Focus Area 4 - rectify legacy parking time limit controls

A Parking Control is a parking restriction (generally a timed limit or a No Parking/No Stopping restriction) that is implemented on a section of street to manage parking access. 

A Parking Permit exempts the vehicle displaying the permit from compliance to a specified Parking Control.

Parking controls are usually implemented on streets with a parking occupancy of over 80-85%, or where there are specific non-residential parking needs. They involve time-limit controls or other restrictions to help manage parking.

These controls can be customised for various user needs (e.g. businesses, loading zones, accessible parking) or safety considerations (e.g. no parking during peak hours, waste collection times).

As per the Unley Parking Management Plan 2023-2033 (UPMP) parking management direction 10. Parking permits: residents, businesses and events, parking permit holders will no longer be permitted to park in the following zones, signed as either: 

• A time limit zone below 1 hour, or
• No Parking Zones between 8am-10am and 10am-12 noon. 

All permits issued on the 1 April 2025, will not exempt vehicles from parking without restriction in these zones.

This decision was based on extensive public engagement, best practice benchmarking and local investigations undertaken during the preparation of the UPMP. 

Short-term parking is a time-controlled parking space or zone where the limit is less than 1 hour. They are typically 15-minute or 30-minute spaces.

Short-term parking restrictions are generally implemented in entertainment, business, and school areas to support drop-off and pick-up activities, as well as other quick turnover activities.

Short-term parking controls are not appropriate to manage parking congestion on local residential streets.

Short-term car parking accessibility is important for users of entertainment, business, and school areas, to facilitate drop-offs/pick-ups and other high turnover activities. 

The effectiveness of these controls are significantly compromised if they are fully occupied by long-term resident parking through the use of a resident permit exemption.

Short-term parking was implemented on a number of local resident streets several years ago as a parking management measure. Short-term parking time limits are no longer appropriate for use on some resident streets, as it significantly restricts resident and visitor parking access. Short-term parking in some resident streets may still be appropriate in areas that are very close to non-residential activity, such as adjacent to a street corner with a retail/entertainment or commercial/business precinct.

Short-term parking time limits will be replaced by longer parking time limits. If you have an existing resident permit, this permit will allow you to exceed the new parking time limit installed.

Under the Australian Road Rules, a vehicle must not stop in a 'No Parking' zone unless dropping off or picking up passengers or goods, and, you must not leave the car or take longer than two minutes.

No Parking zones are typically around schools and busy event precincts, where high levels of drop-off and pick-up activities are observed, and not adjacent local residential streets.

Parking exemptions within No Parking zones by permit holders was identified through the UPMP consultation processes to be confusing as it contradicts the Australian Road Rules, and is not an appropriate application/use of the zone.

On-street parking is a public asset which is limited and must be shared between all road users, especially when located near retail/entertainment, commercial/business or school precincts.

The UPMP highlights that time limit parking controls should only be installed to manage parking congestion, and encourage turnover in high demand parking precincts, and, without restricting a non-resident or any specific user from parking on the street.

In April and May 2024, Council will send an initial letter to affected residents, property owners and/or businesses informing of the planned changes to parking controls on their street. This will provide a reasonable notice period and allow time to adjust to parking changes. 

Council will provide another letter to affected residents, property owners and/or businesses approximately 3-weeks before the installation of new signage. The planned timeframe for this is before December 2024.

The UPMP, under parking management direction 1. Parking Management Congestion, outlines:

• what is considered to be a 'congested street'; and
• the process to request a review of your street to assess if any further changes are required.

Council is in the process of updating its webpage to include more information on this, including a Parking Change Request Form.

In the meantime, if you have any queries, please contact Council by email at pobox1@unley.sa.gov.au 

30 minute or 15 minute time limits or No Parking zones 8-10am or 10am-12 noon outside residential properties is not a feasible option as road users will not be able to obtain permits exempting vehicles from parking longer than the posted time control.

The UPMP outlines a strategic framework to optimise on-street parking access for all users, and provides details of how Council will manage requests for parking in a consistent and equitable manner.

A 3 or 4-hour control is a disincentive to all-day parking due to the need to move a vehicle at least 2 to 3 times daily and the high potential of receiving an expiation.

Council will continue to monitor on-street parking and if parking is observed to be congested, we will engage with local residents to seek opinions on implementing a different control.

Council engaged extensively with the community to develop the UPMP, which has been adopted by Council, along with the supporting Implementation Plan.

You can provide feedback regarding the time limit controls proposed for impacted streets. Consultation regarding the operational directions contained in the UPMP is now completed.

Parking in our area is a limited and a shared resource. Council is focusing on providing fair parking access for residents and other users in our local streets.

Council issues permits to properties on a pro-rata basis, considering access to off-street parking and the number of registered vehicles. For more information please refer to Parking Permits.

The cost of a 2023/24 Resident Parking Only Permit and other permits can be found on our Parking Permits page. 

The cost of the next resident permit is yet to be determined. Fees will be updated and publicly available before the end of 2024. 

Please note that all current resident permits have been extended from 31 December 2024 to 31 March 2025 at no additional charge.