THAMES COROMANDEL DISTRICT COUNCIL SOUTH MERCURY BAY AREA PARKING STRATEGY

Transcription

1 1 P a g e Attachment A 1. STRATEGY PURPOSE AND CONTEXT THAMES COROMANDEL DISTRICT COUNCIL SOUTH MERCURY BAY AREA PARKING STRATEGY The purpse f this parking strategy is t prvide an utline f the way in which the cuncil and cmmunity will respnd t the n-ging cngestin and parking issues assciated with turism and grwth in the Suth Mercury Bay area. This strategy has been develped t alleviate current cngestin issues and deal with the demands future grwth. It is accmpanied by a high level actin plan in Attachment B, which details the nature f the wrks planned fr each individual area/service. What is the Mercury Bay Suth Area? The Mercury Bay Suth Area is brdered t the suth by the Whitianga Estuary, the Waiwawa River and the suthern bundary f the Mercury Bay Ward f the Thames Crmandel District Cuncil. A map shwing the area is attached. Why d we need a Parking Strategy? At present and fr the freseeable future parking demand utweighs supply in the Mercury Bay Suth area, particularly during peak times, causing cngestin issues; There has been significant grwth in turists and visitr numbers and this trend is expected t cntinue; There has been grwth in Whitianga residential ppulatin and nearby cmmunities; The intrductin f the Castal Walkway and WW1 Frests prjects will prvide anther turist attractin t the area; T ensure parking demand is managed hlistically and effectively by strategic pricing and bylaws t incentivise desired behaviurs; Recent MWH Reprt cnsideratins and recmmendatins suggest an all-encmpassing strategy is needed; What d we have currently and what's in prgress? There are a number f existing carparks as well as a peak summer bus services and a year rund Ferry service (frm Whitianga t ferry Landing), which have evlved as needs have arisen. The key sites and services are utlined belw: Grange Rad Carpark 1 carpark accmmdating 46 spaces Currently free parking fr cars and buses wned and managed by DOC; Ht Water Beach Carparks 4 carparks accmmdating a ttal f 203 spaces as fllws: Pye Place pay n display 56 spaces at $4/hr r $25 per day and free fr lcal residents living within the area brdered by Bat Harbur Rad, SH25, Ht Water Beach Rad, Link Rad and the Rby prperty.

2 2 P a g e Taiwawe / Bull Paddck 65 spaces $2.00 per hur r $15.00 per day and free fr lcal residents living within the area brdered by Bat Harbur Rad, SH25, Ht Water Beach Rad, Link Rad and the Rby prperty. Surfers Carpark 57 spaces Free Overflw Parking - 25 spaces Free Hahei Village Entrance Rad Reserve unfrmed temprary car park- 129 spaces Free Ferry Landing - 28 spaces plus 20 n the rad - Free Cemetery near Ferry Landing 60 spaces Free Stella Evered 20 spaces - Free Year rund ferry service frm Ferry Landing t Whitianga ($6.00 return); Limited cmmercial shuttle service frm Ferry Landing t Ht Water Beach via Cks Beach and Hahei run during the peak summer perid frm 28 th December t end f Easter break. Park and ride bus service frm Hahei Village Entrance Rad Reserve car park t Grange Rad car park frm 28 th December t end f January. T cmpliment / enhance the existing car parks Cuncil als has the fllwing initiatives / develpments in prgress: Village Entrance Carpark in prgress due fr cmpletin Nvember 2016 Currently 129 infrmal parks (Will be 194 spaces when cmpleted); Lee s Rad Carpark due t cmmence cnstructin by January 2017 (Stage 1 will be spaces, and Stage 2 will be a further 350 spaces in the future when needed); Expressins f Interest (EOI) fr methds f crssing the Purangi Estuary between Hahei and Cks Beach. Evaluatin f the feasibility f establishing a car park at the ld Purangi Landfill site Cnsideratin f Purangi Reserve as an area fr lnger-term parking if/when needed 2. STAKEHOLDERS AND INTERESTED PARTIES There are a wide range f stakehlders and interested parties which include but are nt limited t: Thames Crmandel District Cuncil Department f Cnservatin Ngati Hei Mercury Bay Cmmunity Bard Cmmunity Ratepayer and Resident Grups Mercury Bay Business Assciatin Hahei Business Assciatin Owners / Residents f Castal Prperties Users f the Castal Envirnment including Turists Wider Mercury Bay Prperty Owners & Residents Lcal Supprt / Vlunteer Grups Waikat Reginal Cuncil NZTA

3 3 P a g e Castal Envirnment Grups e.g. Frest & Bird Prtectin Sciety Key Stakehlders Grups including transprt peratrs, ferry peratr, cmmercial business peratrs Walks Gvernance Bard Walks Prject Bard The Area Office and Prject Bard in cnsultatin with relevant stakehlders will play a key part in implementing this Parking Strategy and Actin Plan and influencing its directin and pririties as it is delivered. It is als imprtant t acknwledge that the Walks prject has established a three-way partnership between the key partners f TCDC, Ngati Hei and DOC. Each f these parties have prvided input int this strategy and will cntinue t d s thrughut the prcess f strategy develpment. Once the strategy has been agreed and apprved TCDC will prgress the agreed Actin Plan, including seeking any necessary cnsents and prperty rights required. 3. CURRENT ENVIRONMENT The fllwing is a brief summary f the views and aspiratins expressed by a number f stakehlders / interest grups. In sme cases different grups have expressed ppsing views. Arrangements made fr traffic mvement and parking need t dissuade peple frm taking vehicles int Hahei Village and parking n the streets and get them t park at the Village Entrance r ther car parks. The Hahei Village Entrance Car Park shuld be free f charge s that visitrs d nt enter the village and park fr free n the streets. Planning needs t cmmence nw t increase car park capacity at Hahei Village entrance based n the grwth prjectins. Ktare Reserve shuld nt be used fr verflw parking. Ftpaths linkages frm the Village entrance car park t the shps and beach need t be imprved t encurage peple t use them. Creating a pedestrian friendly envirnment in Hahei needs t be part f future planning. Parking restrictins are nt apprpriate in Hahei. Grange Rad car park shuld be drp f nly at least ver the peak perid. The park and ride service frm Hahei Village car park t Grange Rad and a shuttle bus service frm ther car parks are essential. Tur buses shuld park in the car parks and nt n street in the villages. A charge culd be made fr the use f public tilets. Lees Rad shuld be upgraded fr its entire length (widened where necessary and sealed). Parking shuld be restricted t residents nly n Hahei Village streets. Signage at the intersectin f Link Rad and Hahei Rad shuld direct peple t the businesses in Hahei including thse ffering alternative water based methds f accessing Cathedral Cve. Need t ensure sat nav prviders have up t date and accurate infrmatin s that peple are directed t the service they are seeking. If Whitianga is t be the hub fr visitrs accessing suth Mercury Bay there is a need t ensure Hahei accmmdatin prviders are nt left ut when visitrs are seeking places t stay. There shuld be n businesses perating at the Lees Rad car park but instead

4 4 P a g e infrmatin directing peple t Hahei t use the services f the businesses there. Lees Rad car park shuld be free s that visitrs d nt park in Lees Rad r vercrwd the Stella Everard car park. Further discussin is needed regarding if r when parking needs t be frmalised at the Purangi estuary. There are significant envirnmental issues with a crssing at the Purangi muth, which wuld create a physical barrier. Sme frm f water based crssing may be mre sustainable but lng term a walk arund the estuary wuld be mre acceptable. 4. PARKING STRATEGY GUIDING PRINCIPLES The fllwing shall be the guiding principles fr the management f parking in Suth Mercury Bay: a) Imprve, extend and prmte the use f public transprt including buses, shuttles and park and ride services as a means t reduce parking demand. Encurage private enterprise prvisin f these services where apprpriate; b) Ensure there is a pricing differential fr shuttle use vs carpark use. i.e. discunted shuttle use if they shw their carpark ticket; c) Encurage visitrs t use Whitianga as a base and t use public transprt in the frm f the ferry and buses t access all attractins in the Suth Mercury Bay area; d) Encurage cmmercial peratrs t use the established carparks rather than beach frnt areas; e) Prvide a bus service t all lcatins in Suth Mercury Bay, including Cks Beach, Purangi Estuary, Lees Rad, Hahei, Ht Water Beach; f) Ensure public transprt facilities, lcatins and timetables are well-advertised via web and GPS applicatins where cst-effective; g) Establish a pricing hierarchy with differential charges that encurage turists and visitrs t use public transprt services; h) Where visitrs chse t drive t Suth Mercury Bay ensure the car park facilities encurage the use f the car parks as a base frm which t use public transprt t visit ther lcatins; i) Develp a staged apprach t implementing carparks and assciated bylaws t ultimately eliminate car parking n beachfrnts and in culturally sensitive areas; j) Prtect and enhance lcal cmmercial activities as pprtunities arise; k) Ensure marketing and signage is apprpriately designed and placed t prmte the desired behaviurs; l) T encurage maximum use f available parking spaces in each car park develp a demandbased pricing strategy Seasnal (peak summer, shulder seasns and ff peak winter) Daily peaks (e.g. 10am-4pm, lw tide at HWB); and implement time limited parking at sites where capacity issues are present. (e.g. maximum 4 hurs); m) Implement user pays fr sealed and established carparks, with free use fr lcals where it is nt detrimental t the main purpse f the car park; n) Ensure that car parks are linked t services and facilities by well frmed pathways; ) Where feasible prvide additinal free r lw cst temprary/verflw carparks in peak times; p) Where a charge is made fr a car park use the pay and display methd r cntrlled entry and exit;

5 5 P a g e q) Restrict r prhibit parking and/r establish parking time limits in streets where ff street car parks have been established t encurage use f established car parks; r) Ensure effective mnitring and enfrcement f Bylaws; s) If enfrcement requirements warrant it, establish a full time lcal enfrcement fficer rle; t) Mnitr traffic vlumes and cngestin ht spts t reprt and review the strategy and actin plan at least annually r as needed. 5. IMPLEMENTATION STEPS AND TIMING The Parking Strategy is supprted by the attached High Level Actin Plan. These will need t be implemented at the same time as a staged prcess and as sn as practical nce apprved by Cuncil. The fllwing key steps shall frm the basis fr the implementatin and management f the Mercury Bay Parking Strategy: a. Further cnsultatin with affected parties and key stakehlders and agreement f guiding principles and high level strategy frm the fllwing parties: i. Prject Team / Area ffice - early July COMPLETED ii. TCDC Legal early July COMPLETED iii. Prject Bard mid July - COMPLETED iv. Mayr's feedback - mid July COMPLETED v. Key Stakehlders Wrking Grup 26 August 2016 (rescheduled frm 10 August 2016 vi. Lee s Rad Residents August / September 2016 vii. Mercury Bay Cmmunity Bard 24 August 2016 viii. Gvernance Bard September 2016 b) Develp cmmunicatins and cnsultatin plan August / September 2016 c) Prceed with wider stakehlder and interested party cnsultatin September 2016 d) Cnsider feedback frm wider stakehlder grups and interested parties September 2016 e) Develp a signage plan fr each site / area t infrm the desired behaviurs September 2016 f) Seek final sign ff n strategy frm Prject Bard and Cuncillrs Octber 2016 g) Implement Cmmunicatins Plan including the develpment f apprpriate signage and supprting infrastructure Nvember 2016 nwards h) Further develpment and implementatin f the High Level Actin Plan Nvember 2016 nwards i) Mnitring f the Strategy and adaptatin where required. - nging