Volunteer groups called for an extension of the public display for the Eurobodalla Rural Lands Strategy, amidst concerns about how it will impact the environment.
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The documents on display, including the strategy and related material, total nearly 2000 pages.
Coastwatchers and Landcare both spoke at the Eurobodalla Shire Council meeting on May 22, requesting a 90-day extension.
Barbara Roberts, speaking for Coastwatchers, said the proposed strategy was very different to the 2012 Local Environment Plan (LEP).
“It is on public notice for one month,” she said.
“It is difficult to navigate. Working through it, and trying to relate things like the removal of E3 zoned and high-value conservation lands is incredibly difficult.”
Paul May, of Landcare, said many people with a passion for their local environment did not have an equal passion for negotiating paperwork.
“Throughout the shire, Landcare volunteers provided over 10, 000 hours of free work between 2016 and 2017,” he said.
“Changes (from the LEP to the proposed strategy) directly impact land that groups have been caring for since the 1980s.
“Many of our volunteers are more comfortable working with their hands than reading a 650-page document. The limited viewing period makes it difficult for our members to read and respond.
“I think this is a real insult to volunteers.”
One change of particular concern to Landcare was the rezoning of beachfront land to ‘rural'.
“These are endangered ecological communities, which our group has been working to protect for many years,” Mr May said.
“Now they could be grazed without approval.”
Mayor Liz Innes questioned whether the groups had been involved in consultation done prior to the strategy being put on display.
Ms Roberts said reading the proposed strategy in full was not the same as participating in consultation.
“It’s different when you see it all out there together – people need time to read it in full and consider,” she said.
Councillor Anthony Mayne moved the request for an extension of the viewing period as a matter of urgent business.
“The request for 90 days seems excessive,” Cr Mayne said.
“However the Rural Open Space Strategy extension was successful. To enhance transparency it would behove the council to extend the viewing period for two weeks.”
The motion was successful, with councillors Mayne, Patrick McGinlay, Rob Pollock and Phil Constable in favour of the two week extension and councillors Innes, Maureen Nathan and Jack Tait voting against.
