Block height limit builds support

While the City proposed to allow building heights of 10 metres, extended to 13 metres on corner blocks, former Stirling mayor Tony Vallelonga asked the committee to restrict building heights to a uniform eight metres.

The motion, including Mr Vallelonga’s proposed changes, was moved by Mayor David Boothman, seconded by councillor Terry Tyzack and passed unanimously.

If the amended plan is passed at full council tonight, it will guide all future development in the Main Street Plaza.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Vallelonga, who has been a property owner on Main Street for 46 years, said parking problems on the Main Street Plaza were the main reason behind his amendments.

‘If you have a 13-metre high office, that’s potentially four storeys. That will bring in a lot more employees and that will cause huge problems with parking,’ he said.

‘The minute you increase a population, the number of cars increase, and a 13m structure would stick out like a sore thumb. We want uniform development and the changes the committee made will ensure that.’

The City of Stirling confirmed that in the financial year to date, 475 parking fines had been issued on Main Street, which would equate to $28,500 in revenue for the City if all fines were paid.

Balcatta ward councillor John Italiano shared Mr Vallelonga’s concerns, and he said he would put forward a motion of notice for a development similar to parking changes made to Herdsman Business Park.

‘I’ll be proposing that we at least look at the possibility of a three, maybe four-storey parking structure on the corner of Hutton Street and Main Street, across the road from Amaretto Cafe,’ he said. ‘I would envisage that it would be paid parking and I believe it would alleviate a lot of the problems businesses have with parking on Main Street.