By Charlene Gatt
PLASTIC furniture and gas heaters could be on their way out under new Maribyrnong City Council guidelines over street furniture.
The council has put out its draft street furniture and display guidelines to give direction to all traders, owners, and businesses about how, why and where private furniture can be located within retail centres across the municipality.
Under the guidelines, no plastic outdoor furniture and umbrellas will be allowed, nor will gas heaters.
The council also proposes a ban on fixed furniture – with screens needing to be detachable at any point in time for emergency, access and cleaning purposes.
Outdoor displays and furniture are recommended for streets with a minimum 2.1 metre footpath space so that they do not interfere with pedestrian access.
Traders will have to fork out $145 for every table with four chairs, $280 for goods displayed per shop front, and up to $280 for a display board outside the store.
Traders will also have to pay $5 a day to trade on the footpath. This fee will be waived for any not-for-profit charities, associations and organisations.
The council has put out a copy of the draft guidelines at all public libraries, on their website and at the One Stop Shop in Footscray.
Traders associations in the municipality will also be sent a copy.
Councillors generally supported the draft guidelines at last week’s meeting, but councillor Catherine Cumming branded the proposed fees disproportionate to the permit process and said it could put traders off from applying for the relevant permits.
“We don’t need $145 per table and chair to process a permit,” she said.
It was the first Mark Cafarella, who runs fruit and vegetable shop Pompello in Victoria St, Seddon, had heard of the plans.
Mr Cafarella has a fruit, vegetable and flower stand outside his store, plus one table and chairs, and said he would have to look at reducing the size of his stand if the proposed guidelines are passed.
“It’s not brilliant. I’m not sure of the rationale,” he told Star last week.
“It just seems expensive.”
The draft guidelines will be revised after the consultation period and brought before the council at its first ordinary meeting in 2012.
