Tauranga City Council delays paid Mount Maunganui parking decision

Plans to charge for parking in Mount Maunganui have been delayed by the council. Photo / Alex Cairns

Free parking will continue in downtown Mount Maunganui, but the council plans to take a tougher stance on people flouting time limits on spaces.

Local businesses say they are pleased the council backed down on its plans to introduce paid parking in the area.

Tauranga City Council proposed parking charges for the retail area of Maunganui Rd and along the beachfronts of the popular seaside suburb.

The council had planned to hold consultation in November but delayed the move last year.

At a meeting on Monday, the council deferred plans until March next year.

Businesses were opposed to paid parking, with one retailer saying it would “kill business”.

Mount Longboards owner Kate Evaroa told Local Democracy Reporting: “It’s encouraging to see Tauranga City Council taking on comments from Mount Mainstreet businesses.”

Mount Business Association chairwoman Kate Barry-Piceno said the association was pleased the commissioners directed staff to pause before applying a blanket paid policy approach to the Mount town centre.

“Mount Business Association has consistently advised the council that the Mount town centre is unique in its character and use.

“It is critical our community project the town centre as a relaxed coastal shopping village, renowned nationally and internationally by visitors as a favourite beach and entertainment destination.

“Paid parking is not considered conducive with that approach.”

Mount Business Association chairwoman Kate Barry-Piceno said the Mount town centre is unique. Photo / John Borren

The council said it would enforce the parking time limits, which currently were not being followed.

Maunganui Rd has a 60-minute parking limit and nearby areas have two-hour limits.

Council monitoring over two days in February and March showed 336 instances of people parking for longer than the time limits.

In comparison, 1016 parking tickets were issued in Mount Maunganui in the last year, according to council data.

Evaroa said enforcing the limits was a good thing.

A three-day surf life-saving event held last weekend saw people parking all day along Pilot Bay and the beachfronts, she said.

“They parked for the whole day and then nobody could get a park.

“If they’re going to enforce time limits more, I think it’s a good thing. It creates more turnover of parking.

“The rules are there, they’re just not being upheld.”

Barry-Piceno said enforcement of time-restricted parking in and around the town centre was the appropriate parking policy.

The council also delayed extending paid parking in Tauranga CBD. It will also be considered in March 2025.

Paid on-street parking was set to be extended from Third Avenue up to Arundel St, and from McLean St up to Monmouth St in February.

Commission chairwoman Anne Tolley said in a statement significant developments were happening in the city centre.

“The city centre transformation is progressing at pace, and by this time next year there will be significantly more parking options available in the city centre.

Tauranga City Council commission chairwoman Anne Tolley at a November council meeting. Photo / Alex Cairns

“However, while various projects are under way, we want to minimise disruptions and allow time to monitor how the transformation will impact visitor, worker and business parking needs.”

Current projects included the $306 million civic precinct Te Manawataki o Te Papa, and private investments such as Northern Quarter and the Craigs Investment Partners development on Devonport Rd.

There would also be 360 more parking spaces available in the CBD by the end of the year.

“With community feedback in mind, there are various factors that need to be considered before [parking] changes are implemented,” Tolley said.

“It’s important we continue monitoring parking demand over the next year and ensure we are taking a holistic and measured approach.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.