THE Eurobodalla council’s stance on sea-level rise flowed out with the tide at Tuesday’s meeting when councillors moved away from adopting the worse case scenario.
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Despite a recommendation from council staff to take the worse case sea-level rise approach and plan for a sea-level rise of 260mm by 2050 and 980mm by 2100, councillors voted on an amendment to adopt the more moderate scenario.
This brought the Eurobodalla Shire Council into line with the Shoalhaven for the 2050 sea-level benchmark of 230mm.
However, the council also chose to adopt a 2100 measurement of 720mm, whereas Shoalhaven did not adopt any level for 2100.
The 2100 projections will be used only for major infrastructure, new rezoning and related subdivisions and not for assessment of dwelling houses, alterations and additions and commercial or industrial development.
Council’s planning director Lindsay Usher said council was required to adopt a 2100 benchmark to determine future hazard lines and to prepare a coastal zone management plan, which is required by the NSW Government.
A report prepared for council by Whitehead & Associates said the moderate scenario, which was adopted, required substantial efforts to reduce emissions through to 2100.
Councillors Milton Leslight and Liz Innes spoke against the report.
Cr Leslight said the shire was going through a severe downturn because of the sea-level rise policy.
“We should follow the lead of our neighbouring shire,” he said.
Cr Innes believed council should move away from the 100-year projection.
“We should not inflict the property decreases on our community for something so speculative,” she said.
Cr Fergus Thomson was absent and councillors Rob Pollock, Peter Schwarz, Neil Burnside, Danielle Brice and Gabi Harding commended the moderate scenario.
Cr Pollock did not believe the council was being irresponsible and was taking a sensible approach.
Cr Harding said she was reluctant to support the amendment to adopt the moderate sea rise level and believed council should take the worse case scenario.
The report included that council review its sea-level rise policy as updates from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or CSIRO become available.
These updates generally occur every five to years, using water level behaviour at the Fort Denison tidal gauge.
Out of 10 public speakers who presented to council on their concerns on the policy, eight were against it.
The main argument presented by those opposed to the policy was regarding their view that it would decrease property values and have a negative affect on the local economy.
Those is favour of the report believed it fulfilled its requirements and took a cautious approach for the “dramatic impacts that can be expected”.