CEN calls on Council to follow correct process

Central Coast Council appears to be attempting to reclassify and rezone community land in one step, according to the Community Environment Network.

The networks general manager, Ms Jane Smith, said a resolution made by the former Gosford Council in September 2015 invoked the commencement of a formal process to reclassify 10 parcels of community land as operational land.

The initial list of parcels of community land included the Brisbane Ave reserve in Umina and land at 40 and 42 Albion St, Umina.

Another resolution followed shortly after, that, according to Ms Smith, invoked the commencement of a formal process to reclassify further community land, including reserves in Pozieres Ave, Umina, Mackenzie Ave, Woy Woy and Jumbuck Close, Woy Woy.

According to Ms Smith, based on the legal requirements set out in the Local Government Act and Environmental Planning as Assessment Act, council, having made those resolutions, must follow the steps of the formal process required to reclassify community land.

Steps include having a public hearing, making the subsequent report available to the public, providing 28 days' notice of any subsequent resolution, accepting submissions from the public and spelling out its justification for the resolution.

Instead of holding the required public hearing for an initial list of 10 reserves that included the Brisbane Ave land, Ms Smith said the Central Coast Council held at meeting.

During that meeting, representatives from council staff implied the meeting was to gather community feedback on the proposed reclassification and rezoning of the listed land, Ms Smith said.

She said the Community Environment Network expected council to complete the correct reclassification process before considering any planning proposal to rezone land.

Ms Smith said the community land in question is currently zoned RE1 for public recreation and some may even have an Environmental zoning.

The classification process should be conducted properly and finalised before any planning proposal to rezone any land was considered, Ms Smith said.

"It seems council has changed the process mid-stream and given no explanation and no timeline," she said.

Interview, 4 Aug 2016

Jane Smith, Community Environment Network

Reporter: Jackie Pearson