24 June Ordinary Council Meeting notes

Council to keep the community involved and informed on flood protection

Council has committed to keeping the community involved and updated with the ongoing work to manage the risk of flooding across the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area.

A detailed communications and community engagement plan will be developed for all the active projects within Council’s Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan.

The study and plan was adopted last year and assesses various measures aimed at managing flood risk across a range of criteria.

Councillor Vanessa Keenan brought the Notice of Motion to Council following concerns raised by residents in North Wagga.

The motion also detailed the studies and plans undertaken over the past 15 years as part of NSW Government guidelines, as well as decisions and actions related to North Wagga.

A separate Notice of Motion by Councillor Paul Funnell for a vote of no confidence in the Floodplain Risk Management Advisory Committee and to review the committee was lost.

A number of community members addressed Councillors to speak in favour of NOM-1 and against NOM-2.

• NOM-1 NOTICE OF MOTION - FLOODPLAIN RISK MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, and NOM-2 NOTICE OF MOTION - FLOODPLAIN RISK MANAGEMENT STUDY AND PLAN ENGAGEMENT

NRL match in Wagga Wagga hailed a success

Further improvements at the Exhibition Centre in the vicinity of $1.7M will take place following the highly successful NRL match in Wagga Wagga on 4 May.

The game between the Canberra Raiders and Penrith Panthers is part of a multi-year agreement between Council and the ACT-based club.

Key highlights from the NRL game were:

• Attendance: 10,079
• Significant digital and media coverage
• Live Foxtel TV audience of 170,827
• Estimated economic benefit of more than $2M
• An Equity and Domestic Violence program was undertaken by Alan Tongue
• Mortimer Shield visit and fan engagement with an excess of 600 primary school children involved
• Average accommodation occupancy rates increased on Thursday: 94% (up from 90% in 2018), Friday: 97% (up from 82%), and Saturday 77% (up from 50%)
• Gold Cup attendance increased by approximately 800 on 2018
• 26% of ticket sales were sold outside of the Riverina
• Overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community, Raiders, Canberra Region Joint Organisation and Murrumbidgee Turf Club

With the success of the match, Council approved more than $1.7M of works at McDonald’s Park and the Exhibition Centre. The funds were previously targeted to improve traffic flow at the Exhibition Centre and will now be utilised to also deliver venue improvements that will benefit local sport and help attract other top-level sporting events.

Planned works include an additional exit from Kooringal Road to the Exhibition Centre to Kooringal, the construction of the southern hill, works to improve accessibility such as wheelchair compliant spaces, further permanent seating and other amenity improvements.

• RP-9 CANBERRA RAIDERS NRL MATCH REVIEW AND FUTURE EVENT PLANNING

High density development on the way in the CBD

Council tonight discussed two planning proposals and a development application that aim to increase density in the CBD as the city grows towards a population of 100,000.

The height restriction for the 41m (12 storeys) development on Sturt Street was removed, which will allow that development to reduce overshadowing and be consistent with the growth of the Riverside precinct.

An application for a $10.2M five-to-six storey development at Blake Street was approved. The mixed use development would comprise of ground floor business/retail and car parking, car parking on the first floor and 16 residential apartments.

In the third report, Council supported a planning proposal to change zoning, heights and floor space ratios on land located on Morgan, Murray and Forsyth streets.

The application for the high-density mixed-use development said it has the potential to boost the local economy by $180M over the next 10 to 15 years through 32,000sqm of commercial floor space, 201 residential dwellings and improvements to public infrastructure.

• RP-4 PLANNING PROPOSAL LEP19/0002 - PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE WAGGA WAGGA LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN 2010 FOR LAND LOCATED ON MORGAN, MURRAY AND FORSYTH STREETS, WAGGA WAGGA; RP-2 DA19/0125 - DEMOLITION OF AN EXISTING SHED AND CONSTRUCTION OF 5/6 STOREY MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AT 12 BLAKE STREET, WAGGA WAGGA, LOT 13 DP 1211352; RP-5 PLANNING PROPOSAL - LEP18/0013 - STURT STREET - HEIGHT OF BUILDING PROVISIONS

Bolton Park Master Plan sets out strategic vision for regional sports hub

A long-term vision to grow the Bolton Park precinct into a first class sport hub has been laid out.

A master plan for the sports hub was adopted at the 24 June Council Meeting following community feedback received earlier this year and discussions with stakeholders and sporting groups.

While the total scope of the master plan is $66M worth of projects, each element would be subject to a business case and dependent on community priorities and government funding throughout the 20-year lifespan of the plan.

• RP-8 BOLTON PARK MASTER PLAN

Meeting the community’s needs and planning for the future

Delivering services for a growing community while planning for the future is the focus of Wagga Wagga City Council’s $203.2M budget and delivery program for 2019/20.

The combined Delivery Program and Operational Plan (DPOP) 2019/20, along with the Long Term Financial Plan 2019-2029 and Fees and Charges were adopted at the 24 June Ordinary Council Meeting after being open for community feedback.

• RP-1 INTEGRATED PLANNING AND REPORTING - ADOPTION OF DOCUMENTS

Other agenda items

A planning proposal to reduce minimum lot sizes of land in an area within Springvale has been adopted after being open for submissions.

The proposal was to change the minimum lot size from 8 hectares to 4500sqm in the precinct around Lloyd Road, Plane Tree Drive and Stringybark Place.

• RP-3 PLANNING PROPOSAL LEP18/0006 - REDUCTION TO MINIMUM LOT SIZE CONTROL TO LOTS 1 - 3 DP 818428, LOTS 1 - 12 DP 860586, AND LOTS 1 - 7 DP 1110942, ON LLOYD ROAD, PLANE TREE DRIVE AND STRINGYBARK PLACE, SPRINGVALE

Council has approved $5669 to the RSL Wagga Wagga Sub Branch for the refurbishment of the HMAS Sydney derrick.

The total cost of the refurbishment was $19,000, with the Royal Australian Navy contributing $8K, and the balance of $11,000 funded equally by the sub-branch and Council.

Meanwhile, the hiring fee of the Victory Memorial Gardens was waived for the Homeless Week Expo by the Triple H (Housing, Homelessness and Human Services) Forum.

• RP-6 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE REPORT AS AT 31 MAY 2019

Council will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Riverina Police as part of a NSW Police Force initiative to standardise processes for police when dealing with development applications.

Local Police and Council have an existing strong working relationship in relation to development applications. For a number of years Council and Police have consulted on applications within the Licenced Premises Reference Group.

The group was established to provide a platform for consultation and the provision of expert advice to inform assessment of development applications, community impact statements and liquor licence applications for liquor outlets and other developments related to the liquor industry.

• RP-7 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING  - RIVERINA POLICE - WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL - DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS

Deputy Mayor Dallas Tout will attend the NSW Public Libraries Association SWITCH 2019 Conference and REACH OUT 2019 Australasian Mobile Library and Outreach Services Network Symposium in November 2019.

The annual SWITCH conference is the major forum in NSW for Councillors, Council officers and library staff to assemble for professional development and learn about contemporary practices.

Cr Tout will also attend the combined REACH OUT 2019 Symposium, which is being held in conjunction with SWITCH 2019.

• RP-10 NSW PUBLIC LIBRARIES ASSOCIATION SWITCH 2019 CONFERENCE

Council received and noted a report regarding access to the Oasis Aquatic Centre for the SES.

All Wagga Wagga based emergency services personnel are currently offered a 10 per cent discount for entry to the Oasis.

If the SES requests pool access for Flood Rescue Operators who have a currency requirement to maintain their swimming ability, the SES will apply for any necessary fee waivers.

• RP-11 RESPONSE TO NOTICE OF MOTION - ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY FOR SES VOLUNTEERS AT THE OASIS AQUATIC CENTRE

Council will provide $5000 in sponsorship to the 2019 NSW Regional Pitchfest State Final.

The event will be held in Wagga Wagga on 5 September 2019 and is the culmination of a three-month series of events held across regional and rural NSW to promote and celebrate entrepreneurship, artisans and small business.

• RP-12 EVENT SPONSORSHIP REQUEST