Separate paid parking zones will operate in the city centre with hourly charges, capped rates and time limits. Sundays would remain free.
The council says the changes are needed to provide “fair access, balance and affordable options” across the parking network.
The move has drawn online criticism since it was announced.
Donna Taylor, who works in the Pukaki Centre building on Pukaki St, said she was “baffled” by the decision amid a cost-of-living crisis.
“It might seem small in isolation,” she said, “but over the weeks and the months, it becomes another financial burden for us as working people who are simply trying to get to our job and do our job.”
Annual costs for workers using the new permit zones would be about $650 on a fortnightly permit, $600 on a monthly permit or about $520 on the three-month option.
Taylor said she could likely absorb the cost but worried about others.
“Not everybody is in as privileged a position as I am, like some of those in hospo or retail. People can’t afford parking on top of petrol.”
All-day free parking on Queens Drive, leading into Government Gardens, will become permit-only from July 1. Photo / Mathew Nash
She also warned that higher costs could push workers to reduce spending in the city.
“For every additional dollar spent on parking, that could be a dollar less in a local business,” she said. “The small businesses, they’re already struggling.”
Staff at Lime Café on Whakaue St, where parking is currently a mix of free and paid spaces, welcomed the introduction of new pay machines, which could improve reliability, as existing machines were prone to error. But concerns remained.
Staff members will likely need to use permit parks, with surrounding streets becoming permit-only or Zone 2 – costing $2 an hour for the first three hours, then $4 an hour after that, with a maximum daily charge of $26.
“It’s kind of still on the downside rather than the upside, to be completely honest,” said John Paul Tolentino.
“Everything is too much already. It’s another payment on something else you want to pay for.”
Safal Purja said he doubted the changes would significantly affect short-stay customers.
Lime Cafe’s John Paul Tolentino is unsure if Rotorua’s upcoming parking changes will bring positive change. Photo / Ben Fraser
“They only really stay for an hour and then go, and not much of that is changing,” he said. “And plenty of people enjoy and rely on the free parking.”
Other workers spoken to by Local Democracy Reporting this week described the changes as “stink”, “typical” and “frustrating”.
All but one of Rotorua’s councillors endorsed the plan at a meeting last week.
Tapsell told Local Democracy Reporting the council had received a clear message from the wider community that the system needed an overhaul.
She urged sceptics and critics to “give this a chance”.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell. Photo / Laura Smith
“These changes have come from feedback from the community, who wanted better, and a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure it is not only practical but also affordable.”
The plan received “largely positive” feedback from stakeholders, including the Rotorua Business Chamber and its members, Parksyde seniors, RotoruaNZ, Rotorua Library, Rotorua Police, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Rotorua (mobility) Access Group and some unnamed inner-city businesses – according to council reporting.
Tapsell said she understood concerns from inner-city workers who previously relied on free parking, but said feedback had supported permits as a preferred option.
Hinemaru St is a popular all-day free parking spot for inner-city workers but will become permit-only from July 1. Photo / Mathew Nash
“The parking service isn’t here to make money. What’s collected is reinvested back, and we’ve ensured there’s a range of parking options, including the new permits.”
The permit system would cost about $10–$12.50 a week, depending on the option chosen, with the cheapest equating to about 34 cents per hour.
Tapsell also confirmed there will still be 653 free parks available on the outer fringes, including parts of Lake Rd, Hinemaru St, Whakatau St, Pukuatua St, Eruera St, Hinemoa St, and Hatupatu Drive.
She said bringing parking management back in-house would deliver longer-term benefits, including improved data use and flexibility.
“Because we’ll be managing it in-house, we will actually have access to this data to make informed decisions and changes if needed,” she said.
Parking services were previously contracted to i-Park.
Mathew Nash is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. He has previously written for SunLive, been a regular contributor to RNZ and was a football reporter in the UK for eight years.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.