This is the (shortened) reply I received from the parking enforcement officer
Following receipt of a request from a local resident for a review of the operational hours of the xxxx scheme, the Council conducted a ballot of residents/permit holders ........ The majority preference was to amend the operational hours from 08:00-18:30 Monday to Friday to 07:00-24:00 Monday to Sunday.
As you reside in xxxx, a building consisting of more than four housing units, located in a heavy demand zone, you were not included in the ballot of residents/permit holders in accordance with established Council practice, as you are not entitled to a resident’s parking permit.
The carrying out of ballots of eligible residents and permit holders is the standard procedure for ascertaining the views of residents with regard to the operation of residents’ parking schemes and is considered to represent the most efficient and straightforward method of liaison in these circumstances. All houses and all permit holders on this street were notified of the alteration to the scheme by letter dated 22nd January 2009.
The position with regard to the cost of purchasing residents’ parking permits is that the standard resident’s parking permit fee is set at €40 per annum. However, in the case of qualifying residents of apartments or converted houses comprising more than four housing units, with off road parking, the annual fee is €400. This higher fee was introduced to ensure that on-street parking in controlled parking areas, which is extremely limited in supply, is only availed of by qualified apartment dwellers who actually require street parking. However, in accordance with Bye-Law 22 (5) (e), you are not eligible for a resident’s parking permit, as indicated above.
The City Council, as the road authority, is not obligated by statute to carry out ballots of residents when introducing or amending parking controls on streets in the City. However, it is the Council’s policy to conduct such surveys in order to ensure local support when such schemes are initiated in residential areas or when the operational hours of existing schemes are altered.
My local councillor has also emailed me back essentially saying that I can do nothing.
So the answer after all this to-ing and fro-ing and emailing and phoning appears to be: tough.
I bought an apartment, and I have been excluded from important decisions that affect the neighbourhood, as have all my neighbours.
The views of residents are important....if you live in a house.
DCC seem to be of the opinion that we are entitled to a parking permit, as they have just charged us for one. I would be loath to challange the statement above saying that we are not, in case they decide to revoke the permit.
Also that DCC appear to have no onus to inform apartment owners of changes, whereas they contacted all the house owners in writing to inform them of same.
This whole situation is completely unsatisfactory, but there does not appear to be any legal way to challange it.
I feel completely disenfranchised.
Nicola
Following receipt of a request from a local resident for a review of the operational hours of the xxxx scheme, the Council conducted a ballot of residents/permit holders ........ The majority preference was to amend the operational hours from 08:00-18:30 Monday to Friday to 07:00-24:00 Monday to Sunday.
As you reside in xxxx, a building consisting of more than four housing units, located in a heavy demand zone, you were not included in the ballot of residents/permit holders in accordance with established Council practice, as you are not entitled to a resident’s parking permit.
The carrying out of ballots of eligible residents and permit holders is the standard procedure for ascertaining the views of residents with regard to the operation of residents’ parking schemes and is considered to represent the most efficient and straightforward method of liaison in these circumstances. All houses and all permit holders on this street were notified of the alteration to the scheme by letter dated 22nd January 2009.
The position with regard to the cost of purchasing residents’ parking permits is that the standard resident’s parking permit fee is set at €40 per annum. However, in the case of qualifying residents of apartments or converted houses comprising more than four housing units, with off road parking, the annual fee is €400. This higher fee was introduced to ensure that on-street parking in controlled parking areas, which is extremely limited in supply, is only availed of by qualified apartment dwellers who actually require street parking. However, in accordance with Bye-Law 22 (5) (e), you are not eligible for a resident’s parking permit, as indicated above.
The City Council, as the road authority, is not obligated by statute to carry out ballots of residents when introducing or amending parking controls on streets in the City. However, it is the Council’s policy to conduct such surveys in order to ensure local support when such schemes are initiated in residential areas or when the operational hours of existing schemes are altered.
My local councillor has also emailed me back essentially saying that I can do nothing.
So the answer after all this to-ing and fro-ing and emailing and phoning appears to be: tough.
I bought an apartment, and I have been excluded from important decisions that affect the neighbourhood, as have all my neighbours.
The views of residents are important....if you live in a house.
DCC seem to be of the opinion that we are entitled to a parking permit, as they have just charged us for one. I would be loath to challange the statement above saying that we are not, in case they decide to revoke the permit.
Also that DCC appear to have no onus to inform apartment owners of changes, whereas they contacted all the house owners in writing to inform them of same.
This whole situation is completely unsatisfactory, but there does not appear to be any legal way to challange it.
I feel completely disenfranchised.
Nicola
