Issue 35 Spring 2021
NEWSLETTER
merrychristmas Staying safe outdoors Scenic Protection proposal Residents are being invited to share their views on Council’s planning proposal updating the Mosman Local Environmental Plan to help protect Mosman’s foreshore slopes into the future. To maintain and protect residential amenity, views to and from Sydney and Middle Harbours, and landscape quality, Council is proposing to update R2 Low Density Residential areas in the Scenic Protection Area to a new E4 Environmental Living zone, with the main change being the name of the zone and planning requirements that currently apply to the areas being carried over to the new zone. For many years Council has required low density residential properties located on the foreshore lands – in an area called the Mosman Scenic Protection Area – to meet certain planning requirements about views, building bulk and scale and landscaping, with the controls helping Council protect harbour views, keep Mosman green and leafy and ensure residents are notified and can have a say about development near them. Since 2009, Council has had to continually seek exemptions from statewide planning controls which would otherwise allow new one and two storey dwelling houses along with alterations and additions to existing dwelling houses to be built as complying development. If Council’s planning proposal does not proceed, standardised planning controls under the State Government’s Housing Code would apply to R2 land in the Mosman Scenic Protection Area from 30 May 2022, enabling landowners to apply to a private certifier for a complying development certificate instead of having to lodge a development application with Council. Continues over page.
Council has reintroduced its COVID-19 Action Plan to assist staff in managing popular local beaches and major public spaces during the pandemic. COVID Safety Marshals and Rangers have been well received by residents as they visited beaches and other popular public spaces over recent weeks to monitor the areas and educate the public about current NSW government public health orders. Patrols will continue throughout the coming warmer months to help ensure that residents and any visitors to the area are behaving in a COVID-safe manner. Additional COVID-safe messaging reminding residents to observe physical distancing and other rules is also on display around popular locations, including directional signage around ovals. Concerns about any potential breaches can be referred to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Visit mosman.nsw.gov.au for more information on Council services and programs.
For the latest online events visit events.mosman.nsw.gov.au
Scenic Protection
Council elections Residents are being reminded to ensure their details are up-to-date ahead of the December Local Government elections, with changes and new enrolments due to be received by the NSW Electoral Commission by 6pm on 25 October. The elections, originally scheduled for September, have been postponed to Saturday 4 December 2021 by the NSW Government due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes to pre-poll will give voters 13 days to cast their ballot to reduce congestion on polling day.
Community Grants Continued from Page 1 While the complying development process may allow faster and more certain approvals for landowners in the Mosman Scenic Protection Area, it would not provide Council with the opportunity to consider impacts on views and scenic protection and neighbours would not have the opportunity to comment on proposed development near them. Consultation on the proposal runs until 10 November with community information sessions to be held over coming weeks. Visit yourvoicemosman.com.au for more details.
Council has funded projects covering a wide variety of activities including health education, capital purchases, support for mental health, professional and community workshops, disability services and youth mentoring as part of its 2021/22 Community Grants Program. A total of 24 funding applications were lodged for this year’s grants program with 22 applications being funded to a total of $70,000. The program assists organisations deliver projects and programs that help improve the social and mental wellbeing of the Mosman community.
Recycle your pods Reserve & Collect Mosman Library Service has begun a Reserve & Collect service. Library members can reserve up to four items from the online library catalogue at aurorashore.com.au/montage/mosman Reservations for on-shelf items at Barry O'Keefe Library are free while reservation fees for items at another Shorelink Library can be paid online or in the library once it reopens. Collection times are 10am-12pm, Monday to Friday and library members will be notified when their items are ready to collect. For more information about this service visit mosman.nsw.gov.au/reserve-collect
Mosman residents can register to participate in an Australian first program recently launched by recyclers iQ Renew and CurbCycle in conjunction with Mosman Council to recycle aluminium coffee capsules. The innovative pilot program, underway in Mosman and Willoughby council areas, has capacity for up to another 4,000 households to join the scheme which trials the convenience of collecting aluminium coffee capsules through kerbside recycling and may help develop a national coffee capsule recycling program. Householders can register to participate in the trial by visiting curbythebilby.com.au/coffeecapsules or downloading the Curby App.
Mosman Square upgrade Memory Park amenities A new amenities building will be built at Memory Park, following community consultation earlier this year and Council’s recent decision to accept a tender for the building works. The accessible facility will have two unisex toilets, including a baby change facility. The playground and access to the popular park from Cowles Road will remain open during construction.
Community feedback is being sought on a concept design for the upgrade of Mosman Square and the Village Green after the design was considered by Council at its September meeting. The upgrade aims to deliver a more attractive and accessible space that will be suitable for a range of community uses and activities, and that will deliver improved lighting, connectivity and security. The area has not been significantly upgraded since it was constructed in 1988, with the upcoming project being one of a number of local projects funded under the NSW Public Space Legacy Program. View and comment on the proposal at yourvoicemosman.com.au
mosman.nsw.gov.au Postcards from the Future
Business survey now open A survey for local business owners and operators is available online to help inform Council’s next 10 year Community Strategic Plan, MOSPLAN. The 10 minute survey aims to capture the challenges, aspirations and priorities for business in Mosman over the next decade. This information will help inform the new MOSPLAN to be prepared by the Council elected in December 2021, which will in turn guide delivery of services and facilities to the Mosman community from July 2022. The survey is open to all local businesses and will run until Friday 22 October. For more information visit yourvoicemosman.com.au/imaginemosman2032
Mosman’s younger residents are being encouraged to have their say on how Mosman should look in 2032 before entries for Council’s creative visioning competition close at the end of October. Primary students in Mosman can get involved in 'Postcards from the Future' by drawing their future Mosman on a postcard while high school students can describe in writing what they want Mosman to be like in 2032. Prizes of $250 and $150 gift vouchers are up for grabs in each category. Pick up an entry form from outside Council’s Civic Centre or Library. Completed entries can be placed in the post box outside the Civic Centre or enter online by uploading your drawing or written submission at yourvoicemosman.com.au/postcards
Youth Services reach out
Talking about the future Council will be hosting a series of three online conversations in October to help inform its next Community Strategic Plan, MOSPLAN. The conversations will each have a specific focus, ranging from traffic and transport, to social connections, Mosman’s village lifestyle, and natural spaces. The conversations will be conducted via Zoom and cover topics that have been raised regularly by residents in our surveys. These Community Conversations will help give Council a more detailed understanding of key issues, as well as some further ideas and solutions for the future. An invitation is extended to all interested residents to attend up to two of these sessions. All conversations will be limited to a maximum of 10 residents and will last up to one and a half hours. Both afternoon and evening sessions are available. For more information and to register, visit yourvoicemosman.com.au/imaginemosman2032
Household solar catches on Mosman Youth will launch several new online competitions and continue delivering online activities in term four to help keep Mosman’s young people engaged and able to access social, recreational and educational opportunities. The programs build on activities held during lockdown, which included regular online catch ups and competitions such as an intergenerational sketch competition which resulted in over 40 submissions, with an intergenerational photography competition underway as part of Mental Health Month in October. Mosman Youth Services has also been upskilling youth volunteers with training to plan community wellbeing and mental health initiatives to support young people feeling isolated following the lockdown, and a new inclusion group is working on an online initiative to celebrate International Day of People with Disability in December. Visit youth.mosman.nsw.gov.au for more information.
Mosman residents are increasingly introducing solar onto residential rooftops to help lower power costs and their carbon footprint while adding value and future-proofing the home. Mosman’s rate of installed solar is quickly catching up to the Sydney average of 20% following the installation of 214 new domestic systems over the past 18 months, saving 45,000 tonnes in CO2 emissions over the solar installations’ lifetimes. When combined with a battery, solar power can take a home almost entirely off grid and solar can be installed despite the tiled and steep roof pitches common in Mosman. Council, which is switching to solar with an array on the Marie Bashir Sports Centre and will soon add a system to the Civic Centre, is encouraging residents to make the change. A range of resources is available on Council’s site mosman.nsw.gov.au/solar or visit Zero Emissions Sydney North at zerosydneynorth.org
MosmanNow's printed edition is available at locations throughout Mosman. It is also published as a digital edition and available online. To download a PDF of the digital edition with links to additional content, go to mosman.nsw.gov.au/news/mosmannow
©2021 Mosman Municipal Council This publication is written by Council staff and authorised for distribution by Dominic Johnson – General Manager
mosman.nsw.gov.au Spit Junction NSW 2088 9978 4000 fax 9978 4132 council@mosman.nsw.gov.au
What’s On
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Don't miss out on the many interesting online events and activities taking place in Mosman over the next few months. Here are some highlights of what's on offer – visit events.mosman.nsw.gov.au for more.
Author Talk with Susannah Fullerton Friday 12 November, 10.30–11.30am, via Zoom On her 23rd birthday in 1893, Ethel Turner, once a Mosman resident sat down to start her first novel. The result was the enchanting Seven Little Australians, and 100 years later, it was the only book by an Australian author to have been continuously in print for a century. Hear more about this in a fascinating illustrated talk by popular literary speaker, Susannah Fullerton OAM. Visit events.mosman.nsw.gov.au
Ovals open
Solar My House Tuesday 16 November, 6.30–7.45pm, via Zoom To find out more about switching to solar join a free online information session about installing rooftop solar and batteries. Bookings are essential for the session which will be hosted by Mosman Council and not-for-profit community group Zero Emissions Sydney North. To register for the event visit events.mosman.nsw.gov.au
Air dry pottery with stencil pressing Friday 26 November 11am–12pm, via Zoom A live beginners’ workshop that will teach you how to hand-build clay into a decorative ceramic bowl. Visit events.mosman.nsw.gov.au
Children’s and youth activities online Free sessions are live-streamed during the school term for children and young people via Mosman Library Service’s Facebook page. Parents and babies can tune into Babytime on Wednesdays at 10.30am, Storytime features rhyme and story sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10.30am and Thursday Kids shares activities for older children that can be done from home on Thursdays at 4pm. The latest books, authors and news for young adult literature is covered live on Fridays at 4pm.
Council is working to keep our ovals available for exercise while we continue to spend time at home, with various sportsfields remaining open during playing surface restoration works being carried out until late October. Rawson Oval will remain closed until the end of November for the installation of an automated irrigation system and water tank. The existing stormwater harvest tanks under the Drill Hall netball courts will continue to supply water for the irrigation of the Rawson Oval playing surface. Floodlights will remain switched on at Allan Border Oval, Balmoral Oval and Middle Head Oval from 5.30pm to 8pm weekdays to allow additional time for exercising. Meanwhile, an automated external defibrillator (AED), for use in emergencies involving cardiac arrest, has been reinstalled at Allan Border Oval following the commencement of construction works for the oval’s new pavilion. AEDs are located around Mosman including Balmoral, Middle Head and Rawson ovals as well as other locations such as the Balmoral Baths and Tramshed amenities blocks. Visit Council’s dedicated webpage mosman.nsw.gov.au/defib to see Council owned or managed facilities where debrillators are located.
E-Resources and eCards Mosman residents who don’t already have a library card, can register for an eCard membership online for instant free access to our eLibrary collections, including eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, streaming movies, research databases and more. You can upgrade to a full membership at any time. Proof of address is required when joining and instructional videos can be viewed at mosman.nsw.gov.au/library/elibrary that guide you in accessing and using some of the online resources.
Mosman Moments Get snapping with Council’s Instagram photography competition for your chance to share in $150 in prizes each month. Simply tag your great photos with #mosmanmoments and @mosmancouncil to be in with a chance to win. For full terms and conditions visit mosman.nsw.gov.au/mosmanmoments
Mosman Market online While the regular Mosman Market is currently on hold residents can continue to support market stallholders by shopping with businesses directly online. For a list of over 70 participating retailers with links to their sites visit mosmanartgallery.org.au/mosman-market
events.mosman.nsw.gov.au
With businesses scheduled to reopen soon, the Mosman Chamber of Commerce and Council encourage residents to ‘Think Mosman First’ and support local business whenever possible. The Chamber will be launching a 'Drop Your Dollars in Mosman' promotion in the lead up to Christmas, with prizes to be won for shopping locally. For updates follow the Chamber on Facebook and Instagram. Visit mosmanchamber.com.au