Planning loopholes mean the new Butler licensing centre is failing the pee test.
The centre opened in May but it does not have public toilets and traffic has to leave the site via a rear laneway.
The nearest public toilets are in shops about 500m away.
The $2.3 million facility replaced the old Joondalup licensing centre but it was originally approved by the Joint Development Assessment Panel in 2021 as a 90-person office and was not required to have public toilets.
Its car park has an entry-only point via Butler Boulevard and an exit-only point onto Delvin Lane, which is a rear laneway for homes on Hollyford Parade.
Residents with rear garages that back onto Delvin Way say they have been directly affected by the increased traffic since the opening of the centre.
The City of Wanneroo received a petition in July from 34 residents.
“We request to have the exit for the Department of Transport building in Butler relocated and traffic management implemented for Delvin Lane, Butler,” the petition said.
“High volume of traffic from and for the Department of Transport on Delvin Lane is creating a traffic hazard for local young children, residents and pedestrians passing through the laneway (such as residents of the MS Centre). Some residents have stated that there have already been near-miss incidents involving pets and children.”
Benenden Avenue is classified by Main Roads WA to accommodate up to 7000 vehicles per day, while Delvin Lane is designed to cater for only up to 300 per day.
Traffic counts by the city found between 450 and 469 vehicles used Delvin Lane each weekday.
The city believes traffic should be shifted to Benenden Avenue and Butler Boulevard and two new entry and exit points be created.
However, the JDAP’s approval of the site has left the city somewhat powerless, with the only option to request amendments.
“The proposed recommendation is for the city to write to the Department of Transport with three actions,” City of Wanneroo director of assets Harminder Singh said at the October 10 council meeting.
“One is to remove the vehicle access to Delvin Lane and the second is to construct another access on Benenden Avenue.”
The third action is for the construction of public toilets in the licensing centre.
In a statement to PerthNow, a Department of Transport spokesperson said traffic flow issues were being examined.
“Issues regarding traffic flow around the Butler driver and vehicle services centre are being examined by the building’s owners in consultation with the City of Wanneroo,” the spokesperson said.
“The Department of Transport does not provide public toilet facilities at driver and vehicle services centres and signage at all centres informs customers of this.
“DoT staff may, however, upon request from elderly persons or parents with young children, allow access to their staff bathroom providing they have sufficient security and staff to escort customers to an in-centre facility.
“Otherwise, customers may be directed to the nearest local public toilets (if available).”
Cr Paul Miles said at the October 10 meeting staff at the licensing centre were telling people to go to McDonald’s or Woolworths — more than 500m away — for the nearest public toilet.
Cr Bronwyn Smith said she was disappointed that the situation arose in the first place, but was “hopeful that the recipients will be responsive to the action that the city requests”.
City of Wanneroo director of planning and sustainability Mark Dickson confirmed at the council meeting the area was leased by the Department of Transport after the JDAP approved its use and did not need to be vetted with JDAP again.
He said that technically the centre was still categorised as an office and there was no requirement to specify how many people would be visiting it.
The city has asked for a response from the Department of Transport by November 30.