A major overhaul of car parking in central Oamaru, including the possibility of free parking, is being investigated by the Waitaki District Council, with Oamaru businesses asked to give their opinions at a meeting tomorrow evening.
The review is because the pay-and-display machines are at the end of their life and the council commissioned a report, "Oamaru Town Centre Parking Management Study", from consultants.
That report looks at five options to replace the ailing pay-and-display machines and comes up with a recommendation new ones be installed.
Options involve how to increase revenue to recover the costs.
That would mean parking fees increasing from 60c an hour to $1 on street parks, and 80c an hour or $4 a day in off-street parks, with businesses covering any loss through increased rates.
The fifth option was to have free parking, but with time restrictions strictly enforced.
The council's assets group manager, Neil Jorgensen, said the report had not yet been considered by the council, but was expected to go to its committee of the whole next month.
That would include comments from tomorrow night's public meeting and results of a survey of businesses.
At present, a rate over a special business area in Oamaru helps pay for parking. Income from parking fees is also used on projects within the business area.
While the report favours replacing the pay-and-display machines with more sophisticated models that can accept cash or credit cards, the Waitaki branch of the Chamber of Commerce initially prefers free parking with time restrictions.
However, before it makes a recommendation to the council, it has called tomorrow night's meeting, Waitaki committee member Gary Kircher said yesterday.
"The aim is to give businesses in Oamaru who are in the business rating area and pay rates towards parking a chance to give their views," he said.
Oamaru has had pay-and-display parking for about 10 years and the machines, while now cheap to lease, were reaching the end of their life, with increasing maintenance costs.
New machines would mean "a dramatic increase" in parking charges and a loss met by an increase in the business rate.
Mr Kircher also acknowledged any option, including free parking, meant an increase in costs.
However, having free parking with time restrictions strictly enforced offered some benefits for Oamaru and businesses. It would leave more money in people's pockets to spend instead of paying for parking, time would be saved for motorists by not having to find and pay the machines, it would boost employment by increased enforcement officers and it could encourage visitors passing through Oamaru to stop.
"I believe there are some good reasons to go for free parking, even though it will increase the rate businesses have to pay," he said.
Apart from getting views on options at tomorrow's meeting, a survey form would be given to businesses to fill out and return before the chamber made a final decision.
Mr Jorgensen described tomorrow's meeting, which would be attended by council representatives, as "pre-consultation" to include with a report and recommendations.
