Council reinstates height limit

Gosford Council has reinstated height limits in the Ettalong and Umina character statement following a lengthy debate at council's meeting of Tuesday, September 27.

At council's previous meeting, the council decided to remove height limits from a development control plan (DCP) affecting the Ettalong and Umina business area.

Crs Robert Bell and mayor Cr Malcolm Brooks were not in attendance at the meeting at the earlier meeting.

Crs Terri Latella, Craig Doyle and Chris Holstein gave notice to rescind the motion because the two councillors were not at the meeting when the item was considered by council.

The councillors stated in the notice that they wanted to allow Crs Bell and Brooks to consider the recommendation submitted by council.

Cr Latella moved the motion to reinstate the three storey component of DCP 159.

Cr Jim Macfadyen and Cr Trevor Drake said that other areas did not have height controls in their character statements and questioned the need to include height controls for two specific areas.

"Not one other character statement refers to any height," Cr Drake said.

"There is a lack of consistency when two of them have a maximum of two or three stories."

In answer to a question, Council's director of environment and planning Ms Colleen Worthy-Jennings said the height limits were "not due to the submissions received from the public".

Cr Malcolm Brooks said: "Council resolved that there be a limit of three stories on the DCP, and that was accepted by a majority of the community at the time."

Cr Brooks agreed with the rescission motion, stating he thought the change should have gone out for public exhibition.

"If council is going to alter it, then it is council policy, that if you are going to intensify the development, you must go back out on public exhibition," Cr Brooks said.

Cr Holstein said that the rescission motion due to two councillors not being present was a good reason to rescind the motion and allow the councillors to have some input into the debate.

He said he wanted "to at least hear from all the councillors who were present when the decision was made" to include the height limit in the DCP.

Cr Doyle spoke in favour: "What it boils down to is 'what is a character statement', and that's what it's all about."

"What makes their environment a special place? What is their vision for that area?

"Certainly, on the Peninsula, the vision was certainly was low rise.

"They did have a vision of no more than three stories.

"That's why they gravitate to that area.

"We had three councillors that resided on the Peninsula who worked very hard to see that the Peninsula was protected.

"I don't think it's wise to start undoing those things, at least without going back to the community."

"If one of the other (areas) thought it was good to have height limits, we would have put them in, but it wasn't an issue.

Cr Peter Hale said that "staff pointed out in their response that the character statements do not set height limits".

Council agenda NM.21, September 27