Council staff meeting Notes

Meeting Notes regarding the BMPCA / Council staff meeting on 27 April 2021

Notes and agenda for meeting between Council staff and Broulee Mossy Point Community Association (BMPCA).

1. Use of the community building at Captain Oldrey Park for BMPCA meetings.

• BMPCA provides an important community service but is banned from using the building because it cannot afford public liability insurance. We recognize the need for insurance for sporting bodies and the like but it seems unnecessary for a group that will sit around a table to work on improving and maintaining community facilities in Broulee and Mossy Point. We understand the building is used for private activities without this requirement.
• We seek Council to remove the insurance requirement for BMPCA meetings.

Discussion
BMPCA thought it was unreasonable for a community group to not be able to use a community building to which they contributed.
Councils insurance does not cover Council for use of the building by an incorporated body.
Decision.

• Council will continue to require incorporated groups to carry their own insurance.
• Warren Sharp will inquire with other community groups as to how they meet this requirement.

2. Polluted water draining into South Broulee Beach.

• South Broulee beach is one of Eurobodalla’s most popular beaches. It is patrolled in summer, has relatively safe surf and is protected from prevailing summer NE wind. The storm water drain crossing the beach now flows much more often, it carries polluted water and recently sewage. This recent sewage flow continued for many days before a notice was erected warning the public.
• Council planning and engineering decisions have been increasing the frequency of polluted water flows across the beach.
• We seek a decision by Council to explore the possible use of infiltration ponds to reduce the frequency of flows across the beach. We also seek future sewerage planning to minimize the possibility of sewerage flows across the beach.

Discussion
Council acknowledged that the drain was an unfortunate necessity and would probably get worse as Broulee development continued. It was made clear that sewerage leaks into the water were rare and that the Broulee sewerage infrastructure was maintained in a good condition. It was also acknowledged that the water was probably lightly polluted at all times. Council initially claimed that it would be too expensive to include the drain in the Beachwatch program. BMPCA asked that it be included for at least a few months so a better understanding of the water quality in the drain could be obtained. BMPCA raised the possibility of a sign on the drain warning that the water in the drain may be polluted. Council claimed that any sign would be vandalized.
Decision
No decision was made to test the water or to erect a sign

3. Council response to road safety submissions Broulee village, Annetts Parade Mossy Point, Broulee headland.

• NSW government says that reducing the speed limit in areas where pedestrians are using roads reduces the probability of accidental death by 50 percent. There are many roads within the villages of Broulee and Mossy Point where this risk reduction to 40Kph would seem to be justified.
• We seek a review of road safety in Broulee Mossy Point particularly where there is considerable interaction between traffic and pedestrians.

Discussion
Council said that speed limits were not the responsibility of Council.
Council acknowledge the link between speed and pedestrian deaths on joint user roads but considered that speeds on most roads within Broulee were reasonable.
Decision.
Council would not promote any changes but may consider the speeds on Heath Street on the South side of Grant Street.

4. Offsets arrangements for the land between Broulee and the airport and protection from weed infestation.

• Council allowed the developers of Broulee land to use Council land as an offset. Has there been money paid by developers to improve the environmental condition of the offset land? If so, what work has been undertaken.
• There is increasing weed infestation along the areas regularly mowed. Is the mowing contractor require to clean the mowing equipment before entering the offset area?

Discussion
The offset fund held by Government has not yet reached 80 percent therefore no money is flowing from this fund. Council does require that the mower operator clean the machine between some sites. It was noted that there was a 4WD barrier that is broken within the protected land that despite advising Council has not yet repaired.
Decision
If BMPCA informs the Council of sites where a problem is developing Council will ensure that cleaning happens before the mower enters these sites.
The barrier will be repaired

5. Construction of a pedestrian path from Heath Street to the Broulee Post Office.

• There has been significant pressure, particularly from Banksia Village for the construction of a safe path to avoid two road crossings.  We have raised limited funds to contribute to this path but we doubt if more will be possible.
• Could Council meet the aged community’s need for this path with a cheaper gravel path

Discussion
BMPCA funds are not sufficient to give priority for this path. It would be appropriate for the BMPCA to make a further submission on paths in Broulee to the Councils financial program for 21/22

6. Construction of a joint user gravel path from the Grant Street at McNee street corner to the Canoe Tree. And then to the Bengello path.

• We would like Council to consider construction of this gravel path as a community asset with tourism, health and fire protection benefits.
• This would provide a safe and very attractive 3 km path for cyclists, walkers and joggers at small cost as most of the path already exists. BMPCA made an earlier submission about this but was advised that funds were not available.
• Is there any possibility of seeking grant money for this development?

Discussion
Little discussion apart from mentioning that at times there was appropriate material available from other work carried out by Council.
Decision
Warren Sharpe will walk the track with BMPCA in the near future to gain a better understanding of what would be required.

7. Community consultation on the erection of new signs and the impact on local residents.

• BMPCA has had complaints that new signs have been erected without consideration of the impact of increased parking and traffic flows on local residents and the natural environment. With caravans and motor homes becoming larger and more popular there have been instances of vehicle entrapment.

Discussion
There was acknowledged that signs have create increased traffic flow without consideration of the oimpact on local residents.

8. Broulee Development – possible new access to Clark Street.
It was agreed to establish a separate meeting with an officer from the planning area of Council to address this
.
9. Voting Arrangements for non-resident ratepayers
The Council said they were sending material to all non-resident ratepayers.

10. Sale of land at the intersection of Broulee Road and Clarke Street
Council claimed that the land was always Operational Land but BMPCA recalled that it was changed to Community land some 15 years ago. This will need to be established.
Additional note: There appears to have been a Council decision on 27 November 2003 to change the land classification from Operational to Community Land. No revocation of this decision could be found. The Natural Heritage Trust sign on the land would also suggest that the land was Community Land as the NHT did not usually fund projects on Operational Land.

11. Sale of land in Annetts Parade.
Council will check the appropriateness of the existing driveway with regard to steepness and proximity to George Bass Drive. Regarding the possible use of Offsets held may hold, the Council did acknowledge that there were excess offsets available to Council.