Bupyeong District Council: "A Shift in Thinking is Needed to Address Parking Issues in the Old City Centre and Utilise Vacant Spaces in Apartments"

A proposal has been made for the active promotion of a project to convert the underutilised auxiliary facilities of old apartments into parking lots to solve the chronic problem of parking shortages in the old city centre of Incheon Bupyeong District. Additionally, there has been a call for urgent legal amendments to completely block postings without local government permission to eradicate illegal banners that lead to administrative waste.

During the 4th Urban Environment Committee meeting of the 274th Bupyeong District Council held on the 2nd, Councillor Park Young-hoon (Democratic Party·Bupyeong 3-dong, Sangok 3·4-dong, Sipjeong 1·2-dong) focused on checking the livelihood issues concerning the parking management department, facility management corporation, and urban landscape department.

Councillor Park first drew attention to the support project for the installation of auxiliary parking lots in apartments. He emphasised, "For old apartments built before 2013 that lack parking space, the district should actively support the conversion of underutilised facilities such as tennis courts or children's playgrounds into parking lots." In response, the parking management department stated, "Currently, apartments in the Sipjeong-dong and Bugae-dong areas have received support, and if there is consent from more than two-thirds of the residents, installation cost support is possible."

Various alternatives for improving parking efficiency in the old city centre were also presented. Councillor Park evaluated the 24-hour opening of the Samsan Sunrise parking lot and the 50% discount on night fees as "a good administrative example of resolving conflicts between merchants and residents." He also urged the facility management corporation, which is considering the introduction of smart devices (kiosks) for transparent operation of on-street parking, to "prevent user inconveniences such as opaque additional charges in advance."

He also expressed his views on environmental and administrative efficiency. While praising the urban landscape department for recycling old banners into bags, he urged for fundamental solutions. He stated, "The vicious cycle of hanging illegal banners on weekends and removing them on Mondays is a clear waste of administration and budget, as well as environmental pollution," and stressed that "strong legal amendments at the central government level are needed to allow only banners approved by the relevant local government to be posted."

In addition, Councillor Park recommended the installation of an outdoor stage in Bupyeong Park, a city-managed facility, to enhance the convenience of residents, and called for the prompt completion of the public parking lot project on the site of the Northern Waterworks Office to alleviate parking shortages in the Cheongcheon-dong area.

Councillor Park stated, "In Bupyeong District, due to the characteristics of the old city centre, conflicts among residents often arise over parking and environmental issues," and said, "Let us work together with the council and the executive branch for efficient administrative services that residents can feel."