Byron Is a Natural Disaster Area Rezoning Strategy While in Opposition Justifications
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COMMUNITY ART PROJECT SINCE 1986 The Byron Shire Echo • Volume 34 #37 • Wednesday, February 19, 2020 • www.echo.net.au Greens councillors push Where high growth agenda Hans Lovejoy be rezoned and staff will be given surf meets powers to approve ‘spot rezonings’. The ‘current strong business and Cr Coorey told The Echo if the employment growth’ of the region strategy is approved, ‘It says to our boogie is driving Council’s push to open community that we know better up large contentious rural land for than all the data we have, the busi- future development. ness community that we consulted, Plans to rezone around 40 hectares the findings of the consultants we of rural lands for commercial and asked to advise us, and the broader potential residential use in Byron community who made submissions’. Shire will be again thrashed out at the upcoming Council meeting on Febru- ƐëǔſĕżşſƐžƖĕƆƐĶşŕĕĎ ary 20 in the Mullum chambers. Within the upcoming agenda, While the controversial Business chief Council planner Shannon and Industrial Lands Strategy was Burt claims, ‘A parcel’s inclusion in adopted on December 12, 2019, [the] strategy does not automati- independent Crs Catherine Coorey cally mean it will be zoned for busi- and Basil Cameron, along with ness or industry.’ Labor’s Cr Jan Hackett, have lodged It’s a claim that has been repeated a motion to rescind the strategy. by the mayor and Cr Sarah Ndiaye, They want to remove the contro- yet is rejected by former Greens versial Saddle Road precinct and mayor and NSW MLC, Jan Barham. Pictured are Cupid & the Stupids, who were just one of the acts who performed at Byron Surf Fest, held last The Ech redraft the strategy to include an Burt is yet to reply to The Echo’s weekend. Fest director, James McMillan, told o, ‘It was a really successful weekend, blessed with ‘overarching servicing and delivery question of how Council can perfect weather and surf aft er two weeks of 500mm of rain. Everyone was so stoked to be outdoors surfing, framework’ and growth scenarios, prevent a developer – who has land seeking and celebrating all things surf culture. The local community, as well as Hawaiian, Japanese, French among other issues. flagged under this policy – from and Brazilian surfers and artists joined in on the BBSF ten-year anniversary festival at Wategos beach and Greens mayor Simon Richardson lodging large DAs before the NSW Byron Bay Brewery. Couldn’t have asked for better. Lots of smiling faces and stoked souls!’ Photo @col_elmore and Labor’s Paul Spooner inexplica- planning panel or the courts. bly voted for its adoption, despite Barham is also critical of Burt’s voting against a similar large-scale report in the agenda and its Byron is a natural disaster area rezoning strategy while in opposition justifications. during the Council 2012–2016 term. Further to concerns that council- While large rain-dumps across the Parts of the Shire’s road network weir in Wilsons Creek. Like the previous Rural Land lors are ignoring process, local region were welcomed last week, were also closed owing to flooding. That weir is also at capacity, say Use Strategy (DRLUS) in 2016, Greens MP Tamara Smith has told the impacts on the road networks Council. the current plan is fraught with The Echo that such a strategy is and infrastructure have resulted Water restrictions lifted A Rous spokesperson said, geographical constraints, has raised ‘putting the cart before the horse’ in Byron Shire being declared a Meanwhile, water utility Rous ‘Rainfall readings for Rocky Creek concerns in government agencies in terms of strategic planning. natural disaster area. County Council say that Rocky Dam show that in the first six weeks and contain late inclusions that She says, ‘Before the 2019 state As one of 56 local government Creek Dam, which supplies much of 2020, we have had the same lacked public comment. election, I called for a pause on areas to be aff ected across NSW, of the north coast, is now full, with amount of rainfall recorded in 2019’. Both Crs Richardson and rezoning land in Byron Shire until Council say disaster assistance will more than 300mm flowing over the Regardless of lift ed restrictions, Spooner reject the question of suff icient long term and strategic be made available from the federal spillway last Thursday morning. Rous say they will continue to keep hypocrisy, given their support of this planning was completed. and NSW governments. All water restrictions are now the community’s focus on reducing new policy, now they are in power. ‘This was similar to what the Council staff responded to emer- lift ed, including in all Byron Shire water consumption, ‘so that in the If adopted Thursday, land around member for Ryde and Ryde Council gencies last week, including trees towns and Mullumbimby, which is event of another extended dry spell, the Byron Central Hospital may ▶ Continued on page 2 over roads and drainage problems. supplied in part by Lavertys Gap we can be in a better position’. Byron Shire Do you vote Green? 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According to ahead in May residents will have the a Council statement, residents Last November, Byron opportunity to dispose of dumping green waste need Shire Council launched a An annual festival of water-damaged hard rubbish to bring proof of residency, litter reduction campaign ecological, economic and at the Myocum tip for free such as a driver’s licence or in conjunction with Take 3 social renewal will go ahead until February 26, Byron rates notice and present it at for the Sea, a not-for-profit in Mullumbimby this May, Council says. the weighbridge to qualify organisation working toward aft er organisers successfully And all residents will be for free green waste disposal. reducing plastic pollution. ran an online crowdfunding able to drop their green waste For more info call Danielle The simple message is campaign to keep the event at the Myocum recovery Hanigan at Council on getting people to take three alive. centre, without charge, over 6626 7084. pieces of rubbish when they Renew Fest needed 600 leave the beach, river, creek early bird ticket pledges by or anywhere. midnight on February 18, Solar Rebates Still Available! Last weekend, volunteers and exceeded the target by a gathered at Main Beach Pictured are Council’s Kate Akkerman, CEO Take 3 for the good margin. Byron for a beach clean. Sea, Tim Silverwood, and Russell Mills from Surfer Rosa This was driven by a CEO of Take 3, Tim Communications. Photo Eve Jeff rey grass-roots community Family Owned & Operated Silverwood says it was a great eff ort in the final days of the event. He said, ‘We’re just or any of our natural areas.’ participants took part on campaign. The festival will Your Trusted Local encouraging people to pick up BSC Litter Reduction the day, who between them run from May 8 till 10. Solar Energy Specialist! three pieces of rubbish when Off icer Kate Akkerman picked up over 1,500 pieces of Tickets are available at they leave any of our beaches added that 61 registered rubbish from the foreshore. www.renewfest.org.au. “From the fi rst contact to the after-installation support and everything in between, Hardys have been fantastic! The entire team was very professional, helpful and such a joy. I would highly recommend Hardy Solar!” Funding evaporating for homeless services – Steve, Banora Point (Dec 19) Paul Bibby shelter recently that funding BCC, said running the shelter is fast running out. required a lot of organisation If you’ve been finding the There is no recurrent each night. recent big wet challenging, funding for the service, ‘Confirming security guard spare a thought for those which was made possible by services, qualified overnight sleeping rough. small one-off grants secured crisis workers, cleaners, For more than two weeks, from the Northern Rivers volunteers, food and other Finance Available scores of local homeless Community Foundation, consumables, clean laundry, people have been struggling Westpac, Harcourts,