Cash from reserve sale is not significant to Council

The proposed rezone and sale of the public reserve greenspace at No.1 Austin Butler Ave, should not go ahead.

If this reserve is sold for a carpark, it would supply only a comparatively small number of carpark spaces and there is already ample spaces available in the Blackwall Rd, Oval Ave, and Austin Butler sport field car parks, as these parks are never full at the same time.

If sold for other private purposes, then there would be no value to the community.

The value to the community currently is a cool green space, attractive mature flowering trees, attracted native wildlife including some endangered animals and birds.

This shady reserve supplies respite and a pleasant change to the hot main street retail area and will be more important if temperatures keep rising.

A proposed social media campaign to highlight the possible loss of reserve green space including a Save the Trees boycott of Peninsula Plaza would help inform the community and possibly help save the reserve.

The proposed boycott could unfairly effect the small business owners whom do not all support the proposed loss of community green space.

In comparison to the large rate increases just imposed (my own rates have increased by $874 per year), the cash flow from this one off sale will not be significant to future Council revenue.

Not a good result for the community.

Now is not the time to be considering a rezoning and sale of this important community reserve as we have no democratically-elected councillors to promote or protect our requirements.

Progress on this proposal to rezone and sell this reserve would add to the perception that more and more inappropriate developments are being imposed on our community while under administration.

SOURCE:

Email, 15 Aug 2021

Ken Bernie, Woy Woy