Is car parking a source of contention on your street?
Maybe it's hard to find a spot, there's a neighbour who parks too close to your driveway, or caravans are being parked for long periods.
If you want to tackle your parking problems, here are some things to consider.
Why is street parking causing tension?
Parking issues are common across Australia, including in suburban Adelaide and growing regional towns.
Louise Crawford is the Mayor of Port Phillip Council in Naarm/Melbourne, where parking can be tricky to come by — depending on the street.
"We're incredibly limited in the amount of parking spaces that we have," she says.
Katy Woods, a senior lawyer with Legal Aid NSW on Gadigal land in Sydney, says the organisation "regularly get calls about drivers who park outside another person's home or over someone's driveway".
Estelle Grech is the policy manager at the Committee for Sydney, an urban policy think tank.
In some instances, she says parking shortages are "perceived" because it's assumed changes or development in the area always equates to less parking.
She says more housing needs to be planned near public transport so car space availability is less of an issue and people can choose not to have a car.
What can I do if there's no parking near my house?
Ms Woods recommends people contact their council if they're "consistently unable to park outside their home".
She says most New South Wales councils have online forms to raise parking grievances.
If you live in an apartment, Ms Woods suggests raising the issue with your strata manager instead.
Ms Greche says expecting a park outside your home is not realistic in every area.
"People need to remember that they don't own the street outside their house as well," she says.
However, she adds "it makes sense to have a park ideally reserved directly outside your house" if you have mobility issues.
What if accessibility is an issue?
Different Australian states and cities have a process to apply for an accessibility parking permit, mobility parking permit or an equivalent.
The eligibility requirements and processes differ, but mobility limitation caused by a medical condition, injury or disability are common prerequisites.
Additionally, Cr Crawford says Port Philip Council has a process for accessibility parking permit holders to request an accessible on-street parking space outside their home.
The process is similar in other areas, and you can check with your local council.
How can I resolve parking issues with neighbours?
Cr Crawford says a "polite conversation" with your neighbour is warranted if their parking is obstructing driveways.
While leaving an anonymous note on their windscreen might be tempting, Ms Woods says it's "unlikely to resolve the issue".
"Be respectful, and keep in mind that there may be personal circumstances, such as mobility issues or illness, that your neighbours are dealing with."
If you can't resolve the issue, a mediation service could be the next step. Mediation facilitators can be found online.
Mis Woods says legal action should be a last resort and if you are ever "concerned for your safety, contact the police and seek advice about obtaining an [apprehended violence order]".
Cr Crawford says that if driveway access is blocked, council can also tow the offending vehicles, which happens about four to five times a week in her area.
Ms Woods also says, if a car is blocking the driveway of causing a hazard you can report it to police.
Why have permit zones?
The rules covering street parking differ from council to council and often vary drastically from street to street.
In Port Phillip Council, Cr Crawford says the permit system has been tightened. She says at one stage there was a family that had eight residential parking permits.
She says parking permits are now usually restricted to one per household for new residents.
Permits also help set realistic expectations about parking availability in the area, Cr Crawford says.
What about boat trailers and caravans?
Cr Crawford says caravans and trailers being parked for long periods is "becoming a greater issue", and council is considering introducing new laws to address it.
"In some areas where we don't have any parking restrictions ... people are turning them into private caravan and trailer storage areas."
In NSW, Ms Woods says that if a vehicle is "more than 7.5 metres long or weighs more than 4.5 tonnes, it is classified as a heavy and long vehicle", which means there are additional rules for parking.
She also recommends checking the relevant council website for information about where you can or can't park a caravan or boat trailer.
