๐ก๐ฆ๐ช ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ You may have read in the papers that ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐น ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐. This is not a decision that should be taken lightly, however, I believe that it is necessary in the interest of future and current residents.
The first reason is ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐. In my first meeting with the Planning Minister (over 3 months after I requested it), I asked for a 12 month extension to consult with the community and establish proper planning for the four Transport Oriented Development precincts and he said NO. Later on I find out that he has offered similar extensions to the majority of other councils, and is using Ku-ring-gai as the scapegoat. So whatโs with that? It seems like the only way to get an extension is to go to court.
The second reason is ๐ณ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด. These TOD precincts will generate over $200 million in Housing and Productivity Contributions for the State Government, but when I asked the Planning Minister to assist us with some of our most time-sensitive / critical infrastructure needs (i.e. open space, which cannot be retrofitted) he did not commit to giving us a single cent. ๐๐บ๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐’๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐-๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด-๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ, ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐’๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฑ $๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ๐บ๐? Meanwhile, TOD Part 1 gets $520m of funding.
The third reason is out of respect for ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ. Now for those who have tracked my 6.5 years on council, I am not a heritage yes-man. On each occasion, whether it be a heritage conservation area or an individual heritage listing, I personally assess what’s proposed on its merits and I vote accordingly. Sometimes I vote in support of heritage listing. At other times I’ve been boo’d and scolded by residents during council meetings for voting against heritage protections on specific items that I didnโt believe met threshold. But what NSW Labor has legislated means the complete destruction of all heritage conservation areas. I do not believe it is possible to do floor space ratio 2.5:1 and height 22m while maintaining the integrity of a garden-style heritage conservation area. And many of Ku-ring-gai’s HCA’s are definitely worth fighting for.
Like the open letter before this, it is not a matter that should be taken lightly. Having said that, when there is so much at stake then I do believe it is worth taking a risk-based approach to decision making.
I do want Ku-ring-gai to provide more housing for the residents of tomorrow, but I also want it done on fair and just terms.
