Posted 27/3/06

Macedon Ranges' Guardian, Friday 24 March 2006

By Don Gunn

Macedon Ranges Shire has developed a new plan (above) for the provision of parking required by its consent agreement reached last year in VCAT.

Last Friday, Justice Stuart Morris, VCAT chief, presided at a directions hearing of a request for enforcement of the parking provisions which form part of the shire's planning permit for the Kyneton Mechanics Institute redevelopment.

He declined a shire request to dismiss the application for enforcement and gave it until April 4 to produce a plan which showed how it intended to comply with parking requirements.

Justice Morris set April 10 for a full day hearing.

The new map is undated, and was obtained by a ratepayer who observed council officers earlier this week in the Mechanics precinct discussing its detail.  She got the map simply by asking engineering officer David Serpell for a copy.

Both Crs Guthrie and Gyorffy had previously asked for a copy of the parking plans, without success.

EXTRA SPACES

The plan proposes creating extra spaces in both Baynton and Simpson streets, utilising the area of the children's crossing in both streets for two and three part-time unmarked spaces.

In Baynton street, one space will be created between the entrance-exit lanes to the Safeway car park and a possible eight (angled) or three parallel spaces immediately adjacent and direct opposite the children's playground area. 

These may extend into part of the rounded-off area which closes Baynton street at the Mollison street end.

In Simpson street it is proposed to create five unmarked spaces at weekends and in the evening by utilising the present school bus zone.

Map details were expected to be discussed by councillors at their meeting in Woodend on Wednesday night, where David Serpell had a report up for discussion on the safety of parking in both Simpson and Baynton streets. 

This report came as a result of a petition presented to council on October 15 last year which raised parking safety concerns.  The report concluded that it would be 'counter-productive' to change parking back to parallel in both streets.  *  Further report, Tuesday's Midland Express.