Apollo Bay, Victoria - on the Great Ocean Road

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Website last updated on 1 November 2011

OTWAY FORUM MEETING No. 236 Oct. 9th

 

The main topic of discussion was the phone survey on ratepayer’s views on a harbour resort/redevelopment.

-$27,000 phone survey of only 300 ratepayers of whom 63% were non resident. ($90 per ratepayer surveyed)

-Non rate paying residents not surveyed.

-45% for a resort based redevelopment and 45% against.

-A greater percentage of non resident ratepayers would accept a resort than resident ratepayers.

-COS press release (2/3 of AB property owners support harbour master plan) misleading, when only 20% of rate payers were surveyed.

-When will the other 90% of residents and ratepayers get to have their say?

-Enquiry By Design workshops ignored community input (no records or minutes of submissions taken).

-EBD only considered resort based redevelopment.

-COS now writing to state government to clarify if funding will be available with or without a resort .

-Letter should go to Premier, Treasurer or other Ministers to confirm a commitment to spend $25 million on public infrastructure at the harbour.

-COS councillors to now have a workshop on harbour redevelopment issues, before voting on Planning Scheme Amendment commencement.

-Issues to be considered at the workshop will include:

     Cost and time frame of PSA.

     State government funding commitment.

     Can a PSA be overruled by state government or VCAT.

     Reduced footprint for hotel now that golf club has been assured of a new lease on current boundaries.

     Climate change considerations as sea level rise predictions are accelerating.

     Aboriginal cultural material will be destroyed at current site for the hotel.

     Hotel on public land not coastal related activity.

     Car parking issues, etc. etc. etc.

-After workshop completed a report will be written and presented to council for consideration before a vote on commencement of PSA.

-PSA commencement debate and vote at November council meeting in Apollo Bay.

-Pool survey results to be presented at same council meeting.

 

Other issues discussed included –

 - Senior council officers perceived to have greater control than elected councillors.

   Should their positions be reviewed after each council election?

 
- A petition is being circulated calling on the state government to review shire boundaries.

   Should Apollo Bay be part of a broader coastal based shire?

   Would it be economically viable?

   Would we get better services and returns on our rates, etc.?

   Petition at Apollo Bay Gas and Electrical.

-The need for local government to have Commonwealth constitutional recognition.

-Front beach foreshore erosion works to commence next week. Sand bagging at a later date.

  Another report in 6 months time, on erosion control options, costs and funding,

-Vic Roads also reviewing all issues concerning the Great Ocean Road. Report due in 6 months

 

Otway Forum also recognises and celebrates the contributions of Les Noseda and Murray Champion to the Apollo Bay community and offers our condolences to their families and friends

 

Otway Forum can be found at www.forum.apollobay.org.au

Meetings  2nd Sunday of each month at Marrar Woorn 3pm

Next meeting Nov.13th   All welcome.