Policy changed to allow burning at Patonga properties

Central Coast Council has modified its "open pile burning" policy to allow burning of "vegetative waste" on 58 properties at Patonga.

These properties are only assessible by boat and are without a Council green waste bin service.

They were previously excluded from open pile burning as the properties are smaller than the 4000 square metres provided by the policy.

In a report to the September 14 Council meeting, strategic environmental planner Ms Kendal Caynes stated that, under the Gosford Bushfire Risk Plan, the Patonga properties had a low fire risk.

The policy amendment will apply to properties which had "a genuine need to manage dead and dry vegetation through open pile burning on their land, beyond what is practicable to manage through Council's green waste services or transport waste via boat to Council's landfill facility".

The council agreed to reduce pile sizes for these properties to one metre and the distance from buildings to three metres.

The meeting was told: "The NSW Rural Fire Service has reviewed the recommended Policy amendments and has no objection.

"The NSW Rural Fire Service supports this recommendation as the remote boat access only communities have little scope to mitigate fuel levels legally."

Eligible landowners are not required to submit a permit to council to start open pile burning but they must provide 24 hours' notice of their intention.

SOURCE:

Central Coast Council agenda 2.4, 14 Sept 2020