THE BYRON SHIRE Volume 24 #21 Tuesday, October 27, 2009 Mullumbimby 02 6684 1777 Byron Bay 02 6685 5222 Fax 02 6684 1719 editor@echo.net.au adcopy@echo.net.au www.echo.net.au 21,000 copies every week
WORLD OF WORDCRAFT
Sand ‘village’ washed away Keneally calls in West Byron lands
Story & photo Eve Jeffery
The 350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis. The mission of the group is to inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis, the focus being the number 350 which is the number of parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere. It is believed that we have passed that limit with the current levels reportedly at 390 ppm with estimated 2ppm increase every year from now on.
In December, world leaders will meet in Copenhagen, to craft a new global treaty on cutting emissions. In order to unite the public, media, and political leaders behind the 350 goal, the group organised, via the internet, a planetary day of action where over 5,000 rallies took place including events at hundreds of iconic places around the world – from the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef and the Main Beach at Byron Bay. Locally, Emma Briggs got the idea to build sand castles on Byron’s Main Beach to attract attention to the issue. ‘The idea is that people all over the world will take photos of their local
action,’ said Ms Briggs ‘The photos will be included in a book which will be presented to the world leaders at the event in Copenhagen.’ A small band of concerned people gathered at Main Beach to build the sand castles and the spectacle created a lot of interest, especially from visitors to the area. The little sand village then fell victim to a ‘tsunami’, the expected outcome of continued global warming. ‘We hope that meeting in Copenhagen will listen to our global voice. This event is part of the most widespread political action ever.’ See more at www.350.org.
Council knocks back Optus tower for Mullum Byron Shire councillors voted unanimously last week to refuse Optus’s 20m high telco tower planned for Mullumbimby. They based their refusal on five reasons prepared by staff, which included the tower’s proposed location on a ridgeline, its height, and public resistance to the proposal. During public access Optus project
manager Peter Collie and town planner Petra Kovac addressed Council for the proposal. Ms Kovac said the tower would be part of a major rollout of the 3G network and would upgrade facilities and improve coverage. ‘We try to avoid sensitive locations,’ she said. ‘We have met all the regulatory requirements and we try to miti-
gate environmental impacts.’ Adam Boyd spoke on behalf of residents ‘who live near the proposed Optus Tower on Coolamon Scenic Drive. We maintain that the development application submitted by Optus is poorly planned, unsound and misleading… continued on page 5
NSW planning minister Kristina Keneally has called in as a ‘potential state significant site’ urban release lands at West Byron which have been sitting on Council’s backburner. The landowners went to the Minister after failing to convince Council to include them for rezoning in the current draft Local Environmental Plan (LEP). In March this year Keneally urged Council to move lands under investigation for development at West Byron into the upcoming Local environmental Plan (LEP). The land in question runs along the south side of Ewingsdale Road from Belongil Creek out to the Sunnybrand chicken plant, some 106 hectares in all. The landowners, under the umbrella of the West Byron Landowners Group, include the Belongil Fields owners and Crighton Properties, a Central Coast development company. In late April Byron Shire councillors rejected a staff recommendation to include the Belongil Fields parcel in the LEP. Instead, they voted
for Council officers to meet with the landowners and proponents of the proposed LEP amendment for the Belongil Fields ‘to inform them of recent studies and reports that present constraints and restrictions to the future development of those lands’, such as the related traffic study, Belongil flood study and climate change impacts, and environmental zoning/studies. At the time Mayor Jan Barham said, ‘Council has had clear advice regarding the constraints to development on the West Byron lands including traffic, flooding, biodiversity and the buffer to Sunnybrand. The recently completed MR545 Strategic Traffic Study has revealed that the road is already at capacity. ‘The consideration of climate change impacts and particularly flood has also identified that the land is at risk and therefore unsuitable for major development.’ Conservationist Dailan Pugh also expressed his opposition to the West Byron lands development, saying it continued on page 5
Beaches will be protected, says environment minister Following questions from Greens MP Ian Cohen, NSW environment minister John Robertson said in Parliament last week that beach access would be protected under the state government’s proposed ‘hot spots’ coastal legislation. We will not compromise the beaches of NSW with any of these particular reforms,’ Mr Robertson said. ‘We want, firstly, to clarify the rights of landowners and councils because for some time there has been great confusion about them. ‘These reforms are about providing councils with powers that they do not currently possess, such as having the capacity to issue stop work orders if a landowner is carrying out unlawful
work or work that is likely to increase coastal erosion. The key point, and it needs to be made time and again, is that this government will not compromise the iconic beaches of NSW as a result of this policy.’ Mr Cohen also asked Mr Robertson if he would ‘direct the removal of houses in certain areas in certain circumstances or is private coastal property guaranteed by him come hell or high water?’ ‘I know where Mr Ian Cohen is coming from in relation to this matter,’ Mr Robertson said, ‘he has an ongoing interest in it and he has some issues about landowners at Belongil. ‘Frankly, it would be inappropriate continued on page 5
Get a Summerland Loan for a Summerland Home ...we make loans easy Call 1300 361 561 <echowebsection=Local News>
z
summerland.com.au