Pittwater Life November 2018 Issue

News
Council has ‘dropped offleash lead’
Dog-owners advocacy group Pittwater Unleashed has accused
Northern Beaches Council of unnecessarily delaying the
introduction of an off-leash dog trial at Palm Beach’s Station Beach
which it says should have been settled by staff months ago.
The community group is furious that Council has wasted time
and money assigning a Council staff member to
oversee the project, only to stonewall the plan at
the 11th hour.
At a meeting on June 26, Council resolved to
trigger a public consultation process within 12
weeks, subject to there being no unresolvable
barriers to do so, presented in any Government
Agency correspondence response to the
proposed trial.
The site for the proposed trial involves the
Pittwater foreshore commencing 80 metres
north of Beach Road and finishing at the Boathouse
Wharf, 630 metres south of National Park
lands.
Pittwater Unleashed, whose charter is to
deliver “a voice for dog owners promoting a ‘Fair
Share’ open space policy across the Northern
Beaches Local Government Area” said Council
had pointed to considerations requested by the
NSW Lands Department in September as the
reason for the additional delay.
Given “environmental sensitivities” NSW
Lands had requested a Review of Environmental
Factors (REF) be undertaken.
But Pittwater Unleashed spokesman Mitch
Geddes said there was no reason for Council
to be commissioning further studies given
a 50-page REF and Biodiversity Assessment had already been
undertaken by the former Pittwater Council, at a reported cost
of $15,000. According to Mr Geddes, the previous REF had been
“misplaced” by Council in 2014, but is now available for all to see.
“The work is already done, and it is high time we let the
community see the findings, by way of the formal consultation
process,” he said.
At its June meeting Council also invited the Executive Committee
of Pittwater Unleashed to help develop the parameters for the
Station Beach trial prior to its projected September public exhibition
commencement.
Preparations for the trial had progressed to the point where a
draft sign had been prepared for the site to outline the conditions
and scope of the trial (pictured).
Following discussion with Pittwater Unleashed, the parameters
of the trial propose a 12-month timeframe, with restrictions
between 4.00pm to 10.30am (Eastern Standard Time) and 5.30pm
to 10.30am (Daylight Savings Time).
Mr Geddes said: “The Department of Lands
already had its go when it demanded the first
REF. The conduct of Lands, and other departmental
officers at that time has recently been
called into question, and is the subject of an
investigation by Environment Minister Gabrielle
Upton and Lands Minister Paul Toole.
“Imposing new delays and cost duplication
at this late stage is not a good look, especially
when one of the laughable suggestions is that
we consider taking the dogs back to Careel
Bay!
“Council needs to get on with the job of
delivering for the community by activating
this stretch of underutilised foreshore, and by
not getting caught up in endless bureaucratic
circles.”
General Manager Environment and Infrastructure
Ben Taylor told Pittwater Life: “We
know off leash dog parks are an important
topic for the community and Council is committed
to providing improved spaces for our
four-legged friends.
“Council has now received feedback about a
trial off-leash dog area on Station Beach from
a range of Government agencies including the
NSW Government’s Department of Industry.
“This feedback identifies the need for environmental research
prior to proceeding with any trial.
“The next steps are that Council will work with the government
to meet their requirements prior to conducting any community
consultation.”
While the commencement date for public exhibition is currently
up in the air, Council CEO Ray Brownlee had set a meeting with
Pittwater Unleashed for late October.
“He’s only been here five minutes, and is already onto this. We
take this as a very good sign – that he won’t cop these costly delay
tactics,” Mr Geddes said.
– Nigel Wall
6 NOVEMBER 2018
The Local Voice Since 1991