Council debates over-height development, next steps for draft housing strategy

Progress on Eurobodalla Shire Council’s draft housing strategy has taken another step, while a proposal for two apartment buildings that exceed the height limit has been approved.

At the regular council meeting on Tuesday (25 February), council’s finances also came under scrutiny, including the Southern Water Supply Storage project.

A development application for 52 units at Beach Road and Golf Links Drive in Batemans Bay was approved at the meeting.

It had to go before councillors because one building has a proposed height of 20.9 metres, 37.6 per cent above the 15-metre limit in the shire’s local environmental plan, and the other has a proposed height of 17.85 metres. The development is also in the vicinity of sewer mains.

Councillor Anthony Mayne said if councillors and staff continued to vary the standard, the standard fell away.

A council staff member said there was provision for NSW councils to vary the standard where they could demonstrate there was a process and there were limited impacts on adjoining properties. He said the area around the development was changing and the proposed development was consistent with the nearby Ohana Apartments.

“The land is zoned medium density residential; it is a different type of housing, and has more people living close to Batemans Bay,” the staff member said.

There was much more discussion about council’s draft housing strategy scoping options. In November 2024, council had voted to defer a decision on the draft housing strategy to allow more work on affordable housing strategies.

Councillor Colleen Turner proposed an amendment that included a list of her priorities that she had drawn from the draft housing strategy scoping options report, and called for a part-time housing officer, an advisory group, and funding for data-gathering.

Some councillors were concerned about the financial implications of Cr Turner’s amended motion. Some said some of the priorities listed could have unintended consequences, while others said the amended motion was too complex and should be exhibited to the public.

After much debate, an amended motion was passed to put the draft housing strategy scoping options on public exhibition for 28 days, and prepare a report for April’s council meeting with the costs for a part-time housing officer, advisory group, and funding for data-gathering.

Cr Turner said her motion was intended to get an affordable housing strategy moving and get the community’s and councillors’ thoughts.

“It is disappointing there is no action except to exhibit the scoping study which is a list of what other councils have done,” Cr Turner said.

During the public forum section of the council meeting, a resident criticised the transparency and communication to the public about the state of council’s finances. He noted that the meeting’s papers said that council staff were concerned about the operating deficit. He said that by outsourcing, council was “kicking the can down the road” and that outsourcing was more expensive.

The quarterly budget review statement included a recommendation for a $40 million loan to complete the Southern Water Supply Storage project. Councillor Mick Johnson said he had “lost confidence in some of the advice” and wanted more time to consider the statement.

The councillors asked staff about the project’s background, which had been outlined to the previous council in July 2024.

Councillor Phil Constable asked if staff would be requesting additional money in the future.

A staff member said the project was on track with the budget, but there were risks that council couldn’t control such as a major rain event beyond the insurance that council had in place.

Councillors deferred voting on the quarterly budget review statement.

Also on the meeting’s agenda was a motion by Mayor Mat Hatcher for a one-off clean-up of driftwood debris on Tuross’ main beach. The meeting’s papers said council did not automatically remove debris from the shire’s beaches because it was generally cleared through natural cycles, and required state government environmental approval and permits.

The papers said several ‘one-off’ council clean-ups of Tuross’ main beach had occurred over the past 10 years. The most recent one in August 2022 cost $10,000 and within three months, large storms resulted in even more debris on the beach. The papers said council had not removed debris from any other shire beaches.

The motion called for funding for the one-off clean-up at Tuross’ main beach, to seek the relevant state government environmental permits, and for council to speak with state agencies about the potential for smaller, community-led clean-ups, under approved conditions, without the need to seek formal permits.

The motion was passed.

Councillor Rob Pollock drew attention to a Transport for NSW proposal for traffic lights at an intersection in Narooma that would see the loss of 12 parking spaces for retail businesses along the ‘flat’.

“As a council we should have serious consideration of this proposal,” Cr Pollock said.