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It's time Manly Council did a total audit of its parking schemes rather than its continual piecemeal approach of upping fees without any consultation, upsetting locals, and then having to reverse the decision due to local outrage. This latest example of an increase from $60 to $500 for a third resident parking permit is just typical of the lack of research that goes into these decisions.
Yes, there is a black market for parking permits in Manly (because parking is so scarce) but surely it's time to do a total review of what we have, and how best to manage it. It's understood that Council's exiting car parks are under utilized anyway, with at least 20% vacancy rates most of the time. The matter isn't helped by Council's current policy to allow only 50% of parking spaces needed, provided in new developments - why? because they can charge the developer a Section 94 contribution towards the cost of providing parking in the already existing car parks. (clearly THAT isn't working!) A total audit needs to be done to sort out this mess.
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 Manly Council's decision to put on hold their controversial $85million 2015 Plan until the next council election in September is a good move.
The car park under the oval idea in particular has not proved popular with the estimated cost of $40m and a limited number of additional car parking spaces provided once the Whistler Street car park is demolished as part of the Plan, has no local support according to our research. The idea of activating some of the old lane ways and plaza spaces, however, should go ahead. What do you think?  Treasurer Mike Baird, our local member, has come through with some solid funding for projects relevant to the Northern Beaches in the State budget released yesterday. These include:
 The decision by Manly Council this week to retain the two hour free parking in the Manly CBD carparks was simply a farce! If you want to completely kill Manly, take away the free parking. The real question that should be explored is what benefit would Manly gain if three hours free parking was introduced, just like the competing shopping areas nearby. Yes, Manly is unique. It is not just shops. It's also beaches, schools, classes, community activities, a social meeting place. And locals are staying away in droves because it's just getting too hard to visit, and park in Manly. Two hours is simply not long enough.Those who do park here are constantly looking at their watches to make sure they don't go over the two hours! Council's figures show that 80% of people who use the car parks stay for two hours. Yes, $1.2m is generated by the 3rd hour but I wonder how much business is being lost because people are rushing back to move their car rather than ordering that extra coffee, popping into a shop or calling into the newsagent for example. What do you think? Is it time to review our parking approach in Manly? Would three hours free parking encourage you to come back to Manly? Do our Poll. Add your comment.  Should Manly ratepayers subsidise child care to the tune of $500,000 pa for 125 families using our facilities? This is a question being asked as the cost of providing such facilities seem to be spiraling out of control.
Local families may be faced with fee increases from $6 - $14,000 per year per child depending upon how many days they use the facility. Proposed increased fees by Council have been agitated by new federal initiatives in staff pay increases and child-to-teacher ratios which, while highly desirable, are making child care costs unsustainable and impossible for many families. What do you think should be done?    Council's flurry of new signs in The Corso have left locals scratching their heads. Why so many and why so authoritarian? And can someone please explain why a "No Entry" sign at a plaza intersection is necessary? For the small window of time that market stalls are set up here surely a ranger can keep an eye on things rather than have this dominating sign discouraging easy access by pedestrians.
What do you think? Does Manly have too many negative signs? Are these new signs necessary?  Locals are fed up with the number of boats and trailers parked on residential streets – most of them owned by people from way out of the area. Parking spaces in Manly are precious so it's time this issue is resolved, but how to fix it?
The current NSW road rules allow boats up to 7.5 metres long to be parked in public streets. However, councils do not have the power to fine boats and trailers parked in unlimited zones. Should there be time limits, fees or other restrictions in place? What do you think?  You could be forgiven for thinking you were walking down 'Used Car Alley' in Parramatta Road rather than The Corso Manly. Why does Council continue to use tacky bunting for festive occasions?
First we had plastic green and red bunting for Christmas and now small flags for Australia Day. I think it looks cheap and very dated. What do you think?  A recent report from Phil Speer is a concern:
"On Tuesday 14 June at approximately 7:30 am, I was walking toward Manly Wharf. On the beach near the pool netting was a penguin being attacked by two crows. As one crow would grab the penguin it would spin to bite the crow and then the crow on the other side would attack the penguin. Crows are smart birds. Two of us chased away the crow and a guy from Oceanworld came and wrapped the penguin in a towel and took it away. The penguin had some bite/peck marks on its back with some bleeding but was not too bad. The weather was awful and the seas very rough and it probably was very tired because of this." This morning (Sunday 26/6) Rob Burgess saw a crow poking around the rock crevices near the penguin nesting area at Foundation Steps. While a lot has been done to manage the behaviour of dogs around penguins maybe the focus should now turn to crows?  The overflow stormwater pipe at North Steyne has been an eyesore for years and the cause of many an accident, one in particular causing a surfer to become a paraplegic.
The Council has received two independent reports stating that the removal of the pipe will have minimal effect on the waves at North Steyne but local surfers claim that rain water coming out of the pipe changes the sand banks and therefore conditions. Should it stay or go? What do you think? |
AuthorCandy Bingham, Manly Ward Councillor on Northern Beaches Council posts what's making news and issues relevant to Manly on this blog. Categories
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