Pat Spicer

Question 1

In the council development application for expansion of the cemetery in 2008, a vegetated buffer zone was included on all perimeter boundaries of the plan for the cemetery. This included Lake Macdonald Drive boundary. The Cooroy Cemetery Management Plan repeatedly refers to the highly attractive and strong sense of enclosure and privacy that is generated by the surrounding perimeter of mature vegetation, especially the mature camphor laurels, pines and eucalypts to the southern, western and northern boundaries and the mature pine plantation to the eastern boundary. These statements are made in 8.2, policy 33, 9.2, 9.4, policy 38 to list a few. Council’s revised subdivision plan appears to be an artist’s impression as the plan shows the open space between Lot 2 and 3 joins the full angled section of my fenceline which is inaccurate as the open space is 20m wide and this fenceline is 29.5m. Open space is not a substitute for a buffer. As council is going to remove most of the vegetation to the east of the existing cemetery as well as to the south and north, how does council intend to address this improvident planning of no buffer zone on the plans of the proposed subdivision and the boundary of the land being set aside for cemetery use (Lot 100 and proposed Lot 1 and 2), on Lake Macdonald Drive for Lot 100 and the perimeter of Lot 3 on the southern side and western side as well as privacy fencing on the western side where this land shares a boundary with Lot 1 SP 118458 (my boundary) to ensure amenity for all residents as a matter of urgency

Response from Kim Rawlings Director Strategy and Environment

The revised subdivision plan provides the indicative layout of the lots. The full engineered project drawings are being finalised by the consultants in preparation for the upcoming tender process. Consultation with cemetery planning staff has occurred during all stages of this project and continues to regularly occur. Remediation of the lots will occur to the extent necessary to satisfy relevant environmental regulations to be able to remove the lots from the Environmental Management Register. Native trees on site will be retained where possible, noting some Gympie Messmate trees may need to be trimmed or removed if they are unsafe, or have suffered previous damage from storms. A native tree survey has been undertaken to inform this. The intention is the cemetery will not lose amenity from this project, with all site revegetation to occur in accordance with the Landscape Management Plan which will form part of the broad tender documents. All landscaping and revegetation work will consist of suitable local native species.

Question 2

In the Contamination report, a second round of land fill gas monitoring is to be carried out. At the site meeting on 2 December 2024 with the Environmental Consultant, a point was made by a resident that in the report it suggests a second round of land fill gas monitoring would occur in Spring. The Environmental consultant, Andrew Winters, said that the monitoring will happen and that he was obliged to satisfy the government guidelines to do a second round of land fill gas monitoring when it is a bit drier and warmer in case the gas is generated and picked up. As Spring has passed, when will council engage the consultant to carry out this work prior to the remediation of the site commencing?

Response from Kim Rawlings Director Strategy and Environment

As per government guidelines, it is a requirement to do two rounds of land fill gas monitoring. Council has already engaged the Consultant to do this work. The first test was carried out during last winter when the soil was quite damp. The consultant is in communication with the Contaminated Land Auditor regarding timing of the 2nd test. The intention is to carry this out once the site dries out sufficiently. This is anticipated to occur early to mid-Autumn.