Heavy trucks may be banned from parking in residential areas in the Waitaki district, after a complaint by an Oamaru resident about the effect they have on amenity values.
Yesterday, the Waitaki District Council's committee of the whole considered submissions that had been made on a review of its roading bylaw, during which Bruce Comfort pointed out there were no controls in the draft bylaw on heavy vehicles parking in residential areas.
In particular he was critical of large trucks with side curtains that had colourful or intrusive advertising parked outside houses and affecting views.
Council staff had proposed no change be made to the bylaw and said the rights of residents (some of whom may be truck drivers) and the rights of drivers to use the road corridor had to be balanced.
Restrictions would affect the ability of others to carry out their normal business activities, particularly where there was a mixture of residential and business properties.
There had been no other submissions on the issue, so it was not regarded as a widespread problem, staff said.
However, Cr Hugh Perkins believed class 4 heavy goods vehicles did not belong in residentially zoned areas. They should be banned from parking overnight, but vehicles such as trades vans and light trucks would not be affected.
If adjoining property owners did not complain about a truck parked outside, nothing would happen, but where there were concerns there should be a bylaw so there was not ''neighbour-to-neighbour battles''.
Assets group manager Neil Jorgensen said if that change was introduced into the bylaw, it would require further consultation, because others in the community affected by it had not had a chance to put their views.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton said it was obnoxious residents had to put up with large heavy vehicles parked legally outside their properties.
The committee has recommended the council instruct officers to prepare a policy for consultation on parking large heavy vehicles in residential areas.
It also recommended the council adopt the roading bylaw 2013 after further amendments based on submissions.
That included setting a speed limit of 30kmh on roads within the Centennial Park sporting area, for safety reasons, and restrictions on how often stock could be moved over roads.david.bruce@odt.co.nz
