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 worst- case scenario.
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Despite a recommendation from council staff to take the worst-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 a more
moderate stance.
This brought Eurobo-dalla Shire Council into line with Shoalhaven Council for the 2050 sea-level benchmark of 230mm.
However, the council also chose to adopt a 2100 measurement of 720mm, which Shoalhaven did not.
The 2100 projections will be used only for major infrastructure, 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 was required by the NSW Government.
A report prepared for council by Whitehead & Associates said the moderate scenario, which was adopted, required substantial international efforts to reduce carbon emissions until 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 Crs Rob Pollock, Peter Schwarz, Neil Burnside, and Danielle Brice commended the moderate stance.
Cr Harding said she was reluctant to support a
moderate sea-level rise
policy and that council should plan for a worst-case situation
Cr Pollock said he did not believe council was being irresponsible and that it was taking a sensible approach.
The report said that council should review its sea-level rise policy as updates from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or CSIRO became available.
These updates generally occur every five years, and use tide data recorded at Fort Denison.
Of the 10 public speakers who expressed their concerns about the policy at the meeting, eight were against it.
Those who opposed it, argued that it would decrease property values and have a negative effect on the local economy.
Those in favour of the policy, believed it fulfilled its requirements and took a cautious approach for the “dramatic impacts that can be expected”.