This month Ballina Shire Council is set to debate clearing of wildlife habitat on Ross Lane, near Lennox Head, and parking arrangements near Alstonville Pool, among other issues.
Regarding the extensive clearing of native vegetation by a new private landowner on Ross Lane, Cr Kiri Dicker will move that Council write to the Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water Biodiversity and Heritage Regulator and express its concerns, ‘requesting a full and thorough review into the permissibility of this clearing’.
Cr Dicker notes that Ballina Council has received numerous complaints this month about the extensive clearing of native vegetation on Lot 1 DP749166 Ross Lane, which has led to the destruction of a substantial number of hollow bearing trees.
‘Volunteers from Northern Rivers Wildlife Carers attended the site and found two female sugar gliders with babies in the hollows of felled trees, which have been taken to Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital for rehabilitation,’ says Cr Dicker.
‘The Lot is zoned RU2 Rural Landscape. Management of native vegetation and ecological matters in this instance is the responsibility of state government agencies, being Local Land Services and the Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water (DCCEEW). DCCEEW is currently reviewing the matter.’
In her motion, Cr Dicker adds that, ‘The subject land is mapped as secondary koala habitat under Council’s Koala Plan of Management (KPOM) and there have been recent sightings of koalas at this property which have been recorded on the iNaturalist website.’
Alstonville Pool precinct
Also on the agenda at tomorrow’s Ballina Council meeting is a motion from Cr Therese Crollick, investigating the possibility of converting nose in parking to parallel parking between the EDGE gym and the Alstonville pool, in the area between the start of the concrete path and where the pool fence meets the gutter.
This motion also seeks to explore options for providing extra car parking on the eastern side of the pool.
Cr Crollick says that with the current parking arrangements there is a safety issue for people walking between the pool and the gym.
More stories about Ballina Shire Council:
The agenda for Thursday's meeting includes six notices of motion from four councillors, with issues including missing persons, volunteer recognition, and arts funding. Construction on a $4.35 million flood-resilience upgrade of Ross Lane at Lennox Head is due to begin today, ahead of a nine-week closure of the busy road later this month. With Ballina Shire Council General Manager Paul Hickey deciding to retire after almost twenty years in the role, and even longer as a staff member, the task of finding a replacement has begun. Cr Damien Loone was also returned as Deputy Mayor after Cr Simon Chate withdrew his nomination. September's meeting opened with a minute's silence for much-loved community member and Lennox Head restaurant owner Blake Rogers, who lost his life last week. Fresh from winning pre-selection as the Nationals candidate for the state seat of Ballina, the 'independent' first-term Ballina councillor Michelle Bailey has put forward a notice of motion asking Council to scrap its fixed 2030 net-zero target in favour of what she describes as a 'flexible sustainability strategy'.
Big meeting for Ballina Council this week
Ross Lane flood-resilience works begin ahead of nine-week closure
Ballina Council will be getting a new general manager
Ballina debates dog parks and net zero
Michelle Bailey targets net zero in Ballina
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