DEAR NOTA,

IT seems that major decisions in our city are bound to be forced through against popular opinion.

Not so long ago the decision to invest a huge amount of money in a new civic centre was repeatedly forced through by casting vote despite active community protests.

Surely Council’s ability to deliver outcomes is affected when tens of millions of dollars were already committed by a single focus investment called Yarrila Place.

The council has changed and now supports popular opinion but the opinion warrants nothing against a State Government bureaucracy determined to balance its city budget by selling development land at the Jetty Foreshore in the face of popular local disagreement with that policy.

If part of the eastern side of the railway became residential then how to prevent it becoming short term residential holiday accommodation whether it is built as prime residential or social needs accommodation.

If we look at the night time parking over Jetty Hill we can easily see that both sides of the street have turned into street length parking lots.

It seems that no council can ever regulate enough on-site parking for any high density housing. Where might the surplus vehicles park?

Surely where the tourists wish to park or even the locals who don’t actually live there.

Don’t laugh and think that there is nobody there at night time.

Most of the new residents will be home and parked all day on weekends as well.

I am sure that Coffs Harbour can be built for future generations without urbanising the foreshore. To settle for present day investment greed is to deny the younger generation any say in the foreshore’s future.

That is if they can ever afford to own their own home which is hardly likely to be on the wrong side of those tracks.

Regards,
Tom CALDWELL,
Sapphire Beach.