Decision details

Moved by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Scully -

It is resolved that:

(A)      Council note:

(i)         enabling more active transport is a key strategic priority for the City of Sydney under Sustainable Sydney 2030;

(ii)        cycling is a crucial part of protecting our residents, workers and visitors during the Covid-19 pandemic because it is a safe, physically-distant and environmentally friendly form of transport that reduces road congestion and reduces passenger loads on public transport;

(iii)      the City has worked with the NSW Government to implement six new pop-up cycleways to encourage more cycling across the Local Government Area;

(iv)      the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012 and Sydney Development Control Plan 2012 contain provisions for managing the transport and parking needs of the city to limit the environmental and economic impacts of private car use. The provisions also encourage walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing;

(v)       recent reports indicate that that there has been a surge in bicycle sales and leases in Sydney since March 2020. While measures are being taken to accommodate more cyclists safely on the roads, there is often limited secure bicycle parking and storage spaces in some older residential buildings that were approved and constructed under previous planning controls when private vehicle use was prioritised over more sustainable transport modes;

(vi)      when vehicle parking spaces are approved as part of a development consent, the size, number and location of those spaces are set out under the approved plans. Conditions of consent are usually imposed that ensure parking spaces in a development are retained for their intended uses and not used for general storage, waste and the like; and

(vii)     if a resident wanted to convert their private parking space to a bike parking space, a modification consent would be required to amend the approved plans and/or condition of consent that relates to the space, which would be a time consuming and costly process for people who want to do the right thing and formalise the arrangement; and

(B)      the Chief Executive Officer be requested to investigate ways that the City can make it easier for owners of private residential parking spaces in existing developments to convert them to safe and secure bicycle parking spaces with consideration given to:

(i)         prioritising developments in areas that are well located in terms of proximity to public transport and cycling infrastructure;

(ii)        retention of all non-private parking spaces associated with the development such as for service vehicles, car share, and visitor (and disabled visitor) spaces;

(iii)      likely impacts on nearby on-street parking demand;

(iv)      links to the City’s broader environmental outcomes as part of the Smart Green Apartments program, promotion of NABERS for residential apartment buildings and available grants for energy and water assessments; and

(v)       demonstrated engagement with/support from other local stakeholders.

Carried unanimously.

S129262