'Brisbane City Council V Pimp A Shrimp' - parking on the street

[Pimp A Shrimp]

Hi All

I've had my boat parked on the street, out the front of my house, for only 4 weeks and was told in no uncertain terms to remove it from Brisbane City Council. A neighbour, or neighbouring property (I have a gut feeling I know who it is) called council and complained they were inconvenienced by having to slow down, or whatever their original complaint was, when driving past the parked boat.

A representative from Brisbane City Council’s ‘Rapid Response Group’ knocked on the door a couple of days ago to inform me that I need to move the boat as it exceeds Councils ‘Trucks & heavy long vehicle parking’ regulations. This rule states that if a vehicle or trailer is longer than 7.5m in overall length it exceeds the max length allowed.

Fair Dinkum!! I’m really p!ssed off about this. Moreso that the neighbour in question just didn’t approach me to let me know of their concerns. But council have stated that the boat will have to be moved or face a $550 dollar fine.

So, the question begs, if you have a say 5.5 to 6.0m plus boat, this is likely to exceed the max allowable length when you take into consideration the overall length on trailer!!?? Having said all that, I would guess most cabin style boats, are larger CC trailerable boats would exceed this limit. 7.5m isn’t that long!! My old Hilux measured 5.5m from head to toe!! This would extend to Tradies with a box trailer left hitched to the car parked on the road!

My boat is registered, has full comprehensive insurance, falls within the max wide load restrictions and can be legally towed by any vehicle with a 3.5t towing capacity...but it can’t be parked in a residential street in the Brisbane City Council catchment! WTF

Has anyone else been on the end of this regulation?

[marto78]

If I was you I would be finding a copy of those regulations and seeing for myself what they actually say. It may be as simple as having to put out a couple of witches hats either end of your trailer to comply with the councils parking laws.

[marto78]

I just checked the regs and it doesn't look real good for you pimp a shrimp I think you have to make a call to the council to see if you can get a permit of some kind.

[ozynorts]

Here are the regulations.
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/parking-permits/parking-rules/trucks-heavy-long-vehicle/index.htm
no mention of permits or exemptions other than broken down vehicles, deliveries and emergency vehicles.
bugger

[SunnyCoastMark]

Mate, you are crazy parking any boat on a public street good way to have it stolen, vandalised or stuff stolen out of it. i would be looking for alternative solutions - ie a mates or family memebers place, paid storage, marina etc.

[Zippidy]

If you pay the $550 fine, how long can you keep it there?

[Shagga]

I am so sick of councils and governments destroying our way of life. It is unAustralian. Who ever it was that complained obviously has no life and is a parasite sucking the life out of anyone who interferes in their pathetic existence.

Rant over.

[Pimp A Shrimp]

Ozynorts has found the correct regs. I was trolling through this yesterday looking for exemptions,permits anything that might be of use.

The boat was in dry storage in that big Marina we all know at Jacobs Well, but I wasn't real happy with the service, cost and inconvenience factor, so it went to a mates commercial property and was then broken into the very first night it was there. Having it parked out the front under lock and key is the best solution i've got. Paying the $550 fine might be the best solution, as ridiculous as it sounds. My guess council would keep sending infringment notices if i was to go down this path.

The crazy thing about this is that Council would be none the wiser and probably wouldn't care if it wasn't for some disgruntled neighbour. However given they have received a complaint i'm guessing they have to see it through. It's a shame this same neighbour didn't think about the 8 x cars, 2 x box trailers (including his own car)and 1 x tow truck parked on the grassy medium and footpath that will also need to be moved!

There must be others that have been affected by this? Anyone?

[charleville]

Mate, you are crazy parking any boat on a public street good way to have it stolen, vandalised or stuff stolen out of it. .



I see a few boats parked in prominent positions and wonder the same. A couple of streets up from my place, I have noticed that someone has started parking a Cruisecraft on the street and have said to my wife that it might only be a matter of time before it gets pinched. It is outside a high fence also. If the house occupants also both work (no idea if they do), the thieves could easily tow it away in the middle of the day as no one would probably notice. As Pinhead has indicated in these pages many yonks ago, an 18V cordless angle grinder will cut through any chains, locks or wheel clamps within 20 seconds.

[Nicko_Cairns]

not long, they'll probably issue you with a compliance notice too stating that the boat must be moved by time/date or straight away.. it sucks but find somewhere else.


If you pay the $550 fine, how long can you keep it there?

[Crunchy]

Is it just the draw bar taking you over the 7.5M limit? Can you cut it off and make it a bolt on / bolt off or hingable drawbar? (Prolly not looking at the size of the boat in your avatar but thought I would ask)

[copie]

As said just above is it pssible to modify the draw bar to get under that 7.5m limit. If not i guess you have little choice but to move it. For me i would also be making sure that the council were made away of any other vehicle in the street such as a tow truck which would be far longer than 7.5m and then illegaly parked on the medium strip or any car parked on the footpath were in breach of the councils laws. Make it just as hard for them and be persistant.

Mark

[Still_Dreamin]

Mate i couldn't fit my boat in the shed so i bought a fold away draw bar from dunbier and saves nearly a metre. Has two bolts and usually i only remove one bolt and swing it out the way. However if you took two bolts out and stored draw bar in garage it would be the ultimate anti theft device. Only issue would be brake cable. And it would be under the specified length. Don't think paying the fine once will stop them fining you in the future ie every time you move it is a new offence

[marto78]

not long, they'll probably issue you with a compliance notice too stating that the boat must be moved by time/date or straight away.. it sucks but find somewhere else.

Or they will have it towed.

[Feral]

If your leaving a boat like that in the street, I wouldn't be to worried about the council and parking.

Without a shadow of a doubt some of the local lads are at this very point planning on finding your pride and joy a new home where you'll never have to worry about parking it again.

[Nicko_Cairns]

nah usually it will be compliance notice, if you then don't comply they will take you to court. seizure isn't done too much nowadays when someone has ownership of a vehicle/boat, if it's abandoned that's a whole different matter.


Or they will have it towed.

[Pimp A Shrimp]

Thanks for your input gents.

Unfortuantely trying to re-jig the draw bar is out of question given its an alloy setup with a 'frame on frame' design. Looks like i'm on the hunt for a storage facility somewhere on the North side close to the Bris River. Where that might be...i have no idea!

Thanks again
Andrew

[bazza65]

It is very sad to see that no replies to your post mentioned safety. Safety to pedestrians crossing the street,safety for cars to pass and swing out into oncoming traffic, safety to kids playing around boat and getting hit by a car. A few years ago a guy living down the road from me bought his truck home and parked it on theroad in front of his house. He owned the local fruit shop. Over the weekend his kids were playing around the truck and one ran out from behind the truck, he was hit by a car and killed. He was six years old.
I know i will cop crap for disagreeing with all replies but i had reply. I am a boat owner and a retired truck driver.
bazza

[jhmtaylor]

Ozynorts, They are not the regulations. That is an information bulletin. It is worth checking the actual regulations because public servants often produce these info bulletins but don't change the regulation because it takes time and is bothersome. It happens more often than you think.

[marto78]

It is very sad to see that no replies to your post mentioned safety. Safety to pedestrians crossing the street,safety for cars to pass and swing out into oncoming traffic, safety to kids playing around boat and getting hit by a car. A few years ago a guy living down the road from me bought his truck home and parked it on theroad in front of his house. He owned the local fruit shop. Over the weekend his kids were playing around the truck and one ran out from behind the truck, he was hit by a car and killed. He was six years old.
I know i will cop crap for disagreeing with all replies but i had reply. I am a boat owner and a retired truck driver.
bazza

Thats a sad thing to hear but I don't see how that is any different to running out from behind a parked car or hedge growing on the side of the road. I don't think the size of the object would have mattered in that instance.

[ozynorts]

Ozynorts, They are not the regulations. That is an information bulletin. It is worth checking the actual regulations because public servants often produce these info bulletins but don't change the regulation because it takes time and is bothersome. It happens more often than you think.

Do you have the link to the regs so that we know what they are?

[TheRealAndy]

Exact same thing happened to me. It was the garbo's who complained though. Council came and had a look, said I am really not allowed to park there but unless they got more complaints they were not to worried.

[Dignity]

Sorry to hear you are in a spot of bother as I had a similar issue a few years back where I had to park my boat on the road for quite a while, a near neighbour dropped a couple of annonymous letters in my letter box complaining about it but fortunately didn't take it to the local council, I eventually relocated which solved that problem. He was pretty dumb though as he used an envelope that was originally addressed to himself and crossed out the details but held up to a light I could make out this name and adress. He was also a regular at my wtering hole so I mentioned that I was aware of his notes and also that he also parked his car across the footpath, didn't hear anymore about it.
I hope you find a solution to your problem.

[johncar]

Look I feel sorry that you are having this grief but the street isn't really for long term parking of large vehicles for obvious reasons. You may not be very impressed if your neighbour parked a large truck opposite you and left it there 24/7. It really depends on the street and situation on whether it is a real problem for other road users and pedestrians, but you must remember it is a public access area and not yours to use for long term personal use. It's not your best solution for your boat either if you value it. I also didn't think that insurance will cover it if stored on a road.
You could try slinging the neighbour a few bucks or carton of beer each week to shut up, hope you have a good outcome anyway...

[Feral]

Much more civilised ways of resolving such disputes than sneaking off to the council.

20 odd years ago I had a bloke start parking his truck in front of my joint, ignored polite notes left on the wind screen to desist, eventually I taped an envelope to the windscreen of the truck holding all the valve caps off his tyres. On it I had written a simple note - "next week it will be the valves themselves". Stopped parking the truck there after that. Problem fixed with no grief at all ;)

[Blackened]

G'day

I'm adamant I drove past your boat the other night, is it in a street on the northside starting with N?

There is a big storage place at Hendra, Hendra Storage. Used to detail a few Kevlacats in there.

Dave

[Pimp A Shrimp]

G'day

I'm adamant I drove past your boat the other night, is it in a street on the northside starting with N?

There is a big storage place at Hendra, Hendra Storage. Used to detail a few Kevlacats in there.

Dave


Dave

Thats me! I got a phone message from Council today to say if is not moved within the hour he'll give me an infringement notice! I wrote to him last week, in a civil manner, explaining the boat will get moved, but things like this just don't happen over night. No repsonse from Council! Go figure! I would have expected a specific date be given in order to move the boat. Very dissapointing given my letter was ignored, and no attempt made for a relaxation period in order to find a new home!

I've tried four places in and around the mouth of Bris River, but nothing available.

Andrew

[snapperdan]

Sorry to hear for your troubles.

I have had to recently give up my mooring on Syd Harbour and trailer my rig. I have always kept my trailer on the same street. Not outside my house a bout 300 meters from my home in front of a park so not in front of anyones house. Now boat sits on trailer in the same spot.

My boat has been the subject of many a council meeting. The neighbors and the council conspired to close the whole street to parking make it a 10km per hour share zone. increase the footpath width to 20ft and decrease the road width to 10 foot. The road would also be a no through road. Not one single person spoke in favour of this idea. No one even had the balls to admit they supported it. We won. The council never went ahead with the plan and we get to keep our boats parked on the street as the y are legal and registered . However all our boats got new paint jobs from one of the gutless neighbors (i call them speed stripes). There was also some interesting quasi political graffiti referring to us as boat people which is in much better taste than destroying private property.

Any way if you have the balls to do it and dont mind the consequences then go for it. I live in a very quiet area with no through traffic , high incomes and people generally dont steal. No one comes down the street to my boat as people dont know its there.

[Blackened]

G'day

I went past your rig again on Sunday morning, really don't know what all the fuss is about. It's a boat on the side of the road...... big whoop.

May be worth a temprary home at either Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club, Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, or Wynnum Manly Yacht Club? May be worth a call to Rivergate Marina? Heaps of hardstand space available... I work at all of these places, some may suit, other may not, all have good security.

Did you try Hendra Storage?

Dave

[Mr__Bean]

Are there any pensioners or similar in your street that have a nice big unused driveway or front yard.

I would much rather approach them and help them out with a cash payment than put my boat into commercial storage.

Some of these oldies would love to have a few hundred to help pay their bills and also a few fresh filleted fish that they couldn't otherwise afford.

Just a thought.

I was lucky when I moved into my current house, I had to park my boat out the front which I didn't like very much due to a lack of clearance getting past the side of the house. When my neighbour realised this he asked if I wanted to move the fence over by a metre so I could get through (he lost a metre of his front yard). It kept him in fresh fish I can tell you.

Darren

[Ausfish]

Sounds like a neighbour has boat envy. When you move your boat you could always get someone with a boat that meets council regs to park it in the same place for a while. Then park your boat back there. Would guess that council would have to start the process all over again.

Seems strange that they would threaten you with a fine without first sending an infringement notice. Plus doing it on the phone and giving you an hour. Next time they call just say to them to hold on for a second as you wish to start recording the phone conversation. Something just doesn't seem to fit here. Maybe a friend of a freind in your street at the council or something.

[Pimp A Shrimp]

Agree with your comments Steve re neighbour suffering from boat envy. The good news is i have found a private property that will hold the boat semi-permantly until I work out a solution.

Here's the copy from my letter sent to Council. There's nothing overly sensitive in here, so no remifications in broadcasting the content. As you can see below, it's written in a civil manner, and makes note of what i think would be a bigger issue to Council, being Cars parked on the footpath.

Following up from your inspection of my boat parked at the above location, I just wanted to give you an update on what my situation is. I’m in the process of trying to find a suitable location to keep the boat, however this has been quite difficult. The cost to put the boat into storage in one of the better (more secure) locations is proving to be very expensive. So I’m broadening my search a bit further field in the hope of finding something suitable.

I am surprised that a boat that is registered, has full comprehensive insurance, is not considered a wide load, and can be legally towed on its own trailer anywhere in Australia without restriction, breaches a parking law. I have found the link on BCC’s website that explains the regulation, so my intention is not to argue this law. It is just very odd given the number of cars and box trailers that are parked on Council’s footpath, and have been doing so for many years, in my street, aren’t considered to be more of a concern and in breach.

I guess this is what happens when a disgruntled neighbour makes a complaint.

Anyway, just my thoughts!

PS. I think I gave you an incorrect mobile number. The correct number is listed below (this number is new to me).

[jmwarner]

You could always try this;D

90433

[Pimp A Shrimp]

You could always try this;D

90433

Not such a bad idea if i was sure no ramifications would come my way!

[Fish_gutz]

when the council do roadworks / maintenance they leave their caravans/rollers etc parked all over anyone's and everyone's footpaths!
whats good for the goose is not always good for the gander. good luck in findind a solution , hope it all works out for you.

[Illusionmirage]

I would be complaining daily about the people Parked on the grass. Make them all move including he douche that complained initially.

If you don't then the next time you bring the boat home to clean it you will get another call from the council.

[hook em]

This has just happened to me at the gold coast, after a complaint was loged with council a $100.00 fine was issued staight up no warning with the ticket stating Park a heavy vehicle or long vehicle for longer than an hour, i own a 6m cat 2t but was 7.8m combined trailer and boat length but trailer alone is 7.4m, have found councils definition of a "heavy vehicle" in local law 44 gold coast city council- a vehicle or combination of vehicles ( including an adjunct vechile) with a GVM or more than 4.5T or has a total length in excess of 7.5m. Does a boat and trailer constitute a vehicle or is the trailer alone the veichle? i am in the process of finding alternate storage but as i have only recently move to queensland not an easy task to sort out in a day, talked to council about a grace period and was told bad luck you will continue to be finned till moved. Draw bar mods will be on the cards. I wish people had balls to come and talk about the issue so i could of had some time to organise alternate storage.

[bigjimg]

You could try Newport Waterways Marina on Griffith Rd Redcliffe.They have plenty of hardstand area within a secure compound.Jim

[Pimp A Shrimp]

91151Hook em

I feel your pain brother. Gold Coast and Brisbane Councils have very similar regulations. See my infringment notice attached! $500 freaking dollars. Which came with one verbal warning, and a no-reply from a letter (see previous post) that i sent to Council. I'll be fighting this!

[Feral]

What basis you going to fight it on?
Wasn't parked their long enough?
Trailer not to long?
Not within 100m of a residential house?

Not being nasty or stirring, but you can't fight it just because you dont think its fair, you'll need a solid reason as to why you dont believe you committed the offence when you go to court that has a good chance of winning.

Otherwise your just going to get more P'd off when you lose and still have to pay the fine plus cop the court costs.

[Zippidy]

Would things change if you bought a cheap car, registered it, and always had it connected to the boat?

[hook em]

Unlike common law council use guilty till proven innocent,what happen to intent to commit a crime and they wonder why there is so manyneighbourhood disputes end up in court!
Once council work out that you can go down to any ramp overthe week end and book a heap of people with trailers over 7.5m in one go, i amsure we all will be having these problems especially when tournaments are on.
I did some research today and found that dumbier trailers doa weld on swing point for your draw bar about $250 plus $150 for welding and Ican legally park back on the st, so the council and complaining neighbour can go andget F-----.

[Mr Squiggles]

Moreton Bay Boat Club at Scarbie have a hardstand & good ramps with washdown facilities. You will have to become a full member though. They also have secure car & trailer parking for day or o/nighters for towed vessels + good meals & palate cleansing ales!

[Charlie]

Some people will decouple their trailer when parking in residential streets but councils are a wake up to this and many specify a trailer must be less than five meters as it's part of a combination so I'd check carefully before you go chopping.



Unlike common law council use guilty till proven innocent,what happen to intent to commit a crime and they wonder why there is so manyneighbourhood disputes end up in court!
Once council work out that you can go down to any ramp overthe week end and book a heap of people with trailers over 7.5m in one go, i amsure we all will be having these problems especially when tournaments are on.
I did some research today and found that dumbier trailers doa weld on swing point for your draw bar about $250 plus $150 for welding and Ican legally park back on the st, so the council and complaining neighbour can go andget F-----.

[Dignity]

It usually means that some one in the council will be delegated to make sure that all efforts are made to ensure the fine is paid and all the rules and regs checked to see if there are other fines that can be applied, it seems that either/both common/sense no longer exists