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Collapse Issue 302 - 15 Oct 2012Issue 302 - 15 Oct 2012
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Council approves fast food store
Chamber welcomes Council decision
Fire burns for a week
Council opposes coal seam gas mining
Ferry Rd wharf repaired
Retirement village opens war memorial
Residents recognised for volunteering
Woytopia Festival is on again
Empire Bay has village fair
Music and dance party
Gardeners take out awards
Grant for home hazard project
Help wanted with bottle shop robbery
Certificate for Rotary club
Three charged after shot was fired
Dry start for fourth month
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Playing without fear in the '50s
Deal with rain with kerbs and gutters
No inspiration in politics
Best of times
Rough with a good heart
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Focus on emotions
Local doctor raises $5000 for vision service
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Pearl Beach artist exhibits
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Caravan park wins family award
Fire service holds cadet program
Childcare service celebrates 35 years
New start for HeadStart
Early intervention teacher to retire
Past students graduate
Workshop on English teacher
Indigenous literacy day
Permanent principal to be selected
Staff changes at Ettalong
How to use tablet computers
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Overall taekwon-do champion
Under-13s win rugby grand final
Ashlee completes eight-month scholarship
Players' clinic for underwater hockey
Long-course carnival
Killcare prepares world surf team
Junior cricket program
Bowling club wants members
Peter wins minor singles
Children attend tennis camp
Touch football competition starts
Queenscliff juniors visit Umina surf club
Ettalong wins pairs championship

Council approves fast food store

Gosford Council has voted 9-1 to permit a fast food store in Ocean Beach Rd, Umina.

The controversial McDonalds proposal faced opposition from more than 2000 signatories to petitions objecting to the development.

Mayor Cr Lawrie McKinna said although he understood there were a lot of residents upset about the McDonalds development in Umina, "it was very hard for the councillors to reject the proposal because the development ticked all the boxes".

"It will bring 120 jobs, mostly casual and part time, to the area and this helps with the huge youth unemployment on the Central Coast plus the 50 jobs it will create in building of the development," he said.

Only new Greens Cr Hillary Morris opposed the application at the council meeting on Tuesday, October 2.

"Whilst I understand the rezoning of this particular parcel of land made the refusal of the McDonalds development application impractical in terms of litigation challenges, I remain unconvinced that traffic movement is not going to be compromised," said Cr Morris.

The site was previously zoned Residential 2(b) until the LEP 471 was made which rezoned the site to General Business 3(a).

Cr Morris said she was aware that the development had received sanction from both the Roads and Maritime Service and the police in relation to traffic movement, but said she knew traffic on the road was of concern because it was raised in Council's own DCP 159 Character Statement for Umina.

"Ocean Beach Rd is a major local thoroughfare that provides high levels of accessibility but also generates peak hour traffic congestion, extending eastwards from a gateway intersection with an arterial intersection.

"I feel with the added burden of traffic entering and exiting McDonalds, coupled with a bus stop and cycleway, it could become even more problematic.

"I would like to praise those councillors who endeavoured to find solutions to the concerns raised by the community such as reducing trading hours, traffic safety measures to stop children running directly across the road to the McDonalds entrance and who genuinely expressed sympathy to the surrounding residents.

"It is never easy to make decisions when there has been such community disquiet," said Cr Morris.

Deputy mayor Cr Bob Ward said employment was a big contributor to his decision.

"With a Central Coast unemployment level of around 6.7 per cent compared with the state average of 5.5 per cent and youth unemployment of around 35 per cent, I was particularly impressed with this commitment to provide over 100 casual and part time jobs.

"The restaurant will provide employment for not only young unemployed people but also students, both of whom will benefit not only from the wages but also from the excellent training, which McDonalds provides," said Cr Ward.

A total of 160 separate submissions and petitions containing over 2000 signatures were received in reference to the development.

The council staff report in the council meeting agenda claimed most of the objections were made from individuals who did not reside in the immediate locality.

Cr Craig Doyle said that the number of signatures objecting against the proposal warranted an answer as to whether or not the development was in the public interest and, added to a host of other concerns, it could have been grounds for refusal.

"However, on its own, it is insufficient to support a refusal," said Cr Doyle.

"Issues such as traffic, trading hours, signage, Coles' access, and parking were considered and addressed through conditions.

"The residents' concerns were very valid, and to breeze over them would have been a huge mistake," he said.

Cr Vicki Scott, however, said that she voted for approval because there "was no other viable option.

"I really do appreciate that there were a high number of objections, and agree with some of the objectors' issues," said Cr Scott.

"However, in the end, the only matters we could deal with in the determination were those that would stand up in a court of law, compliance issues, and in this case all of those issues complied.

"Whether we like it or not, food choices, the name of the company which applied for the development application, the fact that this business is best suited in a shop front in West St, the health issue and other factors do not stand up in the Land and Environment Court in defending a decision.

"They are issues that are beyond the boundary of local government.

"We had no choice but to approve the development application because it complies with the requirements.

"I realise that many people will be disappointed, and I'm sorry about that.

"On the positive side, I am pleased there will be about 120 jobs available.

"Jobs for unemployed young people and students are important," said Cr Scott.

Cr Gabby Bowles said she too was also excited about the 100 plus jobs it would create.

"I understand that some residents didn't want McDonalds at all, but I believe that the conditions will result in a more positive development for the area," she said.

The site of the development, which will require the demolition of five houses, adjoins the redeveloped service station to the south on the corner of West St and Ocean Beach Rd and a physiotherapy clinic to the north.

The refurbished supermarket and adjacent car park is located to the east of the development.

The business will trade from 6am until midnight seven days a week and will have a floor area of 412.29 square metres.

The building will have a standard McDonalds corporate visual appearance.

It will include 50 internal seats, 25 external seats and 12 seats in a party room.



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