Car Parking Fund

19 January 2016: council resolved to temporarily lower the contribution rate to $500 per space until 31 December 2016. This was to enable time to form a long-term strategy to address car parking issues in the designated areas.

13 December 2016: council extended the $500 rate until 30 June 2017, to allow additional time to engage with the business community, undertake a study of all the scheme areas, and to consider the inclusion of the Aldinga township due to recent development.

13 June 2017: GTA consultants prepared and presented a report based on a, ‘long term strategy to address parking in car park contribution scheme areas’ to council. Based on the report, council resolved to continue the fund in the five existing areas (with some of the area boundaries adjusted), establish Aldinga as a new area, and change the contribution rates for each area to:

• $500 per car park for developments limited to a change of use, outdoor dining, and/or expansion of existing use; and
• $2,000 per car park for new developments or significant expansions.

The lower contribution rates are intended by council to support and incentivise businesses and economic development.

27 June 2017: the changes to the five existing areas were notified in the SA Government Gazette.

22 August 2017: the establishment of the new area at Aldinga was approved by the Minister for Planning on 10 June 2017 and was then gazetted.

19 March 2021: the Planning and Design Code (the Code) became operational and replaced all council Development Plans to become a single source of state planning policy for assessing development applications.

The Code introduced new overlays, zones, sub-zones and general development policies that together provide all the rules that apply to a particular parcel of land.

The new planning system is underpinned by the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (the Act), which replaced the Development Act 1993.

Pursuant to Schedule 8 – Transitional provisions, Part of the Act:

33 – Funds

(1) a carparking fund in existence under section 50A of the repealed Act immediately before the designated day will continue as a fund under section 197 of this Act.

The exact shortfall needs to be assessed and acknowledged, and a written agreement made for the applicant to pay into the fund based on either the $500 or $2,000 option as relevant.

The agreed payment can be required as a condition of Planning Consent, normally to be paid prior to the granting of Development Approval, unless supported by an alternative arrangement such as a bank guarantee.

Any contributions received are retained by council in a separate account for each fund area established by our finance staff and can only be spent to improve car parking facilities or reduce car parking demand in the relevant area.

Examples of using the Car Parking Fund include:

• constructing new public car parks in suitable locations;
• maintaining, operating or improving existing public car parks;
• improving existing private car parks and making them available for public use;
• improving signage and pedestrian facilities to encourage use of car parking areas in and near activity centres;
• improving bicycle parking and other facilities; and
• providing temporary car parking areas and/or alternative transport services (such as shuttle buses) for events with peaking demands.