How many Byron residents knew that Byron Shire Council was drawing up a new draft on holiday letting behind closed doors and by invitation only? How many knew that ‘workshops’ were being held deciding how to go forward with Byron Bay’s 900 plus holiday lets?
Now that the deadline for submissions, for or against, has passed (that was 22 December when many people were away), council states that they only got 150 submissions.
The truth is, if there are 900 or more holiday lets, do you really believe that only 150 people are being impacted?
Well the truth is, many of the residents simply did not know that these meetings were taking place.
If you don’t read the letters section you would never know that such an important event just passed you by. As a permanent resident in Byron Bay we have been overlooked us and our opinions on how holiday letting effects us are being ignored.
We now have to ask the residents, how they feel about a class action? Council talks about serious community erosion of community in the Byron shire. So where is the protection against this?
As it stands we all know that holiday letting in residential zones is illegal.
Are you happy with an open plan model which is being decided on, that holiday letting will take place in all residential areas? Not just near the beaches and shops?
We, the ratepayers call for a referendum on this crucial and sensitive issue. We need to be part of this new draft, not the few people that were there by invitation only, deciding on our town.
Now is not the time to sit on the fence; write or email the general manager at council or councillors and the newspapers and tell them how you feel being left out of decisions that effect our homes.
At least VOHL was at council representing the folks against rampant holiday letting but the truth still remains that many of us did not know about this at all.
L. Saintclaire, Byron Bay
I thoroughly agree with the idea of a referendum on the issue. Realistically, the probability of this happening is zero.
It appears that the large majority of the 150 submissions were opposed to holiday letting or preferred that holiday letting be only in zones or precincts. The low response from the pro holiday let group indicates that the HLO is not a strong organisation and anything they say should not be taken seriously.
The proposed DCP will rely on the long suffering neighbours to act as the “watch person’ or police if there are any problems. Some won’t get themselves involved for fear of retribution from the managers or owners.