Kiama Mayor Brian Petschler recently requested action be taken on the increasing number of boats and caravans being parked on footpaths.

He believes the issue of is a “growing area of concern”.

According to a report to the March 15 council meeting, parking on footways is not an uncommon practice within the Kiama LGA.

“The practice may cause hazard to pedestrians, especially the sight impaired, and those using mobility devices,” the report stated.

“Vehicles parked fully or partly on footpaths can also damage kerbs and paved surfaces, or lead to higher maintenance costs of unpaved surfaces especially after heavy rain.”

At the March 15 meeting, it was resolved that a report be provided to council on the suitability for boat and caravan parking at: the former Sydney Water site at Gainsborough; the former Waste Depot site at Gerroa; and other potential council-owned sites.

Cr Petschler recently said this was typically a year-round issue. 

“People are finding it difficult to park them on house blocks, particularly with the geography of this area,” he said. 

“Unfortunately some of them now block footpaths, illegally, or are permanently stationed on roads… So we’ve been trying to find a place, either privately owned or publicly owned that is suitable and zoned correctly, or can be zoned correctly, where we could have a holding yard for them.”

At Tuesday evening’s council meeting, a report was tabled on council land suitable for boat and caravan parking.

According to council’s report, the greatest prohibitive factor is land zoning.

“None of the zones identified above (within the proposed sites) support the use of land for boat and caravan storage,” the report said.

“This raises the broader issue of land use and zoning under council’s LEP.

“The most appropriate definition for the land use envisaged is: ‘storage premises’… This specific land use is prohibited in the majority of zones in council’s LEP, including Rural, Residential, Business and Industrial.

“Any proposal for such a facility in any of these zones would require a Planning Proposal to change ‘storage premises’ from prohibited to permitted, or alternately, where a specific site was being considered, it may be able to achieve a permitted site specific use, again via a Planning Proposal process.”

At the meeting, council resolved to review the listed locations to see what would need to be done to make them available, or look at other potential sites which may be available. 

Cr Petschler said this was an ongoing issue, and finding a site is “proving very difficult”. 

“Finding one that’s zoned appropriately, has good access and can be secure, that’s the real key to it,” he said.