.
When the new areas were included in floor space calculations, though, the number of parking spaces required rose from the current 29 to 34, leaving the pub five spots short.
Licensee Robert Taylor wrote to council seeking a variation to the car parking provisions for a number of reasons, including:
- Ample on-street parking is available close to the hotel.
- The hotel is within walking distance of the Bathurst CBD.
- Even in peak periods the hotel’s car park is not full.
- The hotel provides a courtesy bus for patrons.
Acting envrionmental planning and building services director Richard Denyer recommended councillors approve the variation but noted in his report that where businesses within the CBD would be required to make a financial contribution to council as penalty for not providing enough car spaces, the rules did not apply to business on the fringe of the CBD, including the Dudley Hotel.
Councillor Ian North also pointed out the anomaly and called for a review of the parking requirements.
“We get Section 94 contributions from CBD businesses that cannot achieve the correct parking ratios but we ask for nothing from the businesses on the fringe of the city,” he said.
“The way Bathurst is expanding, though, perhaps we need a fall-back like $2000 for each car space they fall short for businesses in the CBD and $1500 for businesses on the edge of town.”
