Queenstown Lakes District Council staff have recommended in a report that some parking time limits between the Lake Wanaka Centre and the Bullock Bar be increased to 120 minutes.
The changes are among a host of proposals that, while not providing more parks in the central business district, attempt to address traffic congestion, turnover and availability problems.
Wanaka Four Square Supermarket owner James Backhouse yesterday told the community board he had canvassed his neighbours and the Wanaka Chamber of Commerce chairman, Leigh Stock, after becoming aware of the proposed changes on Monday.
About 70% of the people he spoke to had significant concerns about the impact a parking limit of 120 minutes would have on business, and felt 60 minutes was adequate, he said.
The real issue was, there were not enough parks.
This made it hard for everybody.
The Wanaka transport strategy recognised the importance of business in the town centre, and that "retail objectives should lead, rather than follow, transportation objectives", Mr Backhouse said.
The lack of traffic turnover created by longer parking times stifled the development of Ardmore St, which would become a parking precinct, he said.
"Pretty much everyone has asked me to say that two hours should get removed from the proposal prior to it going out for consultation."
The proposal suggests, among other things, removing: three bus stops, 90 all-day parks, 70 one-hour parks, and 45 three-hour parks; and adding: one taxi stand, three loading zones for goods and passengers (including buses), 189 two-hour parks, and 22 half-hour parks.
The total number of parks in the CBD is 775, and that does not change in the proposal.
The review tightened up a previously "relaxed approach to parking", Queenstown Lakes District Council transport planning manager, Denis Mander, said in his report.
Asked by the board to comment on Mr Backhouse's concerns, Mr Mander said they were pertinent, and a 60-minute limit around the commercial area could be seen as consistent with greater traffic turnover.
The consultation document could be changed to leave Ardmore St parking restrictions as they were but recommend relaxation in some places, he said.
Board chairman Lyal Cocks noted the time limits had recently been increased from 30 to 60 minutes, to try and make better use of the parks.
The best site for a taxi stand was also discussed.
Some board members suggested the proposed taxi stand be outside Racer's Edge and United Travel, on Ardmore St; while others thought it should be outside Paper Plus, on Dunmore St.
A call for public submissions will be made this week, with submissions closing in mid-December.
The parking bylaw change will be processed early next year.
