This Policy supports Council's Electric Vehicle Strategy and Action Plan by defining Council’s role and requirements for electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) installed on Council property within the City of Canada Bay.
The Policy manages risks and implications for Council as an owner of public property, planning authority and public domain manager by:
- Establishing a procedure for people seeking to install EVCI on Council property.
- Communicating Council’s preferred approach and standards for the technology, provision, installation, management, maintenance and removal of EV charging infrastructure on Council property.
This policy should be read in conjunction with planning provisions in State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021, Division 17 Roads and Traffic - subdivision 3 - Electric Vehicle Charging Units (TISEPP). The TISEPP allows public authorities, electricity supply companies and residents to install electric vehicle charging equipment under various conditions (with consent, without consent and exempt).
Council is a land and property owner, planning authority, and public domain manager. Council supports the transition to electric vehicles and will facilitate installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in line with City of Canada Bay’s Electric Vehicle Strategy and Action Plan, relevant legislation and Council policies and plans.
Council owns and manages a significant public property portfolio in locations potentially attractive for EVCI due to their convenient road access, car parking and public amenity. Council will ensure EVCI installed on Council property supports the community equitably, sustainably and fairly by:
- Facilitating access to EV charging across the City of Canada Bay in line with City of Canada Bay’s Electric Vehicle Strategy and Action Plan.
- Requiring that EVCI integrates with the surrounding transport network and respects the unique neighbourhood character and responds deftly to evolving community needs.
- Maintaining public amenities for example pedestrian access, public carparking, functional street furniture and Council owned streetlighting poles.
- Limiting the costs to ratepayers arising from use of public property for EVCI and that ratepayers receive revenue for private use of public property owned and managed by Council.
- Allocating parking spaces fairly between EV users and other users.
- Managing impacts of EVCI on neighbours and adjoining premises.
The following procedure applies to anyone seeking to install an EV charging unit and related infrastructure on Council property.
Communicate with Council as early as possible that you want to install an EV charging unit and related infrastructure.
Contact Council Customer Service on 9911 6555 or email council@canadabay.nsw.gov.au
Council will advise you on the site suitability, parking, leasing/licensing requirements and alignment with Council’s EV Strategy and Action Plan.
If you are seeking a dedicated EV parking space for your EVCI, Council will:
- Review the appropriateness of the space to identify a mutually acceptable solution.
- Consult with neighbours in surrounding properties. If consultation is successful, send the proposal to Traffic Committee and then subsequent Council meeting for decision.
- Advise you on Council’s decision.
Where approved by Council for EV charging only, signage and line marking must be installed at the applicants cost in accordance with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) and Council requirements to communicate that the parking bay is allocated for EV charging.
Anyone wanting to install EVCI must consider the following before installation starts:
- You must pay for the installation and ongoing running costs of the EV charging infrastructure. This includes the charging unit and any upgrades to the electricity grid if deemed required by Council or the electricity network provider. You need to pay for the ongoing maintenance and operation of the EV charging infrastructure including the cost of electricity.
- You must establish an agreement with Council to site your EV charger on Council property (land, facilities or assets including street furniture) before installation starts. The agreement may take the form of a lease, licence or contract with a regular fee and may include a profit share. Section 5 below defines some of the likely conditions of the agreement.
- You must ensure the EV charging unit and infrastructure complies with relevant policies, legislation, standards and technical requirements. EV charging is a rapidly changing technology. You must do your own due diligence to ensure the equipment is compliant at all times throughout installation, during operation and use and eventual removal.
- You are responsible for the management of public safety and carry duty of care in the event of a public safety incident.
- Impact on parking. You will need approval from Council if you plan changes to parking existing parking restrictions e.g., ‘No Parking, Electric Vehicles Excepted While Charging’. Installation of a charger does not guarantee parking restrictions will be changed and where changes are made, there is no guarantee they will remain in place for the life of the charger.
- Impact on other people. How will installation of the EV charger impact neighbours and other people using the area? Have you consulted your neighbours and other people who use the area?
