16 DECEMBER 2020
ISSUE 219
REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL WEEKLY NEWS
Rebikes reinvigorated
News
A letter asking for national leadership on beachfront coastal erosion is being penned by Central Coast Council Administrator, Dick Persson... See page 8
Out&About
The bicycle boom was one of the most unexpected impacts of COVID-19, but it’s a welcome surprise for Alison Homestead Men’s Shed members, Kerry Braslin and Ken Johnson.
Kanwal’s Grace Evans has taken out this year’s Dobell Christmas Card competition. See page 17
Continued page 14
Education
Unauthorised outdoor dog kennels approved in secret A dog boarding, training and breeding business, operating without consent at Palm Grove and strongly opposed by neighbours, was approved behind closed doors by Central Coast Local Planning Panel on Wednesday, December 9. There was no public announcement of the meeting, which ran from 10.05am to 10.14am, nor was it livestreamed online, as Panel meetings usually are. The supplementary meeting, held one day before the Panel’s regular meeting, was to consider a further report to the development application which the Panel requested when it deferred the matter in October. The Panel decided on a 15-month trial period with a maximum 30 dogs, and then the owner, Mr K Lewis, must submit a new development application for approval to continue business at 604 Ourimbah Creek Rd. After the 15-month period,
The unauthorised outdoor dog kennels and evening house
operations must cease until further development consent is given. The owner must also submit a Building Information Certificate application by the end of 2020 in relation to the unauthorised outdoor dog kennels. Another requirement of approval is an independent acoustic assessment in January 2021 to compare operational noise levels to predicted noise levels, as well as identifying any further noise mitigation
measures. The Panel said the Council must prepare a policy on complaints handling and dispute resolution and maintain a complaint register and actions taken. Another approval condition was that the business must appoint a manager who is contactable 24/7, and the manager’s phone number be supplied to adjoining neighbours in order to address an immediate concern regarding use of the
property for dog boarding, training and breeding. In July 2019, Council received complaints about the unlawful use of the 7ha site and about intrusive noise from barking dogs. Council found the business, including the construction of outdoor dog kennels, was operating without development consent and issued noncompliance notices. However, for some time, Lewis continued business until a
Penalty Infringement Notice was issued, which led to Lewis’s development application 97/2020. TheDAreceived45submissions of objection including the absence of development consent, cleaning methods of the dog runs with the possibility of waste washing into Ourimbah Creek, noise impact from dogs barking, concerns for animal welfare, dog breeding not fitting the character of the area, the noise and smell of a large number of dogs driving away wildlife, and no confidence that a set number of dogs would be abided by the owner. The Local Planning Panel’s unanimous decision of approval included that subject to the conditions imposed, the business was not expected to have an adverse social or economic impact. Sue Murray See also comment from the community in Forum
Budgewoi Public School students have ended their school year on a colourful high, following the school’s inaugural colour run. See page 34
Sport
God, family and good ole hard work, that’s what’s going to get Tacoma’s Anita FaimasuiBrown to the 2021 Rugby World Cup. See page 38
Puzzles page 23
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