Weddin Shire Councillors have voted to only consider 45 degree reverse parking in its Main Street renewal investigations.
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Councillors voted for the change at their meeting last week after the matter was raised by Cr John Niven.
Councillor's Bembrick, Best and Parlett left the meeting while the matter was discussed and didn't take part in the vote as they own or run businesses in Main Street.
When a motion was put to the meeting, moved by Cr Niven and seconded by Cr O'Byrne it received support from councillors Brown and McKellar.
A consultancy firm, Clouston Associates, has been asked to carry out a detailed investigation for a plan of Main Street.
Council was expecting the plan to be ready for its August council meeting.
It is not known if last week's change will delay the report.
Cr Niven told the meeting he was concerned the plan for Main Street had "just become a referendum on nose in parking".
"If we keep going down this track we'll get one option with nose in parking and one option of rear parking.
Cr Niven told the Grenfell Record the community "does not want nose-in parking".
He said the proposal for nose in parking appeared to "drift in" to council consideration without a resolution from councillors.
In a report presented to council last September councillors were told the objectives of the renewal program were to:
- Encourage development of the town's economy and services to reinforce Grenfell's status as the popular business and services hub of the district;
- Support programs and projects which integrate the CBD with its district through social connectivity, physical connectivity and digital connectivity;
- Prioritise projects and activities offering skills development and employment opportunities to help grow the local economy;
- Amend land-use zoning around Main Street to facilitate mixed use development and specifically deliver a variety of new residential options;
- Identify and promote opportunities in Grenfell for tourism accommodation, aged accommodation and convenient access to medical facilities Adopt planning and traffic management initiatives that encourage investment in conservation of the CBD to broaden tourist appeal;
- Respect the architectural character, pedestrian amenity and social activity that distinguish Grenfell to reinforce local pride and enhance the towns liveability;
- Build on Grenfell's heritage and the creative culture of the Weddin community to ensure the centre's streetscapes maintain an authentic identity and tourist appeal.
"Essentially, the improvements to the streetscape are proposed with limited intervention into the carriageway or disturbance of existing service infrastructure of Main Street or its major intersections. Parking and traffic circulation are rearranged, predominately within the existing kerb and roundabout provisions," Councillors were told.
In September 2018 councillors were told the plan included reduced vehicle speed in Main Street through narrow entrances, parallel parking in standard size bays along both sides the length of the street and central ninety-degree parking in extra wide bays (3m), along the full street length plus provision of ample numbers of disabled parking bays at optimum locations.
"First and foremost, however, the Concept should be reviewed for operational practicality and for community appreciation," the councillors were told in 2018.