Car parking restrictions could start to be enforced in the towns next year once the Central Otago District Council completes development of a district roading bylaw which will allow car parking enforcement.
Following a brief discussion on Monday, the Vincent Community Board approved changes to car parking restrictions in Alexandra, to be presented to the council for inclusion in the bylaw.
In 2007, the board had consulted with public on a car parking management plan, and present restrictions were imposed. However, they were not enforced.
Since then, requests from the public had been made regarding improved accessibility parking, which had been acted upon, and for the enforcement of parking restrictions.
Changes included altered time-restricted parking areas, addition of an accessibility park on Tarbert St, creation of 15-minute parking areas outside the council buildings, the creation of bus and school bus stops, and removal of two five-minute loading zones.
The bylaw would come into effect on July 1, 2015, following the installation of new parking restriction signs in May and June.
A report to the board, developed by council community road safety adviser Jo Robinson, outlined the development of the bylaw, which would include public consultation due to the ''wide public interest'' expected.
Car parking restrictions would ''affect all residents [of Alexandra] to some degree''.
Public consultation would be conducted in January and February of next year, before adoption of the bylaw in April.
The same process would be carried out in Cromwell, where changes to car parking restrictions were also likely.
The cost of bylaw development and the installation of parking signs would be funded from district roading budgets.
Funding for the enforcement of the bylaw would be included in Vincent ward funded roading budgets for 2015-16.
The Cromwell Community Board will consider similar changes to parking restrictions and enforcement at its meeting next week.