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Collapse Issue 557:<br />14 Nov 2022<br />_____________Issue 557:
14 Nov 2022
_____________
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Residents resist plans to pave dune area
Residents to talk about enhancing their neighbourhood
Our newspaper is a news service
Sydney red gum planted for Queen's platinum jubilee
Start of work at Umina Oval welcomed
Mingaletta director awarded Churchill Fellowship
Varroa mite eradication close to completed, says DPI
Pearl Beach resident raises $4500 at 80th birthday party
Last car boot sale for the year
Rotary club plans to sell Christmas trees
CWA branch celebrates Melbourne Cup
Dashcam footage sought after unit fire
Marquee taken from rocky foreshore below Trig lookout
Celebrating 60 years of marriage
Celebrating her 99th birthday
Woy Woy CWA hosts birthday party for Gail
Men's Shed recruits volunteers to finish new Shed
Wednesday night bingo cancelled
Community breakfasts started at Pearl Beach
Childcare centre offered 10-year lease
Rotarians help with barbecue at weekend camp
Ferry company supports restoring heritage boat shed
Trivia night at The Bays
Airlifted to Westmead
Ferry delayed
Produce swap at community garden
Wreath of poppy flowers
Rosemary bushes planted for Remembrance Day
Students honour fallen armed forces members
Community group holds general meeting
Catholic parish celebrates 15 years of church
Dry fortnight as weather warms
Weather monitors wanted
Collapse  PLANNING PLANNING
Foreshore proposal to increase building height
Council denies online comments on townhouse proposal
Dual occupancy is bounded by roads on three sides
Six Cities would 'increase costs and lessen local control'
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Planning practices ignore council strategies and plans
Is a digital identity for your own safety?
Do regional plan questions remain forever unanswered?
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
First renovated facilities expected at aged care home
Active case numbers almost double in a week
Immunisation clinic moved
Aged care provider says shortfalls will continue
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
An evening of Australian bluegrass and folk music
Arts and crafts at 'pop-up centre'
Quilt for Melbourne Storm fan
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Lynn Balfour retires as Ettalong principal
Fourth in State in 10-pin bowling
Taking photos on the oval for art class
Students reminded of rules for riding bikes
Students have Woy Woy waterfront excursion
School collects for displaced Ukrainians in Sydney
Kindergarten students to visit college farm
Schools raise $17,600 for Mary Mac's Place
Nicho Hynes visits his old primary school
Students use rosary beads to count their prayers
Olivia participates in democratic forums
Two-day excursion to Port Stephens
School library closes for the year
Umina campus water polo team finishes third
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Sandra and Meena win Minor Pairs
Umina surf club names boat in honour of sponsor
Woy Woy juniors announce next year's coaches
Glen is inducted into Wall of Fame
Disabled surfers hold first event in two years
Melbourne Cup Day pairs event at bridge club
Bridge event for Remembrance Day
New fencing at tennis club
Mixed Pairs semi-finals played
Representative netball opportunities
Bowlers present cheque to Gosford Hospital
Roosters appoint high performance coach
Summer beach training dates released
Roosters announce first Open Women's tackle team
Minor Pairs championship final

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Residents resist plans to pave dune area

Council plans to remove a three-metre wide strip of dune vegetation to pave a car park as part of the $8.9 million Federally-funded Umina recreation area upgrade have met with resident resistance.

Five local residents' groups have called for the plans to be revised to be more "family-friendly and comfortable".

They are asking that the "upgrade", which provides no extra parking, be designed in consultation with the community and "incorporate improved environmental outcomes".

Representatives of the Peninsula Residents Association, Ettymalong Creek Landcare, Australian Conservation Foundation Central Coast, Umina Dunecare and Grow Urban Shade Trees met with Central Coast Council staff last Wednesday, November 9, to express their concerns.

The groups said that "the proposed upgrade involves the removal of significant established native dune vegetation, yet provides no additional parking spaces".

Peninsula Residents Association secretary Ms Lynne Robertson said: "The car park resurfacing is needed, but removal of vegetation and three metres of the hind dune, especially in such a sensitive location, is entirely unnecessary.

"This area will cater largely for growing children and teens whose passion for skating and the need for improved facilities was identified during the public consultation phase of the skatepark, when over 2500 signatures supported this initiative.

"Shade trees were highlighted as significant components of the upgrade to make it family-friendly and comfortable.

"Yet, when asked about the provision of shade trees in the proposed car park upgrade, a Council staff member stated that 'the engineering to incorporate trees is very hard'."

She said the staff said the council was still conducting the environmental assessment of the plans, however at the same time, gave all indication that no changes would be made to them.

ACF Central Coast branch convenor Mr Mark Ellis said that the $8.25 million dollars of federal funding for the project should be sufficient for Council to take coastal protection and climate change into account.

"With the Peninsula recognised as a climate hotspot with temperatures above the average, more trees can only enhance an impervious layer of tarmac.

"There is nothing safe or family friendly about baking carparks, footpaths and concrete in the summer heat.

"These Federal funds provide an excellent opportunity to create enhanced walkability to the recreation precinct with a direct tree-lined shared pathway that doesn't impact dunes vegetation, together with an upgrade to the existing gravel car park.

"With increasing climate risk from storm surges eroding the edge of the dune system, the car park edge of the dune doesn't need to be cleared for a concrete pathway.

"Council engineers cannot continue to act in an unchanging 'business as usual' manner, and must take into account the impacts of a changing climate."

Grow Urban Shade Trees group representative Ms Debbie Sunartha said: "Removal of valuable dune vegetation would surely contradict policy on climate change adaptation, dune protection and heat mitigation.

"To make matters worse, no trees are being included in what will be an extremely hot shared pathway and car park." said Ms Sunartha.

Mr Ellis said" "We urge Council to comply with the nine management objectives for coastal vulnerability areas in the Coastal Protection Act", including the objective of "the presence of beaches, dunes and the natural features of foreshores, taking into account the beach system operating at the relevant place".

Ms Robertson said: "As ratepayers, we should have been invited to review and provide input to draft plans prior to their finalisation and approval."

She said concerned members of the public were encouraged to contact the administrator Mr Rik Hart "as the people's representative at council".

The council director for Environment and Planning was Dr Alice Howe.

She said it was also important to let local Federal Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid know of concerns about the way the Federal money was being spent.





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