July meeting agenda: subdivisions, Flood Plans, EV fees and more.
Published on 10 July 2024
The upcoming July Council meeting has a packed agenda, addressing important community issues and planning proposals. Key topics include a new residential subdivision in South West Rocks, the public exhibition of the Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan, new fees for using Council-owned electric vehicle chargers, and the cancellation of the September Council meeting due to Local Government elections.
You can register to speak to Councillors at the Public Forum on Monday 15 July. The meeting is only held if there are registered speakers.
The Ordinary Meeting will be held at the Kempsey Shire Council Chambers from 9am on Tuesday 16 July.
You can view the full July 2024 agenda and business papers at Council meeting agendas & minutes.
The meeting will be live-streamed via Council's YouTube page and on the Kempsey Shire Council website.
Residential subdivision planning proposal for South West Rocks
A planning proposal for a 23.97 hectare residential subdivision on Arakoon Road, South West Rocks will be sent to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces for gateway consideration if Councillors accept the recommendation at the July meeting.
The proposal suggests a series of changes to land zonings, lot size, and building heights for the area in question, located at 157 Arakoon Road. As part of that process, Council needs written authorisation from the Minister to make the changes.
If the Minister approves the gateway determination, the next step will be to undertake community consultation on the proposed changes, including a 28-day exhibition period, which will then be referred back to Council to consider any submissions received, before making any amendments to the Local Environmental Plan.
For more information on this planning proposal, please see the Business Papers on the website
Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan to go on exhibition
The Draft Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan has been completed, and staff will seek Council's approval to put the plan on public exhibition for 28 days, as well as considering the recommendations made from the Flood Risk Reference Group.
The Flood Risk Management Study and Plan identifies key actions to reduce the flood risk for the Lower Macleay floodplain, mainly planning and engineering solutions, using detailed modelling to reduce the flood impacts on the community, understand where the evacuation constraints are, and create a single, unified model for the area.
The Flood Risk Reference Group met several times to discuss the flood study and assess available options, and their comments and recommendations were used to shape the options that were chosen. There was also a community workshop and survey which were used gain feedback on the options.
For more information on the Flood Risk Study and Plan, please see the Business Papers on the website
New fee for charging electric cars at Council-owned charging stations
Council will be asked to consider implementing new fees and charges for Council-owned electric vehicle (EV) chargers. Currently, Council has two EV chargers - one at the Slim Dusty Centre and the other near the amenities at Back Creek, South West Rocks.
Staff propose that users be charged at a rate of $0.25/kW which works out on average to cost about $15 to charge a 60kW battery from empty to full. These proposed fees are comparable to the Australian average for publicly available EV charging stations.
The proposed charges will help cover the energy costs, as well as the costs of the online charging and monitoring platform which runs the EV chargers.
Council meeting date change
Due to the upcoming Local Government elections on 14 September 2024, Council are being asked to cancel the September Council meeting which falls just three days after the election. With the outcome not expected to be known until the first week of October, and with the existing Councillors stepping down from their positions from the day of the elections, there will not be an elected Council on the day of the meeting.
Order of Business to be considered in open session
10.1. Planning Proposal - 154 Arakoon Road, South West Rocks - PP-2024-829
10.2. Exhibition - Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan
10.3. Electric Vehicle Charging Fees and Charges
10.4. Council Meeting Dates
10.5. Central Kempsey WWTP Project Update
10.6. Development Activity and LEP Variations - Quarterly Snapshot
10.7. Statement of Cash and Investments - June 2024
11.1. Notice of Motion - Statement of Management Intent for Crown Land Reserves
11.2. Notice of Motion - Revenue Task Force
11.3. Delegates Report - Road Congress - Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia
11.4. Delegates Report - Country Mayors Association Conference Kempsey
12.1. Legal Matters
12.2. Confidential Mayoral Minute - General Manager's Annual Performance Review
More information
You can read the detailed agenda and reports in the business papers.
You can view the meeting on Council's YouTube page.