DEAR News Of The Area,

I REFER to Michael Wallace’s letter last week bemoaning Council’s decision to spend $70,000 on the poll to ask the community if they want multi-storey residential development at the Jetty Foreshore.

I have to agree with you Michael, it is a great pity that our Council has to spend this money to give the community the opportunity to say what has already been said in all the past surveys, community meetings etc.

It is a pity that past public sentiment and the Government’s own reports have not been heeded and promises acted upon hence necessitating this poll.

In your words Michael, “Not many people would want to see 250 residential units but would like to see some commercial development.”

Precisely, however the plan published by Council so far is described as a ‘Concept Plan’ only and says: “City of Coffs Harbour Council wants to see land at the Jetty Foreshores developed to provide more recreation, dining, culture and tourism experiences for the community, while being retained in public ownership.”

Surely this leaves the door open for some ‘commercial development’.

You mention that the decision of the poll will not be binding, again rightly so, but if a significant margin votes NO to multi-storey residential development then it would be a very brave Council and Government to go against such a strong community message.

People power is a strong tool.

Let’s not waste the Council’s expenditure.

I urge all community members to take the opportunity provided to us on September 14 to have your say as to what you would like to see happen in this vital area of our city.

This is our City, it’s where we love to live, so we should say what we want and not just be dictated to by Macquarie Street.

PS, at the risk of being accused of nimby-ism, I confess that I live in the Jetty precinct close to the foreshores.

However I would be equally vocal and opposed if the State Government were to propose residential development on Diggers Beach Reserve, Boambee Bay Reserve, Woolgoolga or Look at Me Now Headland and other key coastal locations within our community.

Open space is needed for the future.

Let’s keep it.

Regards,
Fran STEPHENSON,
Coffs Harbour.