CESSNOCK council is seeking state government approval to let residents park on footpaths and nature strips legally.
Mayor Jay Suvaal has written to NSW Minister for Transport, David Elliott MP and Labor Cessnock MP Clayton Barr in a bid for an exemption from a road rule in the local government area.
Road Rule 197 prohibits parking on footpaths and nature strips.
"We are asking the minister to consider a common-sense approach that would allow councils to put in place rules that suit local conditions," mayor Jay Suvaal said.
"Within the Cessnock local government area, there are many villages and rural communities where parking on the nature strip does not present a risk to other vehicles or pedestrians."
The council was last year forced to amend its parking enforcement policy to comply with the state government's road rules. Before those changes rangers operated on a rule allowing cars to use the nature strip if there was no kerb and the car was three metres from the boundary.
The council said the changes have led to "much frustration" from ratepayers.
Councillors this month voted unanimously to lobby the state government to allow the local parking rules to trump the blanket policy.
