Metro magic and housing density

Indicator that Capalaba metro link is imminent

Redland City Council’s role in the city’s new Housing and Diversity Strategy will be discussed at Wednesday’s Council meeting just a few days after the Council’s fact free announcement about Capalaba being linked to Brisbane’s new metro network, possibly.

Also on the agenda is a proposal to allow more dogs on some larger properties and four petitions including one about having Ramsar/Shorebird signs at G.J. Walter Park.

There are four secret squirrel agenda items including the annual financial statements for the Council-owned Redland Investment Corporation.

UPDATE – link to video of Council meeting

The video recording of the Council meeting on Wednesday is now available.

These meeting videos are opportunities for Redlands voters to assess the performance of incumbent councillors, before the next local government elections in March 2024.

In this video you can enjoy a lengthy discussion about conflict of interest declarations (Item 6), Jan MacIntyre from Coochiemudlo speaking in Public Participation about inadequate Council consultation (Item 9), presentation of petitions (Item 10), changing the dog laws (Item 13.4) African tulip trees (Item 15.1) , housing strategy (Item 15.2) and votes on confidential items (items 20.1 to 20.4). The meeting minutes are usually published a week after the meeting.

Metro to Capalaba announcement

Redland City Council announced on Friday that it will be contributing funding towards the Eastern Metro Study together with Brisbane City Council and the State Government.

This “major new study” will investigate options for extending the existing busway from where it currently ends at Coorparoo through to the Capalaba business district and will also consider making this an extension to Brisbane City Council’s 21 km metro project.

The Eastern Busway to Capalaba was originally conceived by the Beattie Bligh Labor governments. $466 million was spent constructing about one kilometre of busway to a bus station at Langlands Park in Coorparoo which was opened in August 2011.

For many years the south East Queensland Council of Mayors have been calling for completion of the Eastern Busway which they have estimated will cost $1.7 billion.

More recently, State Government language has changed from Eastern Busway (a road dedicated to bus use only) to spending $30 million on the Eastern Transitway delivering “targeted bus priority measures” e.g. bus lanes along Old Cleveland Road from Coorparoo to Carindale.

Dedicated metro busways

Brisbane City Council is delivering a $1.244 billion metro project that will feature 60 train like electric vehicles operating on 21 kms of dedicated busways from Eight Mile Plains to Roma Street, and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital to University of Queensland.

Brisbane City Council’s metro map indicates a possible future metro network extension from Buranda to Carindale “subject to approvals”. This would require at least seven kms of new dedicated busway.

Extending the Brisbane Metro further east to the Capalaba shopping centres would require another 11 kms of dedicated busway, taking the total length of new metro busway to at least 18 kms – about the same length of busway as the project that is currently being delivered by Brisbane City Council.

Metro questions

The Council’s Metro to Capalaba propaganda release begs several questions such as:

• What are the objectives and terms of reference for the Eastern Metro Study?
• When will this study be finished?
• What is the budgeted cost of doing this study?
• How much funding is Redland City Council contributing to this study?
• Will councillors and the community see a draft report and have an opportunity to provide feedback?

Metro costs and residential density

Delivering a metro project to Capalaba along a dedicated busway would likely cost north of $1 billion of real money funded by ratepayers and taxpayers.

It’s difficult to see any rational case for funding such expensive infrastructure so 8,000 spectators can get to Birkdale in 2032 to watch four days of OIympic white water events.

Before getting overexcited, Redlands folk should ponder the question – do we want a massive increase in residential density if that’s needed to get a metro link to Capalaba?

On the subject of increasing residential density, the agenda for Wednesday’s Council meeting includes Council’s role in the State Government led Redlands Housing and Diversity Strategy (Item 15.2). Unfortunately, as at Monday morning the officers’ report for this item has not been made publicly available.

Dog laws on Council agenda

Changing local laws to increase the number of dogs allowed on properties greater than 10,000sqm with more than one lawful, occupied, self-contained dwelling from two to four without the requirement for a permit will be considered on Wednesday (Item 13.4).

On 15 December 2021, following community consultation about various proposed changes to dog laws, the Council decided to allow keeping of up to four dogs if they met criteria for being a Prescribed Dog (show dogs, agility dogs and foster dogs).

But various other changes which would allow an increase in the numbers of dogs to be kept on larger properties were not adopted due to overwhelming community feedback concerned about issues such as impact on wildlife and noise nuisance.

	Agree	%	Disagree	%
Properly Made	199	22.7	676	77.3
Other	11	30.6	25	69.4
Total submissions	210	23.1	701	76.9

G.J. Walter Park signs requested

Four petitions will be presented at Wednesday’s meeting including a petition that council erect new signs at G.J. Walter Park next to Toondah Harbour which:

• Advise that this area is part of the Moreton Bay Ramsar site;  and
• Caution people to avoid disturbance of migratory shorebirds and other birdlife.

The four petitions listed in the meeting agenda are:

• 10.1 Petition – Cr Adelia Berridge – Request for Residential Property Owner to Cease Industrial Work
• 10.2 Petition – Cr Adelia Berridge – Request for Residential Property Owner to Cease Industrial Work in Area Not Fit For Purpose
• 10.3 Petition – Cr Peter Mitchell – Request for Council to Install Prominent Signs on G.J. Walter Park Foreshore
• 10.4 Petition – Cr Lance Hewlett – Request to Postpone an Ambulance Shed Being Built on Coochiemudlo Island

In each case the motion included in the agenda is that the petition is of an operational nature and be received and referred to the Chief Executive Officer for consideration.

The better way of dealing with petitions about issues of widespread community interest is for Council to resolve that the matter be investigated and a report be submitted for consideration by elected councillors at a future Council meeting.

Redland Investment Corporation results

Four items are scheduled for non-public discussion on Wednesday including the annual financial statement of Redland Investment Corporation.

The Council says its reason for keeping this secret is that “discussion of this matter in an open meeting would, on balance, be contrary to the public interest as it deals with negotiations relating to a commercial matter involving the local government for which a public discussion would be likely to prejudice the interests of the local government”.

The four confidential items listed in the agenda are:

• 20.1 Redland Investment Corporation Annual Financial Statement
• 20.2 Community Use on Council Land, Alexandra Hills
• 20.3 2022-2023 Round 1 Sponsorship Program – Application for Major Sponsorship
• 20.4 Office of the Independent Assessor Referral – Alleged Inappropriate Conduct
  C/22/00509, C/22/00539, C/22/00551, C/22/00546

Court appeals

Council officers prepare a report each month about various Planning and Environment Court actions and appeals involving Redland City Council.

The report omits any reference to the Council’s appeal against the heritage listing of Willard’s Farm in Birkdale. The Council’s notice of appeal is dated 20 April 2022. A review hearing is scheduled for 18 November 2022.

Here is a link to the Council’s latest report on court appeals and actions.

More information about Council meetings

The Council’s meeting agenda (including officers’ reports for non-secret items) is available on the Council website.

The meeting starts at 9:30 am on Wednesday.

Limited seating in the public gallery in the council chambers is available.

A video of the meeting will be published on the Council’s website within 48 hours.

Redlands2030 – 14 November 2022

Updated 20 November 2022 by including a link to the video of this meeting and providing some commentary on the video.