Council may remove two boat ramps

Gosford Council may pay $5000 to knock down and remove debris from two boat ramps on St Huberts Island.

Council officers recently briefed council on the boating facilities identified within the drainage reserves of St Huberts Island, which had been listed as needing a development consent or needing to be demolished due to safety concerns.

In May last year, 63 letters were forwarded to the owners of the facilities identified as requiring a development consent.

As of January, 47 of the 63 premises had complied with council's request.

Council officers stated that they had either removed the facility or submitted a development application to formalise its continued use.

Of the 16 properties that had failed to act on the request, a number of different reasons had been provided to council officers, including a simple oversight in failure to submit an application to complex legal issues in relation to claiming costs from their neighbour in situations where an individual facility was now required to be shared.

Council officers stated that action was continuing to formalise the 16 remaining facilities including forwarding the property owners follow up letters reminding them of their responsibilities.

Part of council's previous resolution also required the demolition or repair of boat ramps that were in such a state of disrepair that they had become "a danger to the public or prejudicial to persons or property in the neighbourhood".

Council officers stated that 16 boat ramps were identified as needing to be demolished or repaired.

Letters were forwarded to the owners of the premises asking for immediate action to rectify the situation.

Officer stated that as of January, nine structures had been repaired, the owners of four structures were in the process of arranging for the work to be undertaken, the owner of one structure had asked for an extension of time to carry out the work due to lack of finances and two owners had advised the structure existed at the time they purchased the property and they had "never used it, do not want it, and would not pay to have it repaired or demolished".

Officers stated that it was anticipated that the property owners who wanted to retain their boat ramp would complete the necessary work by June 30.

Officers further stated that council, as the owner of the canals, "may need to consider removing the two ramps that are in poor condition, present a potential risk and are unwanted by the adjacent property owners".

Council agenda ENV.21, 1 Apr 2008