A proposal to expand the Taabinga housing estate to include low-cost housing in the form of a relocatable home park and multiple dwelling units will face further discussion following a motion at the South Burnett Regional Council’s December meeting.
The proposal – which southburnett.com.au understands has drawn a range of objections from the public – has been laid on the table for at least a month pending receipt of further information from the developer.
The development would require an alteration of the Town Plan, and it provoked spirited discussion amongst Councillors.
Cr Keith Campbell said the 260-lot proposal was “a huge” development approval.
“Reading the report, it will involve several precincts. But I don’t think all of it demonstrates community benefit,” he said.
“The developer hasn’t answered these questions or affordability issues, and I really think an economic and social impact study needs to be done.
“We should lay this matter on the table until a future meeting.”
But Cr Damien Tessmann said he was against further delay.
“I don’t know why the developer hasn’t put the information we’ve asked forward but I think what we have is enough (to make a decision on).”
Cr Barry Green said he agreed with Cr Tessmann but felt it would be inappropriate to vote on the matter in the absence of Cr Deb Palmer, who had been granted a leave of absence from the meeting.
“I have my views and won’t be changing my mind.
“But Cr Palmer should have a say because this should be a full Council decision. So I am reluctantly supporting Cr Campbell’s motion.”
Mayor Wayne Kratzmann also agreed that delay was advisable.
“This is a major decision and we must have as much information as possible,” he said.
The motion to lay the application on the table was passed 5-1, with Cr Tessmann opposed.
The roll-out of the National Broadband Network across the South Burnett is continuing.
At the Council’s December meeting, Councillors approved two applications for telecommunications towers to be erected at 101 Maguire Road in Wattle Camp and 166 Hillsdale Road in Booie.
The towers will help NBNCo blanket the region with a high speed wireless internet service.
This year the Council has approved (or assented to) towers at Blackbutt, Kumbia, Memerambi, Murgon, Nanango, Nanango South, Tingoora, Wondai, Booie East, Ellesmere, Maidenwell and Taabinga.
There are also proposals to co-locate transmitters on existing towers at Kingaroy, Nanango East and Proston.
There were no objections to the latest two proposals, Councillors were told.
NBNCo hopes to have the new service operational by 2015.
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The subdivision is located near the corner of Taylors Road and the Bunya Highway and five of the lots would front Taylor’s Road.
However access to those lots would be via an internal road, so there should be no impact on traffic flow.
The development was approved unanimously.
The preliminary approval is subject to the developer providing sewerage, water supply and stormwater management reports to Council and agreeing to an environmental covenant that would provide a 10m buffer along one edge of the development.
The approval has to be acted upon with four years or it will lapse.
The program is a follow-up on last year’s inspection program after Aedes aegypti mosquitos were found in the Burnett.
The mosquitoes can spread Dengue Fever and Ross River Fever.
The museum, which hopes to open on-site caravan park and cabin facilities in the foreseeable future, has found the lack of a formal lease agreement with the Council has made sourcing grants difficult.
Councillors heard there is no in-principle objection to the idea, and Council officers will work with representatives of the Association to draft a document that is agreeable to both parties.
While Mrs Frecklington’s interest in local road issues was greatly appreciated, Councillors were told her attendance could cause problems with the Code Of Conduct for State employees.
This was because many other members of the committee (such as representatives from Queensland Police, Queensland Ambulance Service and Main Roads) were employed by the Queensland public service.
Mrs Frecklington was advised that any matters for the Traffic Advisory Committee should be raised with either Mayor Wayne Kratzmann or Roads Portfolio leader Cr Damien Tessmann.
Plans for traffic lights at the intersection of Markwell and Kingaroy streets in Kingaroy were expected to be received before Christmas.
It is expected both sets of traffic lights will be installed in 2014.
The action comes after an on-site meeting between South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann, Cr Kathy Duff and the Department.
Any speed reduction would likely entail changes to the parking layout, and a report is expected to be given to the Traffic Advisory Committee in March 2014.
For this reason, the Blackbutt Community Council will be advised by Main Roads that their request for school zone signage on the D’Aguilar Highway isn’t warranted.
The signs will remind local children that they shouldn’t ride their bikes or skateboards on footpaths in the town’s CBD.
The main area of concern is Lamb Street to Macalister Street.
Both schools have previously expressed concerns over high traffic speeds in the area.
- D’Aguilar Highway passing lanes at Coolabunia
- Malar Road
- Kerbing and channelling of Scott Street, Benarkin
- Memerambi-Barkers Creek Road Stage 2
- Culvert installation at Thomson Street, Murgon
- Gipps Street and Arthur Street West in Nanango
- Reseals and line marking in Kingaroy
As well, the following programs have begun:
- Kerbing and channeling of Nutt and Cooper Streets in Murgon
- Culvert installation on the Kumbia-Brooklands Road
- Radunz Road
- Shoulder grading and gravel re-sheeting on the Maidenwell-Bunya Mountains Road
- Bridge replacement at Drayton Street, Nanango
Timber bridge maintenance has also been carried out on Hansens Gully Bridge at Mondure to remove the temporary load limit on the bridge.
At the December meeting, Councillors resolved to continue rural numbering from Ellesmere Road to Stuart Street in Kumbia.
Council will advise all 20 affected property owners and offer them financial assistance of $50 per residence to assist with their change of address obligations.
Council will also erect four new signs at a cost of $800.
The motion was moved by Cr Damien Tessmann and seconded by Cr Barry Green.
The reserve is just south of Haly Creek Road and west of the Kingaroy-Cooyar Road, and the total area of land to be resumed is 2160sq m.
Councillors heard the reserve is currently being used for grazing and there was no reason to reject DNRM’s request.
Water and Wastewater Portfolio leader Cr Barry Green said these were:
- Water main replacement in Jones Street, Blackbutt
- Connecting Chester Street, Nanango, to new water mains after carrying out directional drilling under the D’Aguilar Highway
- Carrying out directional drilling on either side of the Drayton Street Bridge to replace water and pressure sewer mains prior to the commencement of bridge replacement works
- Connecting Edward Street, Wondai, to new water mains after directional drilling under the Bunya Highway
- Installing a further 250m of the Kingaroy water rising main at the Gordonbrook end, which entailed drilling through hard rock
- Rural scheme water main replacement at Fairdale Road in Proston
- Relining the sewer main junctions in Nanango
As well, two other projects have begun:
- Programmed maintenance including valve replacements and hydrant testing, and
- Relining sewer main junctions in Kingaroy, Wondai and Murgon
Cr Green said he’d also recently attended information sessions on the new draft Water Resource (Burnett Basin) Plan in Murgon and Nanango and a submission from Council has been prepared as a result.
Cr Green said one area of particular concern was the establishment of a groundwater management zone in the Barkers Creek alluvial area, which would impact Council’s bore water supply for Nanango as well as irrigators.
Results of the submission will be tabled at a future Council meeting when they’re known.
In February last year Premier Campbell Newman announced that his government wanted to develop a long-term plan for the State and invited all Queenslanders to contribute their ideas towards it.
In October a summit for the State’s local governments was held in Brisbane and was attended by Mayor Wayne Kratzmann and Cr Kathy Duff as the South Burnett’s representatives.
At the December meeting, Councillors moved a vote of thanks for being invited to participate in the summit, and also endorsed the Council’s support for the Queensland Plan.
Among other things, the Queensland Plan hopes to move half the State’s population out of the south-east corner and into rural and regional areas over the next three decades.
