Residents near the centre of town fear a proposed double-storey boarding house will create major traffic congestion on their narrow street.
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A staff report to Orange City Council has recommended it approve a $700,000, 15-room boarding house development with on-site spaces for seven cars at its meeting on Tuesday night.
The Curran Street site currently houses six units.
My major concern is how is the garbage going to be picked up
- Paul Barrett, resident
However residents say their street is already congested with parking from nearby businesses on both sides of the road and the new development will only make matters worse.
Long-time resident Paul Barrett said he expected many of the boarding house residents would have to park their cars on the street.
He said it would be difficult for garbage and emergency vehicles such as fire trucks to get down the street.
"My major concern is how is the garbage going to be picked up," he said.
"It's been a good little street and all of a sudden [this happens].
The DA states the owners of the site are Mitchell Kidd, the son of Orange mayor Cr Reg Kidd and Scott Lumby with Mr Lumby listed as the applicant for the DA.
The DA has received 11 submissions opposing the development with at least two mentioning Mitchell Kidd's involvement.
One states: "I hope the council reviews this proposal justly, without any nepotism".
However Cr Kidd said there was 'nothing to hide' about the application.
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"Mitchell Kidd is my son, Scott Lumby is from Dubbo. They are partners," he said.
"It has nothing to do with me, my wife or other members of my family," he said.
"I am going to declare an interest [when the matter is discussed at council on Tuesday night]."
Resident June Kind said the street was already congested with workers, volunteers and residents' cars.
"There's Meals on Wheels, the volunteers can't park out the front of that, there's the FoodCare shop, there's all the traffic going up and down March Street, there's car parks on both sides of it [Curran Street], they haven't though much about it," Mrs Kind said.
The residents are also concerned about plans to access the boarding house parking area down a laneway. Submissions opposing the development also listed noise pollution and over-development of the site as concerns and questioned where boarding house visitors would park.
The staff report said the DA was short one parking space of the eight required to comply with planning rules.
However the DA argues it is only 0.5 spaces short and there would be less demand for parking spaces on the site.
"The lower demand is partly attributed to the fact that the development is located on the fringe of the CBD with easy pedestrian access to shopping facilities and various modes of public transport hence potentially reducing the demand for a vehicle," it said.
"Further this style of development is typically designed for short term rental opportunities for people who may only need to reside in the area for a short period of time (ie fly in fly out workers)."
The staff report said the 15 rooms would including an onsite manager's room and a communal room.
"All boarding rooms will be self-contained and include kitchenette and bathroom facilities."
It is considered to be affordable rental housing.
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