The developer of The Oxford Hotel will be required to pay a contribution to Bathurst Regional Council for a shortfall of parking, but the amount is much less than originally recommended.
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A rescission motion put to an extraordinary meeting of council on Wednesday was successful in reversing last week's decision to scrap the $228,000 contribution.
The original decision was opposed by deputy mayor Ian North and councillors John Fry and Graeme Hanger, while mayor Bobby Bourke and councillors Warren Aubin, Alex Christian, Jess Jennings and Monica Morse supported it.
Cr Jacqui Rudge was absent from the December 9 meeting, but on Wednesday voted to support the rescission motion.
Cr Morse had a change of heart from the previous week.
"Although I felt that it was an awful lot of money for any developer to have to pay before it expanded its business ... we made the rules back in 2014 and I think we have to stick with the rules," she said.
The initial recommendation from staff was that there was a shortfall of 12 spots and the developer would have to pay per $18,961.40 per space.
Council will grant an exemption for six spaces, leaving the developer to pay $113,768.40 for the remaining six spaces.
Council also resolved to defer the payment for up to 12 months and to review its parking policy.
The review could take up to nine months, and it has the potential to further benefit the developer in this case.
"In most cases I can remember where policies have changed, in six to nine months we should have it done and dusted," Cr North said.
"... [The developer] has had 12 months deferral of payment. We've done our review and maybe found out our planning, we can do it better, a better contribution."
While most councillors were satisfied with the compromise, not all supported it.
Councillors Warren Aubin, Jess Jennings and Graeme Hanger voted against it.
Part of their concerns was putting a policy decision within a determination for a development application.
"I can accept what Cr North, Cr Jennings and Cr Morse all have said that we need to review the policy. I don't think this needs to be in here," Cr Hanger said.
He also said he thought councillors were "making ourselves look stupid" by making six spaces exempt.
