Kapiti Council says Patels will have to wait for action on parking crisis

By Alan Tristram

The Kapiti Coast District Council (KCDC) says the Patel family who run the Raumati Beach Four Square will have to wait at least a further three weeks before customers can get a quick park near their shop.

The Council has effectively denied the Patels any short-term parking spaces anywhere near their shop because of a huge area devoted to disabled parking — and by designating the rest of the Margaret Road shopping area for 60-minute parking.

The 60-minute limit means patrons  for near-by cafes and fashion stops make long stays, so denying parking spaces for short-term visitors to the Patels.

The Kapiti Independent says this is not good enough from a Council purportedly championing small businesses.

A  need for a quick sensible solution

KIN supports disabled parking, but the amount blockaded off outside the Patels (about 20 metres, much of it not ‘parking’ space but striped lines) seems ridiculous.

From anecdotal observation the two disabled parks are used very infrequently and surely one would be sufficient. This one could be located half way along the shopping zone on this side of the road which would benefit the disabled and the Patels.

The question has to be asked: Who in the KCDC came up with this idea in the first place?

When we asked the KCDC to front up on the issue, this is what they said:

‘The Patel’s parking issues: Cr Gurunathan’s summation of the situation on your website is accurate ( Read more...)and there is nothing more we can add. 

‘As stated in the councillor’s response, the issue has been investigated by Council staff and a report is being prepared for the Paraparaumu-Raumati Community Board (which meets on February 17). No decisions will be made until that happens.’

The Kapiti Independent has suggested to Mayor Ross Church and Cr Gavin Welsh ( who chairs the Corporate Business Committee and is on the Environment and Community Development Committee  )  that they should visit the Patels to see the problem for themselves.

But so far neither have turned up. Perhaps they prefer to sit and watch paint dry.

However, Cr Welsh has commented to KIN:

Meanwhile, the one Council person who has fronted up (several times) has been Cr K Gurunathan (Guru).

However, even such a Guru – of impeccable Indian descent – can’t work miracles immediately for the Patels.

Perhaps someone should give him a can of white paint and set him to work outside the dairy – after all he often pens ‘Notes From the Corner Dairy’: a column title which he got from me!