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| October 21, 2012 | ||
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Newsletter
for
Offshore Residents
of Pittwater, Australia
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Scotland Island Community Forum Sunday 4th November 4-6pm Community Hall 
A report to this week’s Council meeting has highlighted a revised design for a new car park and road realignment next to the commuter wharf at McCarrs Creek Road Church Point. The revised design has been put forward by a group of Church Point and offshore residents as an alternative to the original design approved by the Council in the Church Point plan of management. The plan of management and associated masterplan were adopted by Pittwater Council in 2009 following years of consultation with residents. The plan also involved technical and economic specialists, government agencies and broader community feedback as well as an independent peer review. Since its adoption, the Council has been progressively implementing the Masterplan, including
-resurfacing of car parking area and footpath to the west of Rosstrevor Reserve
The next priority project is the realignment of McCarrs Creek Road supported by a new seawall, with extra car parking and improved pedestrian access. The adopted concept design is based on a curved section of roadway with a separate car park on the cliff side of the road with angled parking. This would fit in behind the curved alignment of the recently completed commuter wharf. A consortium of local residents/architects last week submitted an alternative design that seeks to reduce the overall width of the scheme by a parallel car parking arrangement. Mayor Jacqui Townsend said the Council had agreed to consider the alternative design and assess how it compares with the original concept. “Bearing in mind that the fundamental outcome is to achieve the optimal number of additional car parking spaces at Church Point with the best design,” she said Mayor Townsend said she wanted community stakeholders directly affected by the proposed car park to consider the Council’s feasibility assessment before construction begins “It’s important that we gather all possible views on this issue before we proceed with the final step,” she said. Funding for the first stage of the new car park is coming from several sources, including the Council’s capital works budget, the specific carpark sticker scheme and pay & display income from Church Point as well as RMS funding and other potential grant funding. COMMUNITY CONSULTATION TO BE REVIEWED Mayor Jacqui Townsend has called for a renewed focus on community consultation as the new Council got down to business this week at its first full meeting. Mayor Townsend asked for a review of the Council’s current consultation policy in one of several mayoral minutes approved at the meeting. The review will be carried out by a community-based committee made up of councillors, Council staff and community members, one of whom would be aged between 15 and 21. In calling for the review, Mayor Townsend acknowledged that the Council had comprehensive processes in place for consultation but said the Pittwater community was diverse. “I want to ensure the Council has the best structures and processes in place to reach out and get feedback from the whole community, not just segments of it, in a manner which is effective, efficient and positive,” she said. The review will take place over the next two months and be reported back to the Council by early December. The Council also approved the Mayor’s request for a ‘statement of respect ‘ to be read out before Council and committee meetings and a review of delegations from the Council to the General Manager and Mayor. Delegations allow the Mayor or General Manager to make certain decisions on behalf of the Council without needing a meeting or prior approval. Mayor Townsend, Pittwater Council. Ph: 9970 1104 PITTWATER SUBMISSION ON PLANNING REFORM Pittwater Council has lodged a submission to the state government on its proposed changes to planning law in NSW. The changes were outlined in a ‘green paper’ by the government released for public comment in July this year. A report presented to the Council last night outlined the Council’s concern that the green paper was ‘written at a high policy level and …it is difficult to assess the full extent and consequences of the changes proposed.’ Some of the changes foreshadowed by the government include a renewed emphasis on strategic planning, community consultation on development applications before they are lodged rather than during the assessment process, widening the use of regional planning panels and heightened transparency in decision making regarding developments. The Council’s submission outlined the need for ‘meaningful engagement and systems to reinforce the (community’s) expectations and confidence in the planning system.’ The submission noted the use of plain English, social media and technology such as computer modeling would all need to be considered as tools for engaging the community. It also asked for all decision-making on developments to be open to the public, including those made at ministerial level. Mayor Jacqui Townsend echoed the sentiments of the Council submission, saying that “our community need to be made aware there are changes afoot in the way development will proceed in the future.” Submissions to the green paper closed on 5 October. The state government has indicated it will release a draft white paper on planning law in November for further public comment, with a view to introducing a new planning act by April 2013. To view the Council submission visit www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au For more information about the state government’s proposed changes to planning law visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au Steve Evans, Pittwater Council. Ph: 9970 1133 Letter to the Editor Cargo Wharf and surrounds This note is in response to Judy Readman’s letter to editor of 15 October 2012. I agree and support her angst with the state of the wharf at times, particularly when hazardous materials such as old batteries are left on the wharf, or when rubbish (such as boxes or kitchen cabinets) is not properly broken down and piled in heaps around the bins. However, I see the wharf and surrounding bush and beach reserve as not only sites that are sometimes abused, but also of sites of real grace and community. Cargo Wharf, like many of the ferry wharves, serves as an informal recycling centre. Sometimes furniture, flower pots, household goods are intentionally left adjacent to the skips to indicate that they are no longer wanted, but still in relatively good nick. Often these objects are recycled back into homes on the island, sometimes they are not. Unfortunately, all too often there is just rubbish. Looking beyond the rubbish, however, the area also reflects community and individual efforts to manage and improve the area. When I lived closer to Cargo and used it daily, on more than one occasion I witnessed members of the community come by with a whipper snipper to cut the grass. Not only has this been done by Col Bailey who lives close by, but also Toby Jay, who lives nearly on the other side of the island. I beg forgiveness of the others who have also contributed whom I have not named. I enjoy sitting at the lovely table and benches under the casuarinas, built on sturdy pilings and of magnificent timbers. I have enjoyed countless snags, cheer, and sailing stories at Woody Point bbqs on the beach. These amenities are thanks to the efforts of trades and citizens on the island. To the mums, we owe thanks to swings for the children hanging from branches. There is a rack for storing kayaks and other water craft that was built with community sweat. However, inadequate now, it still serves as a reminder that we can co-operate to improve the reserve. Yes, there are ‘warts’ in the area, but there is also real grace and a place to come together and real evidence that we do care and are capable of finding solutions. Unfortunately, this is not the first time folks have had a rant about the state of the area as we often get exhausted with how degraded it can become. However, rants don’t often motivate change. Nevertheless, this may be an opening to start thinking creatively about how to better manage the area. When I first moved to the island, I was certainly vexed with what to do with my moving boxes. What we unpacked on the day, we sent back with the removalists, what we didn’t… well, some was stored, some went to the bins (collapsed, of course). When we bought our house, we had been here long enough to come to realize what a valuable resource the PON was and advertised that we had free boxes and packing material to give away. It was snatched up immediately. How can we communicate this option to new folks moving to the island? Do we need a welcome to the island package? Is this something SIRA can do? I know at a point in time there was a publication that Jenny Cullen had a hand in. Is that still around? The other problem is the inappropriate use of the bins for building project waste. We are quick to point our fingers at the tradies, but there are also a number of home hobbyists who contribute a bit (and sometimes more) here and there. The recent kitchen remodel rubbish may well have been a homeowner as opposed to a tradie. The problem is, it adds up. At the moment, there is no easy mechanism to deal with this less-than-a-quarter/eigth-of-a-skip pile of rubbish from a shed, or even a good spring clean of household rubbish for that matter. Do we need to think of something creative to deal with this? I’m sure with our collective wisdom we can get on top of it. There is a "Scotland Island Residents" Facebook page. Perhaps we can start something there? Betsi Beem Clothes Party
96 Richard Road..Scotland Island - Sat. 27 - 11am-5pm  For Sale Gyprock We have (on the island) about 20 sheets of gyprock 1200 x 2400 length brand new, recently bought, and which we don' t need. We would like to sell them for cost price ( i.e. save all delivery& transport price), we can help deliver at a house on the island (with our ute). Ben will be the person to contact (0411 403 477).  John Deere Gator 2004 6x4 Diesel utility vehicle. 560 Hours. One owner. Engine excellent condition Only used on Scotland island $8900 Megan Brown m14brown@optusnet.com.au Missed out on a Newsletter? Go to the archives to download previous notices A complete set of past electronic newsletters since May 2000 can be found and read at https://ymlp.com/archive_gesgjgm.php The Online Local Contact Guide Click HERE to load The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily the views of the Scotland Island Residents Association (SIRA), or the Western Pittwater Community Association (WPCA) |
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