Overnight parking to be banned on some central Queenstown streets
Katie Todd, Otago/Southland reporter
At an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Queenstown Lakes District Council's Infrastructure Committee voted for a parking ban from 10pm until 6am on Park Street, and one side of Lake Esplanade.
It also voted in favour of a new 'no stopping' rule on a section of Glenorchy-Queenstown Road.
Community Requests for Service, sent to the council by residents in March and April, describe "waste everywhere, people cooking, partying, making noise in the small hours" on Park Street.
One resident told the council they had counted up to 80 campers parked on the street at one time.
The council will investigate parking permits for residents down the track. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
Residents of Lake Esplanade also wrote to council, complaining about people using the reserve as a toilet, hedges as bins and the lake as a place to brush their teeth.
The council opted to impose the ban on both sides of Park Street, but only the lakefront side of Lake Esplanade to maintain some parking for its hotels.
Council staffers assured the committee it would be possible to explore parking permits for residents down the track.
Queenstown deputy mayor Quentin Smith said the rapid rate at which the problem had become worse meant it was imperative to take firm action.
Councillor Craig Ferguson agreed it was important to "go hard" on the issue.
"Is what we have now what we want our residents to tolerate? Going by the photos shared, and taking a quick look myself recently, down Park Street, dare I say it, for me had shades of Woodstock about it. Which is totally unacceptable."
Councillor Lisa Guy said she had a bit of concern that the new night-time rules would be an inconvenience for the council staff to enforce.
But she said overall, she strongly supported the overnight parking ban and hoped it would not create unintended consequences for residents.
One Park Street resident said they had counted up to 80 campers parked on the street at one time. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
The council will investigate parking permits for residents down the track. Photo: RNZ / Katie Todd
The decision follows a High Court ruling in November, deeming the council's Freedom Camping Bylaw invalid.
Council staff said they intend to treat freedom camping as a separate issue to parking - and revisit the Freedom Camping Bylaw down the track.
