EUROBODALLA Shire Council has adopted a policy directions paper for its Rural Lands Strategy and will now progress to the final stage of the project, which began in mid-2012.
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The directions guide the draft strategy in seven themes: encourage primary production, cut red tape, support economic development promote and grow rural tourism, promote sustainable resource use, recognise and manage environmental hazards and values and support rural residential living opportunities.
The development of the rural lands strategy came after the council’s controversial 2011 draft Local Environment Plan, which was deferred pending the review.
The policy directions paper attracted 60 submissions from community members; 21 were satisfied, 20 expressed some concern and 20 raised specific personal circumstances.
The key issues raised were for council to provide subdivision opportunities, provide more dwelling entitlements, to request specific zonings and to express views on split zoning.
Some submissions indicated the policy directions paper did not address the issues raised by the community during the LEP exhibitions or policy directions workshop.
Benandarah land owner Arthur Lagos told the council on Tuesday the rural land strategy was critical, given that 20 per cent of the shire comprised rural-based land owners.
He said he had a particular interest ensuring the themes “encouraging economic development” and “supporting rural lifestyle opportunities”, as detailed in the paper, were implemented.
Mr Lagos spoke of the economic challenges faced by the rural community including the impacts of the ageing population, legislative requirements to protect the environment, changing family circumstances and climate change.
“These pressures are felt by rural land owners and I know a lot of them are trying to extract some additional value through the rights to subdivide or carve off a piece of land,” Mr Lagos said.
“I’m not talking about the division of a block into 100 parcels… (but) allowing a small parcel to be peeled off.
“This will allow rural land owners to release some valuable working capital, it allows them to reinvest that into efficient rural practices, environmental care (and) providing the opportunity to invest will encourage economic investment in the region.
“I know there is pent-up demand for smaller rural lifestyle parcels, especially by the water, so these sorts of strategies can effectively encourage economic development and relieve some pressures.”
Mr Lagos told of his opportunity to “peel off” five or ten acres from his own 40-acre property on the Clyde River and sell it to interested buyers.
“Under the current rules I can’t do that so if by virtue of this rural lands strategy I am allowed to do that it would provide some benefit to me,” he said.
“But it’s not really about my situation, it’s a more a broader-based argument for all rural land owners.
“I think I’m representative of a lot of rural land owners who are looking to have a bit of flexibility in the way that they can manage their land and extract some value.”