SHOULD we be rethinking the way we treat our nature strips? One of our representatives thinks so.
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Councillor Glenn Taylor has spoken on multiple occasions about recent parking fines handed out by council rangers to people who park on their driveways between the letterbox and the road, or elsewhere on the nature strip.
Parking in those areas is illegal, but carries a $268 fine - rangers have been carrying out blitzes around schools where parked cars were considered a hazard to students.
If council is going to start to fine people for parking on those verges because they're there, [not maintaining the verge is] an option for people that people can take up.
- Councillor Glenn Taylor
By comparison, regular parking fines rose to $114 on July 1.
"I want council to desist booking people unless the car is actually interrupting some movement and blocking people," Cr Taylor said.
He said where cars presented a hazard, a fine was fair but they needed to be warned.
"Knock on the door and tell them it's a problem or send them a letter, but I'm led to understand we haven't been doing that," he said.
"I'm saying give people a fair go."
He said some of the fines had been handed out in Sieben Drive, which is not close to a school, and nature strips were council-owned.
"It's just a given that we look after our nature strips - people water the trees and mow the lawns," he said.
"But they're under no obligation to do it - if council is going to start to fine people for parking on those verges because they're there, [not maintaining the verge is] an option for people that people can take up.
"It's give and take."
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