Tauranga council heeds call to loosen CBD parking noose, approves plans to help struggling businesses – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

The Tauranga City Council is going to tap into a special fund to explore a range of initiatives aimed at helping the CBD’s struggling businesses.

Parking, a point of concern for many retailers, will be one of the items on the agenda.

The move has been prompted by calls for action from inner city businesses which say the CBD is in crisis and they are struggling to attract staff because of a lack of parking.

Commissioners were today asked to approve widening the scope of the $500,000 per annum three-year fund to better respond to concerns raised by CBD businesses, including parking restrictions.

The fund was originally intended to help increase the supply of residential accommodation in the city centre.

However, council’s General Manager: City Development and Partnerships Gareth Wallis said the number of people wanting to access the fund had “dried up” so the money could be redirected into finding ways to help CBD businesses.

“As a council, we can do more to support the city centre over the next couple of years,” Wallis said.

“There’s definitely no silver bullet. If there was, we would’ve already done it,” Wallis said.

Wallis, and commissioner Anne Tolley, both referenced “particularly negative” feedback from CBD businesses last week.