Yesterday Tauranga City Council was due to hear the airport's request for an extra $900,000 in unbudgeted funding for the two projects, on top of $685,000 previously budgeted.
Of the new funding, $600,000 has been requested for the rental car depot expansion, on top of $300,000 previously approved for a proposed smaller extension.
The expanded depot areas would generate an annual income of $90,000, according to information to be presented at the meeting.
Tauranga Airport completed a $13.9m terminal expansion last year. Photo/File
The leases would initially be three years with two further rights of renewal for three years. The loan would be paid down over that nine-year period.
It would allow national rental chain Hertz and local company Pacific Auto Rentals to expand operations at the airport.
Owners of both businesses told the Bay of Plenty Times they were growing as a result of the airport's expansion and passenger growth.
Hertz independent licensee Hamish McGlashen said its vehicles currently had to be driven to the company's CBD depot to be groomed after each rental outing. The expansion would allow the grooming to be done at the airport.
According to the funding request, this would take up to 70 cars off the road each Friday - some of which also take up public car parks while waiting to be ferried.
Pacific Auto Rentals was relocating from the corner of Jean Batten Dr and Hewletts Rd.
Owner Kevin Cooper said it would be more convenient for the company's growing rental customer base.
The other $300,000 requested will go towards adding more public parks, a project that would also require $385,000 in previously approved funding to be brought forward from 2024.
Tauranga Airport manager Ray Dumble says passenger numbers grew 18 per cent last year. Photo/File
Airport manager Ray Dumble said the airport's passenger numbers grew 18 per cent last year.
At peak times, the existing car parks were almost full - down to fewer than 10 spaces on "many occasions" in the busiest months of 2019: March, April, September, October and November.
With Air New Zealand increasing seat capacity in and out of Tauranga late last year, Dumble expected a shortage.
He had yet to see any fights break out over parks, "but that's what we want to avoid".
Some advocates of multi-modal transport, however, argue an airport bus service is a higher priority.
Such public services are offered in the main centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch as well as tourism hotspots including Rotorua and Queenstown.
Hamilton and Dunedin - the cities closest in population to Tauranga - do not offer an airport bus.
Tauranga City Councillor Heidi Hughes is an advocate for multi-modal transport. Photo/File
Councillor Heidi Hughes said Tauranga "absolutely" needed an airport bus service as part of the wider network.
"Before we look at spending money on increasing parking we need to have a really good look at a wider strategy for getting people in and out of the airport."
Sustainable Business Network bay of Plenty regional manager Glen Crowther said the council should question whether to fund the use of "more land for car storage" to make it easier for people to keep commuting to fly.
"The only solution for getting people out of their cars is a really good public transport connection."
An innovative solution like Timaru's competitively priced on-call shuttle service could be one alternative to a traditional bus route.
Sustainable Business Network Bay of Plenty regional manager Glen Crowther. Photo/File
Dumble said he would encourage a conversation about public transport to the airport.
An airport bus was trialled a few years ago, he said, but saw very little uptake. He was not sure at what point the city would reach the critical mass to make such a service, which would have to work with a 5.30am to 10pm flight schedule, viable.
Private shuttles, taxis and ridesharing services were other alternatives to private cars available, as was bike storage.
Tauranga's bus network is operated by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. The regional council has been approached for comment about why Tauranga does not have an airport bus, and whether one would be considered.
