By Vanessa Chircop
A HOBSONS Bay City Council decision to provide two off-road car spaces on a residential street to appease one household has baffled some residents and even councillors.
With certain pockets of Williamstown in dire need of parking spaces, the decision to provide on-street spaces to an area with plenty of car spots has been labelled as “preferential treatment” to meet one resident’s demands.
As reported by Star last month, a petition with 61 signatures requesting that the council construct three parking bays and an internal driveway at number three and five Victoria St, Williamstown was received by the council.
However before the council made their decision six residents contacted the council to withdraw their names from the petition, with one resident claiming to have been misled by the lead petitioner, Mr Joe Foti.
One Victoria St resident told Star this decision by the council was an abuse of ratepayer’s funds and an insult to Williamstown traders who are in desperate need of parking.
“The council have a fixed budget and you make choices based on that – this money could have been spent on parking that would benefit the traders,” the resident said.
Councillor Peter Hemphill voted against the motion claiming it would set a precedent to other residents who would now expect car parking spaces at the front of their properties.
“Personally it’s going to cost a sum of $15,000 to provide car parking spaces for one resident,” he said.
“This goes against the principal that the council has had in some other areas where we don’t provide car parking spaces unless they pay for it themselves.
“What I find extraordinary about this one is that we’re paying $15,000 for an individual to have a couple of car parking spaces when there is plenty in the street.”
The resident, who did not wish to be named, said residents on Victoria St had not been consulted by the council.
“This decision squanders council funds when there are much better outlets for it,” the resident said.
The resident also raised safety concerns about the location of the parking spaces and their proximity to a large roundabout which is being constructed by the council at present.
Last week a cyclist sustained injuries at the Victoria St and Esplanade corner after being swept off her bike by a truck.
“Adding car spaces adjacent to a roundabout is only going to make this area more dangerous.”
