There's plenty of on-street parking in San Remo, according to the developers and planning report.
By Catherine Watson
A San Remo commercial development has been granted a complete parking waiver despite 20 objections and councillor frustrations over other recent parking waivers.
The block at 151 Marine Parade is just 163 square metres and formerly housed Jim's Bait & Tackle.
The developers have squeezed every last inch of value out of the site with a four-storey complex incorporating 11 small offices on the upper three levels and a shop at ground level.
A San Remo commercial development has been granted a complete parking waiver despite 20 objections and councillor frustrations over other recent parking waivers.
The block at 151 Marine Parade is just 163 square metres and formerly housed Jim's Bait & Tackle.
The developers have squeezed every last inch of value out of the site with a four-storey complex incorporating 11 small offices on the upper three levels and a shop at ground level.
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Despite 20 objections and councillor concerns about pressure on public parking, they have won a full waiver for nine parking spaces based on floor area.
The officers’ planning report stated the site was too small to provide basement parking without reducing street activation. “A balance is required to be struck between the additional employment opportunities the activation of underutilised land provides and providing car parking spaces. “Council is ultimately satisfied that there is capacity within the existing car parking network to absorb the shortfall of nine spaces created by the proposed use.” |
$12,000 a spot
How much is a parking spot worth? Developers in Cardinia Shire pay a $12,000 fee for each sacrificed parking space in the Pakenham business precinct, according to Cr Jan Thompson. At that rate, the San Remo developer would have had to pay the council $108,000 in offset parking fees to go towards the purchase of future car parking spaces. “We need to explore this avenue and other parking options,” Cr Thompson said. Frankston, Brimbank, Yarra City and others have all adopted the use of parking overlays. |
Traffix Group surveyed car parking supply and demand for the applicant. They found there were 428 on-street car parking spaces available and low demand during business hours, with just 51% occupancy at noon on Wednesday 22 March 2023.
Instead of car parking spaces, the development will include three bike racks, three bike rails and a bike locker. The developers will also be required to modify existing on-street parking spaces in front of the office block to provide two accessible parking spaces.
But developers counting on parking waivers may not get away with it for much longer.
Despite voting to approve the development, councillors expressed their frustration at the number of recent waivers.
Cr Jan Thompson said up to 20 parking spaces would be required for the staff of 11 offices, plus clients, plus the shop.
"My concern is this will increase traffic around the central district of San Remo and may cause it to be more difficult to find a car park close to the two hotels and bakery.
"The reality is more drivers will seek parking in the rear car park behind the residential apartments and cause anguish for those residents."
Cr Jon Temby said developers should be obliged to provide parking or a means for somebody else to provide it through some sort of offset system.
“We need to see a shire-wide approach, an overlay for the whole shire so that if you are developing a facility that people drive to attend, parking is an obligation.”
Cr Tim O’Brien said parking waivers were slowly strangling the community. “We’ve got so many parking problems on Phillip Island. We’ve got some really large projects that have also been granted parking waivers.
“We need to signal very strongly that this is not the direction this council would like to take.”
Other objections focused on the height and bulk of the building, which is 13.38 metres above ground level at the façade, and about 14.4 metres at the rear of the building due to the slope of the roof.
Officers said that was of a similar scale to other recent developments in Marine Parade including “Water’s Edge” and “Nautica”.
Some residents of the nearby Bridgeview apartment complex objected to the loss of views but the report stated that the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found that there is no legal entitlement to a view.
The officers’ report said the addition of eleven offices in central San Remo would add to the activity and vibrancy of the town centre, provide diversity in the range of businesses and attract further trade to established businesses.
Instead of car parking spaces, the development will include three bike racks, three bike rails and a bike locker. The developers will also be required to modify existing on-street parking spaces in front of the office block to provide two accessible parking spaces.
But developers counting on parking waivers may not get away with it for much longer.
Despite voting to approve the development, councillors expressed their frustration at the number of recent waivers.
Cr Jan Thompson said up to 20 parking spaces would be required for the staff of 11 offices, plus clients, plus the shop.
"My concern is this will increase traffic around the central district of San Remo and may cause it to be more difficult to find a car park close to the two hotels and bakery.
"The reality is more drivers will seek parking in the rear car park behind the residential apartments and cause anguish for those residents."
Cr Jon Temby said developers should be obliged to provide parking or a means for somebody else to provide it through some sort of offset system.
“We need to see a shire-wide approach, an overlay for the whole shire so that if you are developing a facility that people drive to attend, parking is an obligation.”
Cr Tim O’Brien said parking waivers were slowly strangling the community. “We’ve got so many parking problems on Phillip Island. We’ve got some really large projects that have also been granted parking waivers.
“We need to signal very strongly that this is not the direction this council would like to take.”
Other objections focused on the height and bulk of the building, which is 13.38 metres above ground level at the façade, and about 14.4 metres at the rear of the building due to the slope of the roof.
Officers said that was of a similar scale to other recent developments in Marine Parade including “Water’s Edge” and “Nautica”.
Some residents of the nearby Bridgeview apartment complex objected to the loss of views but the report stated that the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found that there is no legal entitlement to a view.
The officers’ report said the addition of eleven offices in central San Remo would add to the activity and vibrancy of the town centre, provide diversity in the range of businesses and attract further trade to established businesses.