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ACTIVE COMMUNITY TEAM ENVIRONMENT & DEVELOPMENT POLICY 2002 ELECTION STATEMENT
There are huge concerns about overdevelopment and threats to our superb natural boundaries - the Escarpment, our beaches/coast, Lake Illawarra and the Royal National Park.These need to be protected.
Moratorium on Escarpment & Coastal Development
There is an urgent need to to develop an agreement for a moratorium on all coastal and escarpment development until the State Government legislates effective escarpment and coastal protection legislation - which has been promised since the 1987 Heathcote By Election by the then ALP State Government and then Environment Minister Bob Carr. This agreement should be developed by consulting widely with the people of Wollongong and then presented in its final document form for adoption by Wollongong City Councillors as binding policy for all councillors. There is also a need to pursue the $3million in 1987 dollars promised by then ALP Environment Minister Bob Carr for acquiring sensitive escarpment land - at the time of the 1987 Heathcote by election. The Coastal Advisory Committee must be established as a matter of urgency to develop the Coastal Management Plan with the community and council staff
Sustainability
Council policies should be based on social and intergenerational equity and derived from ecological principals.
Council should pursue a strong policy of Greening the Environment
Council should pursue a policy of place based planning/precinct planning
Council policies should be consistent with each other and practical in application.
Council policies should allow for present conditions and be able to evolve with changing conditions.
Council policies should be aimed at the long term objective of sustainable living.
Council should apply the Precautionary Principle when necessary.
Council should actively police conditions of approval of developments.
Natural Areas:
Beaches, Wetlands, Creeks, Forests, Escarpment desperately need protection, restoration, and maintenance.
Council should increase funds for rehabilitation of natural areas, increase support for Bushcare program, Botanic Gardens nursery and education centre.
Council should employ three teams of Bush Regenerators operating from each of the works depots. The Bush Regeneration gangs shall be required to work/support with Bushcare groups, Park maintenance staff in liaison with councils' Natural Areas Officer. They are to be responsible for the restoration and protection of natural areas, and the establishment of green corridors to revitalise the area.
There are many council parks (or part there of) that should be restored into a natural state, reducing long term maintenance (i.e. Western end of Bulli Park is rarely used and constantly mowed. By introducing heaps of trees the area could require less maintenance, provide increased habitat for native birds and animals, and help reinstate green corridors forming linkages to other natural areas). There are opportunities at Ocean Park Woonona. The western hillside follows a redirected waterway that empties into Collins creek. A perfect bush regeneration site. It is but one of many more.
Future D/A's should allow increased setback, (buffer zone), from natural areas, even if they are degraded, they can always be regenerated. (Development in Wilcath St Bulli is an example of greed and is disrespectful of ESD principles)
Council should lobby DUAP to have the Native Vegetation Act to apply to the Illawarra region. We need to protect and restore the small areas of remnant vegetation that remain. This includes roadside reserves, creek corridors, the escarpment, beach dunes, coastal forest (i.e. Turpentine forest at Cooksons, Bulli and Casurina lorest across the road from Bulli Cemetery.
Council should take a pro-active approach in the preparation of regional vegetation management plans.
Council should lobby NSW government to have Wollongong area included in the NSW Coastal Policy.
Could should pursue the rehabilitation of industrial and mining areas.
Council should preserve remaining areas of public open space
Council should preserve aboriginal heritage
Council should promote and act upon the establishment of a network of green corridors linking natural areas to each other. (Escarpment to the sea via creeks, wetlands, road reserves, coastal forests, parkland).
Waste Management:
Recycling facilities to schools, shops and commercial centres, parks, sports grounds etc should be promoted.
Council should introduce local green waste depots (no fees), to discourage dumping in natural arms, and reduce vehicle time on our roads; and/or provide an affordable mulching service particularly for pensioners.
Council should encourage use of recycled products and lead by example; using recycled paper and to use paper cups instead of Styrofoam cups for functions and meetings.
Council offices and depots should conduct an audit to determine opportunities to recycle all their waste products.
Storm-water and Flood
Council should pursue opportunities with DLWC to resume land and properties most vulnerable to flood whenever possible before application of costly engineering measures are made.
Council should pursue opportunities to un-pipe and/or redirect creeks and waterways to their natural state whenever possible, taking into account flood management data.
Council should re-assess past and present flood studies under the premise of possible maximum flood, urban catchment conditions, elevated ocean events and urban catchment conditions.
Council should consideration of the use of Canal Estate Development SEPP 50 as a means to reject D/A's that requires the use of infill.
Education :
Council should pursue opportunities to introduce Bushcare into schools in similar fashion to Surf Sense program. This can be expanded to enable hands on activites for students and teachers. Schools can be encouraged to collect and propagate native seed from the catchment area, revegetate school grounds and nearby natural areas, native plant and weed identification, streamwatch etc etc.
Council should educate residents and property owners about impacts of rubbish dumping and green waste disposal on surrounding bushland, creeks wetlands and foreshore areas.
Waste products can pollute and destroy the local ecosystem, green waste can introduce weeds into the catchment, and the increased nutrient load alters the soil ecology promoting weed growth.
Larger items can also lead to blockages of waterways, pipes, and drains, culverts etc and increasing flooding potential.
Development and Traffic :
There is concern about Council's genuine commitment to ESD principles, with plenty of meetings, but too many complaints . "all talk no action?" and too many have offered the opinion "I have not yet witnessed one single development the even resembles ESD."
Council should encourage user friendly public transport system
Council should consider the rejection of development on flood prone land, over infilled waterways, and slip areas.
Council should investigate reducing development density and floor-space ratios to lower the concentration of water and intensity of water energy caused by urban runoff Urban runoff can be up to 6 times the volume and intensity than that under rural conditions.
Council should encourage the use of gravel drains, seepage pits, solar energy, recycled materials, composting toilets, water tanks to help ease the increasing load on our environment.
Council should review application of tree preservation act. Too many people perceive that it seems to be very difficult to enforce and consent to remove significant trees seem to be too easy.
Council needs to re-think it's approach - to consider more decentralisation of its resource base - share the wealth and revitalise local communities
Council also needs to consider the decentralisation of services, facilities to encourage local business activity, reduce vehicle load from roads.
Council needs to consider that economic efficiency does not equal environmental efficiency.
Council should pursue the Northern Distributor Extension very carefully - in order to minimise the impact on northern residents and to ensure that any modifications to the Bulli Pass route down the escarpment are environmentally sensitive
Citizen Panels
Council should give consideration to the initiative from Sutherland Shire Council.This has evolved from the `quick response' panel option initially popular with Councillors. The idea is to run four or so focus group/workshops per year on a particular topic, selected by council after consideration of staff and community suggestions. Between 60 and 120 people are selected (as a representative cross section of community) and these people are briefed, workshopped, and recommendations are made to Council. The first topic selected at Sutherland will address an in-house development related matter, namely our consultation processes on DA's, DCP's and LEP's etc.
Illawarra Escarpment:
There is strong concern at the lack of response from Wollongong City Council WCC) and our strong demands for the implementation of the findings from the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Illawarra escarpment. This report cannot be ignored, active implementation must occur now.
Council should generally adopt and implement the recommendations and findings of the COI into the escarpment and foothills, with the exception of the recommendations made in regard to rationalisation of 2a, 2ai and 7c zonings.
All council staff be made fully aware of the implications arising from the COI findings (in relation to their particular position and responsibility to the community). This is a keystone document and everyone should be conversant with its role in the broader picture of sustainable development in the Wollongong Local Government Area.
Workshops should be held for senior staff of WCC, Government Departments, community groups and individuals involved in the COI so that all implications can be discussed and understood. We also hope that reconciliation can occur between WCC, IEC and other groups where estrangement has occurred.
Council should promote a better planned and managed environment for the next century with particular attention on:
A land use constraint study be undertaken immediately (concurrently with all other recommended base-line studies).
The Illawarra Escarpment Management Plan start immediately, prepared by WCC and Government Departments in consultation with the community.
Implement the moratorium on all 'Fair' Trading deals and Rural Residential ones until all studies are completed (excluding those properties so mentioned in the COI report).
Look again seriously at alternatives to the Fair Trading Policy (Environmental Levies, State and Federal Government Subsidies and Voluntary Conservation Agreements)
Establish Illawarra Escarpment Park Management Board (including all interested groups and apolitical representatives as outlined in the IEC's COI submission).
Address mine site rehabilitation and waste disposal on the escarpment (past & present).
Implement COI recommendations for flood plain management, 40m creek line set back, sustainable wildlife corridors. Step creek diversion and flood plain in-filling by developers.
Follow COI recommendations for 7(a) and 7(b) land and expand 7(a) to include mine sites at Bellambi, Kemeria, Mt Kembla and Bulli.
Produce Foreshores, Escarpment and Flood Plain Management Policies to protect vulnerable ecosystems and the property and lives of residents.
Provide security for all members of the community now and in the future through long term sustainable development principles, which are enunciated in the COI recommendations and findings.
Industry & Pollution Control:
Council should expand cycleway network to help get vehicles off the roads
Council should introduce drain stenciling program to educate the community about storm water pollution.
Council should consider water monitoring being conducted (samples taken) by lifeguards to assist EPA and Sydney Water to improve analysis of water quality.
Storm water pollution particularly in low flow situations after a dry spell can contain high concentrations of heavy metals animal faeces, oils, detergents and nutrients.
We need to introduce more retention basins to collect this toxic soup for treatment "on site", before reentering our already degraded creeks and waterways
Council should insist on sign posting all of the 165 sewerage overflows that exist in the Illawarra system. These signs ought to contain health warnings and a telephone no. to contact to report sewage discharge.
Water Quality samples should be taken at more regular intervals throughout the year
Council should compile a Waste Emplacement Inventory to identify all historical and in use sites. The inventory will include a detailed analysis of the composition of the landfill and the capacity to leach into nearby areas at each site.
Council should encourage the EPA to comply with the Protection of the Environment Operations Act and the Regulations. Express opposition to EPA licences that could harm health and the environment. Promote cleaner and cleverer non-polluting industry.
Council should provide a quick response to complaints about pollution and breach of conditions of approval of developments.
Council should actively campaign for improved air quality
Council should pursue no-polluting industries
Council should actively campaign to eliminate the production of dioxins in Wollongong and to support efforts to have relevant dioxin testing of the population.
Council should actively campaign to have a health study done to assess the health of residents near heavy industries.
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