REPORT TO WAVERLEY TRAFFIC COMMITTEE

O’Brien Street, Bondi Beach – Ambulance Parking (A02/0637-02) Report dated 13 September, 2010 from the Divisional Manager, Technical Services about a request to install an on street parking space for use by ambulances on a 24/7 basis once the aged care facility currently under construction at 47-51 O’Brien Street is operational. Council’s Proposal: That: 1. A 7m long, “No Parking – Ambulances Excepted” zone be installed outside 47-51

O’Brien Street a distance of 5.5m to the east of the proposed driveway to the basement car park.

2. The pram ramp proposed at the rear of the ambulance bay be installed in accordance with Council’s standards and specifications.

Purpose of Report The architect associated with the aged care facility currently under construction at 47-51 O’Brien Street, Bondi Beach has advised the location of an approved ambulance parking bay inside the site adjacent to the front boundary is no longer suitable for a variety of reasons and as a result, is seeking approval under a Section 96 application to have the ambulance bay removed form within the site and have it relocated to an appropriately signposted parking bay on the O’Brien Street roadway. Council will be required to exercise its delegated functions to implement the proposal. Introduction A multi-storey, aged care facility is currently under construction at 47-51 O’Brien Street, Bondi Beach. The facility, located on the northern side of O’Brien Street approximately midway between Wellington Street and Glenayr Avenue was approved under DA 392/2005. The approval included the provision of an ambulance bay just inside the property in the vicinity of the main entry doors. The architect has advised that due to a variety of reasons, the site for the ambulance bay is no longer suitable and is seeking approval via a section 96 application to Council to have the approval amended and the bay removed from inside the site and positioned on the O’Brien Street roadway. Technical Analysis A single ambulance bay was approved just inside the front boundary of the site adjacent to a proposed Energy Australia kiosk/ substation next to the eastern side boundary. The architect for the development has indicated the ambulance bay cannot be constructed at the approved location for the following reasons: 1. The project has been running for some 5 years, initial discussions with Energy Australia via the electrical consultant indicated a J type substation but upon formal application this year and confirmation received in June the substation has been increased to a type L. The building was under construction and a special concession has already been received from EA for a modified easement to fit the available space. 2. The footpath levels are lower than expected on the eastern side of the ambulance bay crossing and make it impossible to achieve the required levels.

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REPORT TO WAVERLEY TRAFFIC COMMITTEE

3. The crossing is also much steeper than expected as the gutter is at its lowest relative to the footpath in this section of frontage. 4. We cannot lower the ambulance bay because it needs to also provide disabled access to the entry, if this was done we would need to make the area significantly wider to accommodate handrails and this is not possible because the Energy Australia easement can not be reduced any further and can not be moved any further east. 5. There is not sufficient headroom within the basement for the ambulance which requires a minimum 2800mm clear and prefer 3200mm clear. No objections are raised to the reasons given for requesting the relocation of the ambulance bay to the street. The relocation of the ambulance bay will result in: 1. Improvements to landscaping along the street frontage 2. There being only one footpath crossing on O’Brien Street on the western side of the

site and that being the one serving the proposed basement car park. 3. There will be no loss of on street parking as the ambulance bay is proposed to be

located in the vicinity of the driveway that was to provide access to and from the bay. O’Brien Street in front of the site is contained within Resident Parking Scheme Area 1 and has the following restrictions: 2P 8am-10pm Permit Holders Excepted Area 1 The architect requests the on street ambulance bay be located in close proximity to the pedestrian entry pathway that leads to the main entry doors to minimise the travel distance for the disabled and those in wheelchairs. In this regard, the architect is requesting the ambulance bay be located one car space (5.5m) to the east of the yet to be installed driveway at the western end of the site that provides access to and from the basement car park- see plan attached. A pram ramp is also proposed at the rear of the ambulance bay to aid access between ambulances and Council’s footpath. Financial Information for Council’s Consideration The applicant will be requested to meet the cost of installing the signs for the ambulance bay parking and constructing the associated pram ramp. Council’s Proposal: That : 1. A 7m long, “No Parking – Ambulances Excepted” zone be installed outside 47-51

O’Brien Street a distance of 5.5m to the east of the proposed driveway to the basement car park.

2. The pram ramp proposed at the rear of the ambulance bay be installed in accordance with Council’s standards and specifications at the applicant’s cost.

Dan Joannides Divisional Manager, Technical Services Author Geoff Garnsey Manager Transport and Development

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