Byron Shire Council has once again learnt about the perils of developing policy on the fly. According to one local the requirement for a 42 day public exhibition period for policy and strategy public exhibition periods has forced council to once again extend of the draft Unauthorised Dwelling Policy submission period. The submission deadline is now November 4, 2020.
‘While the formal exhibition period is 28 days, Council is required to consider any submissions made within 42 days i.e. up to 4 November, 2020,’ said a council spokesperson.
The policy, that has been fraught from its inception, has received significant backlash from the community after council staff sent robo-letters to resident in Main Arm based on council resolution 20-283 and the 15-month moratorium on enforcement action.
The Main Arm Rural Residents Association (MARRA) called on councillors to take the process back to a community consolation phase so that they could bring the community with them; but this proposal was not taken up by councillors.
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The Unauthorised Dwelling Policy will be used for addressing issues throughout the Byron Shire in relation to unauthorised development from dividing houses into flats, garage conversions and unauthorised granny flats to primary and secondary dwellings in rural locations.
If you need assistance on submitting a response to the Unauthorised Dwelling Policy you can find out more information on MARRA’s website. It is suggested that anyone who would like to remain anonymous when they submit their response should ask a friend to submit it on their behalf.
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