Redland City Council next meets on Wednesday 9 December commencing at 9:30 am. Here’s a link to the meeting agenda. Some of the agenda items are discussed below.
Dorsal Drive decision due
Artists impression of the development proposed for Dorsal Drive, Birkdale
Redland City Council has released a review report of the Birkdale Road/Dorsal Drive development application to build a 4 storey apartment complex next to established low density residential housing, with access only from Dorsal Drive.
Even though the Birkdale Road/Dorsal Drive development proposal does not comply with the zoning codes in relation to the number of storeys and dwelling density, Council planners state in their report “overall the proposal is considered to comply with the relevant codes”.
The apartment block is a 4 storey development where the zoning code states a maximum of 3 stories and the density per dwelling of the proposal is 145m2 where the code states a minimum of 200m2. This represents a massive 25% movement from the code on both counts and resulted in over 200 objections lodged by residents.
The RCC internal planning Department review of the Birkdale Road/Dorsal Drive development proposal has been made available publicly just 4 days before the Council meeting when Councillors will vote on the proposal. This is totally unacceptable given that Councillors were briefed on the contents in a workshop on Thursday the 12th of November. A request to Mayor Williams for a copy of the report and if there was support from Councillors was met with the response that she was “not at liberty at this time to reveal what recommendations may have been discussed with officers at the workshop, nor can she advise whether councillors support the application”.
Following a community meeting attended by 150 people, Council received about 200 submissions objecting to the development
It is believed the State Government refused approval to allow access to the development from Birkdale Road (State managed road). However Council appears to have no problem with shifting the potential traffic issues into the middle of the local community via the Council controlled Dorsal Drive. This road services the low density residential area made up of canal blocks and dry blocks as well the wider neighbourhood and acts as a local thoroughfare for school children and cyclists.
Any member of the public can attend and anyone wishing to also address Council prior to the decision can apply by 4.30pm two days prior to the meeting.
By Stephen Sharry
More information about the Dorsal Drive development application is available at the Aquatic Paradise Community website and Facebook page.
A community meeting about the proposed development was covered in this Redlands2030 report.
Koala local laws back on the table
Dog attacks are a major cause of koala fatalities in the Redlands
On 22 April 2015 Council resolved to: “Commit to an immediate review of koala area mapping and the requirements for dog owners in koala areas in response to community consultation during the local law making process.’
After many months, a report is finally available for consideration at a Council Meeting. If the officers recommendation is adopted, Community engagement will be conducted for a period of 28 days, commencing on 17 February 2016.
If this timing is adopted, the community engagement about these very modest changes to koala protection laws will happen at the same time as the local government election campaign period.
Changes to the local law would then be finalised by the new Council, elected on 19 March.
Cleveland Community Hub
Councillors will discuss (Item 11.3.5) a proposal for development of a Cleveland Community Hub which would aggregate the provision of community services for seniors and people with disabilities. The proposed facility would be co-located with the Donald Simpson Centre and it is expected to cost less than $4 million.
The proposed funding strategy includes applying for a $1 million grant from the Federal Government through its Stronger Regions grant scheme.
Gold Coast Speedway
Location of proposed motorsports park at 109 Loves Road, Alberton (click to enlarge)
The Gold Coast City Council is considering a development application MCU201501403 for a multi-purpose motorsport park at 109 Loves Road, Alberton. The complex will host local, national and international events and cater for more than 40 competitive sports including speedway, eighth-mile (220m) street-legal drag racing, drifting, karting, supercross, motocross and monster trucks, according to an article in Motoring.
Cr Julie Talty will be proposing in item 14.1.1 that Redland City Council commission an independent report into the proposed motorsports park’s noise impacts and authorise the CEO to make a submission to the Gold Coast City Council.
Items to be discussed in closed session
A number of agenda items are listed for discussion in closed session – without media or community able to observe:
16.1.1 Appeal 795 of 2015- MCU013316 18-20 Waterloo Street & 22 Taylor Crescent, Cleveland
16.1.2 Appeal 3703 of 2015 – MCU013447 – 41-45 Benfer Road, Victoria Point – multiple dwellings
16.1.3 Environmental separate charge land acquisitions list additions
16.2.1Telecommunications contract tender report
16.2.2 General rates exemption for land transferred from Redland City Council to Redland Investment Corporation Pty Ltd
16.3.1 Funding agreement for ferry operations to Southern Moreton Bay Islands (SMBI)
16.3.2 Surf lifesaving Centre of Excellence
Redland City Council Financial Strategy
At its last meeting of the year Council will adopt a new 10 year financial strategy. The report to Item 11.1.1 includes some discussion about some of the assumptions made by officers in preparing Council’s Financial Strategy. According to the officers report:
The financial strategy provides Council with an agreed roadmap for managing its financial resources and contains the outputs and assumptions of the long-term financial forecast. The financial forecast includes ten year financial statements at entity level including a Statement of Comprehensive Income, Statement of Cash Flows and Statement of Financial Position.
Redlands2030 – 6 December 2015
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Maybe I am being too harsh but to now finally after thousands no millions of koala food trees have been destroyed by developers over the past 3 years and even today along Boundary Road Thornlands it still continues, the Council is planning to have some token change to koala laws and just before the election holding public consultation is nothing more than trying to appease people to thinking the Council cares about our precious koalas. On the weekend there was a photo of Oprah with a koala, every time you see a celebrity from overseas they are always nursing a koala, when does this Council realise that it is such a drawcard to our city and yet they pay lip service to its needs and survival. Land Developers’ needs seems to be their priority.
Shameful