Land and Environment Commissioner meeting on site 15/5/17

2 Brighton Ave- 133 Excelsior Pde

Take a Stand for Appropriate Development

Stand up for our Stand of Trees.

On site meeting of the Land and Environment Court

Monday 15th May at 10:30am

Community members are encouraged to attend.

A strong community presence sends a message to the Commissioner that our community seeks responsible lakeside development that fits in with the existing character of the community.


Make time to attend the on site meeting on 15/5/17 at 10:30am

Please check the CPPA facebook page to confirm the hearing date. 
It can be changed at the last minute.

For background on this proposed development see

http://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/da-of-day-da12432016-2-brighton-avenue.html

http://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/da-of-day.html

http://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com.au/2017/04/das-in-play.html

http://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/da-update.html

http://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/da-update.html

Happy National Volunteers Week!

The 2017 AGM was certainly one to remember.

 Life membership was bestowed upon Dianne Onslow for her services to the CPPA and landcaring in our community. Three new faces also joined the Committee. Kay Morgan has stepped into the Treasurer’s position relieving John Gill of a role he has commendably fulfilled for the past six years. Harvey Mitchell will be tending to the membership and Diana Sharpe is keen to expand the CPPA’s activities. It looks to be another year of making progress.

A summary of the annual report is provided below, the full report is available here.

A Commendable and Committed Committee

The Progress Association Committee met 11 times throughout the year to discuss the business of the association and progress projects. The Committee donated over 600hr of time and talent to the running of the Association.

Funding applications

• Community Building Partnerships- Safe and Sustainable Solutions for Progress Hall- $19,993- completed (See Hall report)
• Learning to Adapt Training- S Pritchard offered 1 day of training
• National Landcare Conference $1000 for attendance- S Pritchard attended
• Hunter Local Land Services- The Fern & The Burn-the movie- $850 in production
• Bunnings donation - $50 for nestbox construction
• Volunteer Small Equipment grant- $4340- outcome not known
• Science of Sustainability grant $3000 outcome not known

Submissions

• Submission on proposed changes to NSW Biodiversity and Conservation laws
• LT Creek SNG - Support for proposed Awaba State Recreation Area 
• LMCC - Toronto Recreational Land Plan 
• EPA- Magpie deaths around Rofe Street- deliberate poisoning
• Transport NSW - Lake Macquarie draft Boat Storage Strategy

Major Correspondence with LMCC

Rates

Ongoing correspondence to reduce our rates was pursued. All avenues for a rate reduction were explored with the final outcome being a request to sell the rear portion of the CPPA land in the acquisition zone being submitted and accepted by LMCC. This should be finalised in 2017.

Naming of Reserves

• Name for South Laycock St suggested- Kilibinbin
• Name for Pony club suggested as Puntei Park

Dinghy Storage

• Proposal for a pilot of dinghy storage with CPPA

Development Applications

A subcommittee, Residents for Responsible Lakeside Development was formed to provide a vehicle to address development applications of community concern. This subcommittee has produced and distributed additional flyers that have resulted in increased awareness and submissions lodged to proposed developments.

Significant development proposals this year include:

• DA1243- 2 Brighton Av to 133 Excelsior Parade which has progressed to the land & Environment Court
• DA1835/2016 151-155 Brighton Avenue- Hirecraft marina site

Community communication

There were ten editions of the Coal Point Chronicle produced in the past year distributed to 1500 local residences and emailed to a distribution list of 215 subscribers including members, supporters, media, local councillors, State and Federal representatives.

The Progress Association’s Facebook page has 93 likes, up from 49 at this time last year. (didn’t quite make the 100)

The Chronicle also makes a significant contribution to the Associations’ finances through the sponsorship of spaces promoting local businesses. Sincere thanks are given to our sponsors past and present proudly displayed throughout the Chronicle.

This year 183 hours went in to the production and distribution of the Chronicle through the considerable volunteer efforts of many. Many thanks to the Chronicle Crew for making it happen; Tony Dynon, Barbara Lawrenson, Robyn and John Gill, Nicole Haigh, Dianne Onslow, Jenell Heslop, Robyn Steiner, Heather McRae, Tony & Bernie Lother, Ian Dennison, Nico & Chris Marcar, Sue Burrough, Lois Simpson, Steve Dewar, Suzanne Pritchard, Hetty Fedley , Anne Green and John Johnson.

Activities of the Association

The past year has provided multiple opportunities to connect with the community and share the CPPA’s achievements. The activities undertaken included.

• Presentations delivered at 2 Wildlife Nestbox workshop for Community Environment Network (CEN)
• Fire and Steel habitat enhancement workshop at Progress Hall for Hunter Region Landcare Network
• Presentation to Toronto Women’s Probus about CPPA 
• Landcare week bus tour of Stansfield Reserve
• Habitat talk at Carey Bay Preschool
• Hosted 2 TAFE field days of bush regeneration
• Freshen Up Frenzy- Hall working bee held
• National Tree Day planting at Carey Bay Wetlands- 
• Schools National Tree Day at Coal Point Public School
• CPPA Christmas Lunch at RMYC
• Presentation at CEN’s Lake Macquarie Networking gathering
• U3A site tour of Stansfield Reserve- along the Garden Path
• Stall at Lake Mac Heritage Festival 
• Science Week (August) preparations have begun

TASNG partnership

The CPPA continues to develop a strong partnership with the Toronto Area Sustainable Group (TASNG) through supporting and promoting their activities and assisting with membership renewals and collaborating on funding applications such as the Tossers Can Be Binners and Community Building Partnerships Pedestrian Paving options projects.

Thankyou to our Members and Volunteers

The Progress Association is indebted to all the volunteers who give their time and talents for the greater community welfare and the members whose support is vital for the organisation to be able to represent community views.

Sincere thanks to all the volunteers who provide support for the Association in managing hall bookings, hall maintenance, newsletter distribution, social events, catering, photography, excel spread sheet mastery, data collection and collation, providing local insights, professional expertise and landcaring.

Treasurer’s Report-John Gill

This year has been one of increased and varied financial activity. The Community Building Partnership Grant provided funds for major projects in and around the Progress Hall and additional funds were drawn from the CPPA Current A/c to complete and add to these projects. The Threatened Species Last Stand Project settled into its 5th year with a variety of activities that required re-imbursement to CPPA from LMCC as the administrator of the Project funds.

The big ticket items- LMCC Rates ($3613) and Insurance premiums ($3861), are items that CPPA, at present, cannot avoid. Electricity expenses for 2016 are higher as CPPA settled into forward purchases of power from Powershop and to prepare to benefit from the installation of the solar panels.

The income sources of Subscriptions, Donations, Hall Hire and Sponsorship of the Chronicle provide the majority of CPPA’s income. The deficit of $2403 for the year reflects the interaction of these issues.

CPPA offered membership in two forms in 2016: Single or Family. In 2016 CPPA had 42 Single members and 48 Family members (or 98 people) and totalling 138 persons. There are 8 Life Members of the Association.

Once again this year CPPA offered to collect memberships for the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group (TASNG). 78 CPPA members took up the offer.

CPPA is very fortunate in having a volunteer auditor in our community who has again reviewed and reported on the financial statements of the Association. The Committee highly values his expertise and the time devoted to this annual task.

Finally, I extend my thanks to the members of the Committee who have been so supportive of my role in the Association and of the regular financial reports at each meeting. Together, we have achieved a great deal in 2016.

Landcare Report- Robyn Gill

How to sum up a year of landcaring in the special reserves of Coal Point/Carey Bay?

• hours of volunteer work cheerfully given – 1558.5
• new plants in the ground – 890 
• enjoyable morning coffee/tea/water/chat breaks (goodies supplied by Suzanne) – say 49
• marvelling at the growth of known and unknown plants after a controlled burn - 198 ++ hours (numbers provided by our Statistician and Photographer in Chief – John Sharples from records compiled by Lois Simpson)
• sense of satisfaction as weedy areas are transformed – immeasurable!!
• Slight discouragement as weeds rebound balanced by enjoyment of the growth and variety in what nature provides 
• the company of friends who share the task and its results- fulfilling

As we start on the last year of the TSLS project that has provided so many advantages in our work we have been able to adapt and share the planning in a helpful way that will carry over to future efforts.

Growth of the group and recorded knowledge of the environment we share continue to be a huge reward from the THREATENED SPECIES PROJECT.

Hall Report-Ian Dennison

The NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership program supports projects that encourage community participation, inclusion and cohesion, and deliver positive social, environmental, inclusive or recreational outcomes. We were successful in obtaining $19,993 of funding from this program for 4 projects at the hall:

1. repair a rusty section of the roof and gutters (above the toilets and covered area),
2. install a rainwater tank and pump, and plumb to bathrooms, 
3. replace the scruffy old chairs with nice new (lightweight) ones, complete with a trolley to move them about, and
4. install 20 solar panels (5 kilowatts), and a new electrical switchbaord/meter box

The grant didn't quite cover the total external costs, and we ended up spending about

$2000 of our savings, as well as expending many labour hours of committee and volunteer effort (around $13,750 worth!).
We are delighted with the results of the projects. As well as saving water and people's backs we also expect to see a reduced power bill for many years to come. It is early days but peak output of the solar system so far has been around 4 kW, with around 20kWh produced per day. We don't use much power when the sun is shining, so most of this will be exported to the grid worth about $400-$500 pa. The savings will be welcome, and represent a pretty good return on the CPPA funds spent.

The new lighter and softer chairs can now be stacked and easily moved on their trolley saving space and people’s backs. We would like a better permanent solution for storing all of the chairs when not in use, but in the meantime the new chairs should generally be left stacked and on the stage.

And a final note - the bathrooms (toilets and sinks) now use rainwater, which has to be pumped from the tank, so please be aware that if the electricity goes off so will the bathroom’s water (but kitchen will be unaffected).

Anticipating an awesome AGM

It is that time of year when the CPPA celebrates the achievements of the past year and ponders the projects for the year ahead. It’s also a time to thank the Committee and hopefully recruit some new members to share the joy.

On Wednesday 26th April the Annual General Meeting will be held from 5-6pm. All positions will be declared vacant and a new Committee elected.

If you would like to nominate there is a nomination form available on the website.

Following the AGM will be a chance for socialising with CPPA committee and members and some fine dining with a BYO plate of food to share. If you’d like to pop in on the way home from work, drop by and join up or renew your membership or just say hi and thanks for doing what you do, you would be most welcome.

What issues would you like us to explore in the coming year?

Send us an email or snail mail (PO Box 329, Toronto) so that we may be able to raise your issues with the appropriate authorities e.g. potholes, bus shelters, footpaths, street lighting, bushland, trees, weeds, dinghy storage etc.

DA UpDAte

2 Brighton Ave- 133 Excelsior Pde

Land and Environment Court Commissioner coming to Carey Bay

A community meeting to discuss LMCC’s Statement of Facts and Contention (SoFC) was recently held at Progress Hall. The SoFC is a comprehensive document that covers all of the concerns that have been raised by the community about the proposed 19 two-storey units on the two into one lot consolidation that spans from 2 Brighton Ave to 133 Excelsior Pde.

The SoFC will be put before the Land and Environment Court at a conciliation conference on the proposed development site on 15th May at 10:30am.

Members of the community are invited to attend this meeting and it is important to show that there is community concern about the overdevelopment of the site. Please make an effort to be there.

The SoFC comprehensively dealt with the following issues regarding the development proposal.

• Unsuitable for the site
• Unacceptable harm to natural environment
• Inadequate landscape response
• Unsatisfactory stormwater drainage services
• Adverse impact on scenic value and community character
• Isolated medium density zoned site adjacent to development 
• Unacceptable harm to residential amenity
• Solar Access inadequate in 3 units
• Visual privacy between units and to adjacent neighbours compromised by non-compliant setbacks
• Acoustic privacy to counter traffic for 131 Excelsior Pde not detailed
• Adverse visual impacts compromising outlook and views due to building bulk and poor architectural design
• Unsatisfactory traffic arrangements to ensure the safe and efficient movement of vehicles within, entering and exiting the site
• Adequate information not provided on multiple aspects of the development
• Harm to public interest raised in the public submissions

The SoFC document can be viewed on the CPPA website

What Can You Do?

• Assist the Residents for Responsible Lakeside Development group to prepare for the on site meeting.
• Attend the poster making workshop being held at Progress Hall on Saturday 6th May at 2pm. Bring along any old paint or materials you think may be useful. There is lots of large cardboard and paper at the Hall.
• Talk to your neighbours
• Make time to attend the on site meeting 

Say NO to OVER development on site
on the 15/5/17 at 10:30am

Would you like to like us?

The CPPA’s Facebook page has 91 likes, a small but growing following. The Facebook page is one way to keep in touch with the CPPA activities between Chronicles and getting to 100 likes for the AGM somehow seems like a memorable milestone.
https://www.facebook.com/CoalPointProgressAssociation/ 

Lest We Forget

Burnage Reserve was named in honour of local resident Lt Granville Burnage, who donated the reserve to Council and lived at 1 Excelsior Pde. He commanded the ‘fighting 13th’ at Gallipoli and was instrumental in the formation of the Toronto R.S.L.

Landcarers have been caring for the reserve since the Clean Up Australia Day event in 2000 and have transformed a very weedy area into a remnant rainforest gully, loved by birds and an important refuge for mature gum trees and home to Kookaburras.

If you haven't had a chance to peruse the sign in the reserve now is the time.Click on the image to get a bigger picture.

Science serves all of us

Earth Day this year, 22/4/17 is being marked with a March for Science, a global event bringing together people from all walks of life who believe we need more evidence and reason in our political process.

Science protects our air and water, preserves our planet, saves lives with medical treatments, creates new industries, puts food on our tables, educates the next generation, and safeguards our future, for all theses reasons and more the CPPA and TASNG are marching towards a science week event in August.

Planning is underway with all schools in Lake Macquarie having been contacted by post and email thanks to the silver sponsorship of John & Janet Johnson.

Platinum sponsorship has been gratefully received from the Toronto General Practice and this will support the hosting of the Earth Quest Travelling Exhibition.

The exhibition will be open to the community and general public over the weekends of 12-13 & 19-20 August.

Updates of the event can be viewed on the CPPA website at http://coalpointprogress.blogspot.com.au/p/science-week-2017.html 

Community Garden coming to a Scout Hall near you!

You may have noticed the major upgrade of the Toronto Scout Hall on Excelsior Parade over the past year but did you know it now also includes a community garden?

Chris Murphy, the Toronto Area Sustainable Neighbourhood Group’s Community Garden coordinator has visited the site and spoken to the project manager Jeff from The Skills Generator, a Work for the Dole organization, who undertook the project. Chris provided the following report at the recent TASNG meeting.

The grounds have been securely fenced with lockable gates and plumbed water. Several raised garden beds have been built and a garden shed, citrus row, seating and shade structures are planned.

The project funding will finish this year and The Skills Generator crew would like the local community to become involved and, in due course, take “ownership” of the Community Garden.

If you are interested in any of the benefits of community gardening such as meeting like minded people, growing and sharing fresh produce, expanding your physical fitness, learning about plant propagation, composting and recycling, or calming your mind by connecting with soil and being near beautiful bushland with abundant birdlife then get in touch.

You can contact Chris Murphy from TASNG on 0438 504 039 or visit the Scout Hall 8am-4pm on week days and talk to Jeff from the Skills Generator

Hampton Street Link Landcare

Diversity is the spice of life.

The Hampton Street Link (HSL) is a rather special piece of greenery. It is the only public land that links the vegetated corridor that runs along the Coal Point peninsula to the east with the bushland remnants to the west including the Carey Bay Wetlands, an Endangered Ecological Community.

This 20m wide road reserve has one of the greatest varieties of plants in any of the 12 reserves the local landcare crew look after, with 95 different species having been recorded over 5 years of flora surveys.

The canopy contains eight varieties of gum trees, some hundreds of years old, there’s a dozen different vines, a legacy of the rainforest-like features in the lower section, there’s a healthy mid sized shrub layer, but it is the native grasses and herbs that are the highlight of this area.

There are 42 different ground covers along the 200m length of the Hampton St Link.

There are ferns, native grasses, little lomandras, pastel flowers, native geraniums, scrambling lilies and blue flax lilies. Often overlooked in the understory these plants are the beauties in the bush that are battling for survival against the beasts of exotic grasses and mowers.

A brochure was recently made and distributed to the neighbours of this reserve, you can get your own copy here. 

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