CCN 18 DECEMBER 2019
C
ISSUE 180
YOUR REAL INDEPENDENT WEEKLY LOCAL NEWS
Urgent action sought over dredging of The Entrance Channel
entral Coast Council is searching for funds for emergency dredging of The Entrance Channel. Councillors decided at the December 9 meeting to lobby the State and Federal governments and they have their eyes on money which was set aside for ongoing maintenance of Ettalong Channel after the recent completion of dredging there. This action came about from a Notice of Motion by Cr Greg Best who wanted an urgent investigation into the continuing deterioration of the Tuggerah Lakes and the choking of The Entrance Channel. He informed councillors how the siltation of the channel was affecting the historic Entrance Boat Shed, saying “2020 marks the centenary of this local
icon and it may well also mark its demise”. Proprietor of The Entrance Boat Shed, Toni Moon, said in Public Forum that she and her husband, Terry, bought the business two years ago “with the vision to bring the old girl back to its former glory”. “The boat shed will be forced to close if something isn’t done immediately,” Moon said. “We need an emergency dredging program. “Just look at the state of The Entrance Channel at the moment, you’ve (Council) neglected our main asset, the asset that attracts tourists to the area, the asset that keeps our business and many others alive,” she said. Moon said it was not just the shallow waters because of the siltation, it was the growing seaweed and build up of wrack because of the
The shallow waters around The Entrance boat shed where even paddleboarders run aground. poor water flow. trouble.” “The wrack is now stuck Moon said because under the boat shed, it’s of the shallow waters deep, it’s not moving, and the seaweed, their and it’s going mouldy, equipment was being which is not healthy, and damaged. it stinks like you wouldn’t “We’ve already had believe,” she said. two of our new motors “In certain parts, on the just about burnt out road side, it has dried off because people who hire and that’s a fire hazard, our boats don’t realise to so if someone does turn motors off when the something stupid like wrack is so thick,” she flick a cigarette, we’re in said.
Mayor, Lisa Matthews, called for the CEO, as a priority, to provide full details of Council’s short and long term dredging plan, including the acquisition of a suitable dredge. Cr Jane Smith questioned whether keeping the channel open was the objective under the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary Management Plan. “I think it’s more for a flooding issue, isn’t it? Rather than for navigation,” she said. Council Director, Environment and Planning, Scott Cox, said that the dredging program in the past had been carried out for an exchange of water between the lake and the ocean. He said current restrictions under the dredging licence was that it had to be 10m away from a jetty or wharf and
15m from a pylon or a bridge, which limited the areas at The Entrance where dredging could occur. Council has already started a rubbish clean up in the waters from Picnic Point to the eastern point, past Memorial Park. CEO, Gary Murphy, will write to Terrigal MP, Adam Crouch, for advice as to whether a portion or all of the $1.4M in funding left over from dredging Ettalong Channel can be diverted to fund dredging of The Entrance Channel as an interim solution. Also, Council will convene a meeting of experts and stakeholders to discuss an ongoing strategy to keep The Entrance channel open and accessible for the community. Source: Meeting, Dec 9 Agenda item 8.3 Central Coast Council Reporter: Sue Murray
54 dwelling complex approved after years of delays A
fter several years of community consultation and amendments, Lake Haven Development P/L has been given the go ahead for a 54 dwelling complex in Charmhaven. Central Coast Council approved the $10M development at its December 9 meeting and Cr Doug Vincent thanked the developer who was “flexible to listen to the community and make amendments”. The 1.3ha of vacant land at 7 Stratford Ave, will be transformed into a community title subdivision with lots ranging in size from 144.1sqm to 264sqm.
Under a community title scheme, a resident owns the lot they buy but shares responsibility of common areas, such as recreational spaces and driveways, with other residents. There will be 12 blocks of attached double-storey buildings and each home will have three bedrooms and a single garage. There will be 38 visitor parking spaces throughout the site and an open recreation area in the centre of the complex. Following Council’s deferral of the matter in September for a site inspection by councillors to examine traffic and road issues, the applicant put in amended plans.
Site plan of the 54 dwellings on the Charmhaven land The site inspection was attended by Councillors Jillian Hogan, Louise Greenaway and Jeff Sundstrom, together with Council staff and 11 residents. Some concerns remained about drainage at Oak Rd and Merinda Ave and whether it could
cope with the extra housing, whether there was enough on site car parking, the suitability of double-storey housing in a single storey area, and consideration of a centralised rainwater tank on-site. The new plans altered vehicular access to the
site from the constructed portion of Stratford Ave, instead of the previously proposed access from Moala Pde. This amended access also means only 19 trees need to be removed from Stratford Ave, compared to 80. To allay concerns from neighbours about the new residents parking in streets outside the development, The Community Management Statement for the complex will add a clause to allow “stacked” parking which means residents could park in front of their garages if need be. A Council report said an upgrade of the street drainage in Oak
Rd was proposed to direct stormwater from the development to the piped drainage system downstream at the Oak Rd/Merinda Ave intersection. A report to Council said the development would assist housing needs and promoted “walkable” neighbourhoods by being near numerous shops and services at Lake Haven shopping centre which was within walking distance. The development was compatible with the scale and character of the area, the report said. Source: Meeting, Dec 9 Agenda item 3.1 Central Coast Council Reporter: Sue Murray
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