Council officer to be fined for breaking Council rules

A Council officer will be fined for breaking Moreton Bay Regional Council’s (MBRC) own parking rules.

This picture was posted on the North Lakes Community Group page showing a council vehicle illegally parked on a verge.

The post generated a huge response and an avalanche of comments.

A spokesperson for MBRC said the Council officer acted as soon as the matter was reported.

Parking fine

“It is illegal to park on a verge, or to park on the footpath verge,” the spokesperson said. 

“Council staff are not exempt from Local Laws and the Local Laws team is in contact with the driver of that vehicle.

“The fine for illegally parking on a verge is $100. Anyone who parks on a verge will receive an infringement notice.”

MBRC road rules state Council is "legally required to investigate complaints about footpath parking where vehicles block or partly block a bicycle path, footpath, shared path, dividing strip, verge or nature strip on a Council road". 

Draft laws

The rules also say: "Vehicles parked with two wheels on the nature strip and two wheels on the road is not considered as a lawful parking practice".

However, MBRC is in the process of drafting and developing new Local Laws. The intended responses are available at YourSay Moreton Bay.

These will include a proposal for "two-up two-down" wheel parking where there are narrow streets and only one garage car park.

This may be most applicable to areas in suburbs such as Narangba, Dakabin and Griffin.

Parking guide

Council’s guide to allowing two-up two-down parking will include circumstances around the request, risk to underground infrastructure, pedestrians and maintenance.

Currently, using a road verge is not allowed unless there is a sign permitting it. Council has no signs allowing two-up two down parking.

A Council spokesperson said: “Once drafted, Council will need to resolve to commence public consultation on the draft laws.

“Consultation on the draft laws is intended to occur in stages. Not all laws will be released for consultation at the same time.”