City Council said we would receive $50 fine if we parked our car on the foot path outside our home?

Question

After living at the residence for 42 yrs we are told we cannot park our cars on the footpath outside our home. We have a concrete walkway on the footpath plenty of room on the footpath for both cars and people to walk, ride, push prams, etc. We maintain our footpath both walkway and where we parked the cars access is available at all times. We are told to park car on road outside residence. My sisters car was hit we live close to a T junction alot of fast cars and the road is quite busy and isnt a wide road very dangerous. On the footpath my Chihuahua's both 7months can leave my car ang go straight to the gate, I have to carry both of them from the car when my vehicle is parked on the road not a good option very dangerous for my Chihuahua's, me and my car. I live in Darwin Australia does anyone have this problem? I would prefer all neighbours to talk to people in the street if they have any problems to sort it out in a neighbouring behaviour where we can meet and talk. Agreeable.

An officer of the City Council came to our resident at approximately 5:30pm and told us in person he read out the Act, we finely found out he was responding to a complaint. He has only come to us when my brothers and me asked him if this was directed to us he said no then we found out he was only checking my street no way else. I drove around in my neighbourhood and saw many cars parked on their foot path no pamplets left on their car windscreen. I cannot see where there is a problem with cars parked on their foot paths alot better off then parked on the road noone has approached us who lives on the street to explain to us why they find it a problem. I feel they are picking on us we are not noisy, easily approachable person, always willing to help and listen maybe they know we have lived here for a long time 42 yrs and want us to leave.

Answer 1

If the place you are parking is on your property and your vehicles are not blocking the public sidewalk, you should be able to park there with out fear of getting fined. Was this something that you were personally told by someone who has the ability to enforce it or just the general rule being put into words? If you've parked there for this long and never been fined for it, I see no reason you need to worry! Talk to the others in your neighborhood and see if they've been told the same thing--if they have and all of you are in agreement that it's wrong--go as a group to the next city council meeting and complain--loudly!

Answer 2

You are being fined because you are parked on crown land. My husband has been fined for this in the past too.

Their is a block of land at the front of every Australian property which is owned by the local council (crown land). They own this land so that they can provide safe walkways etc for all residents.

The problem with parking there is the potential danger to people using the footpath (ie they could be hit by your car, theymay not be able to pass safely and have to move onto the road etc). Whilst in your situation you may deem that there is plenty of room for you to park and people to pass, this is not the case with all properties. For ease of enforcement the 1 law must apply for every one, regardless of whether there is enough space.

It is a pain in the butt, and I understand your position (ie parking on the road is dangerous), but you are not being harassed. They are merely following the law.

Answer 3

I'm not in Australia, but ZONING may be a factor even there.

In the USA, cities/counties, have easement rights,,,meaning that the land may connect with yours,,,IE: Roadways that butt your property, but the city/county owns the rights to do what they wish, with that easement. Sidewalks/foot paths may fall under that jurisdiction where you live, and the only reason they haven't bothered you in 42 years is because the use factor wasn't an issue until now???

Rev. Steven

Answer 4

Sorry yet while its a public street and their autos are taxed they are able to park there each and every time they decide for. The police could desire to act if the autos are on the kerbs or dangerously parked. Is it available to put in a driveway on your place as then it is an offence to block it?