Port Adelaide Einfield Council has voted to reduce the penalty on new developments to encourage commercial investment.
Under current regulations, in lieu of providing their quota of car parks required for new proposals, developers may choose to make a financial contribution to the Port Adelaide Centre Car Parking fund. Revenue raised by this fund goes towards upgrading or building new car parks in the area.
As it stands, developers must pay $7200 for every carpark they are short of their quota, however under the new plan this will be slashed to $720.
Councillor Bruce Johansen, who moved the motion to lower the charge, said the previous fee was too expensive, and deterred business owners from coming to the Port.
Initially the policy was implemented to penalise businesses who did not adequately cover their parking requirements, but it has had the unintended impact of frightening away small business owners, who are evidently taking their investment elsewhere.
Not all city officials agree with the move, with city council CEO Harry Weirda saying that the fund was a good instrument to help encourage or deter development, but at $720 the impact would be watered down. Cr Johansen disagrees with Mr Weirda saying each proposal should stand on its own merits.