Orange City Council: Giant Christmas tree, private helipad, and new flood plans 01/11/22

Tuesday night's jam-packed council meeting covered three new significant development applications, a budget review, donations and grant allocations, updates for ongoing projects, code-of-conduct and expense disclosures, floodplain management plans, and recognition for a historic town landmark.

Cr. Frances Kinghorne kicked-off proceedings by addressing recent criticism from some business owners on the Lords Place South development strip, who perceived a lack of consultation from council staff prior to works commencing on the street this month.

"There's nothing dodgy about it, but if people don't know that - if we haven't communicated that well enough to the public - then it does look dodgy ... I don't care about the unpleasable trolls, but you can see why the actual, intelligent, normal, nice people also think that it seems a bit dodgy," Kinghorne said.

"I don't know that we've obviously communicated that well enough at the time ... While I didn't vote for the [Lords Place South revamp] and I don't necessarily agree it was the right decision, I do think that everybody who voted did it based on what they thought was best for Orange."

A development application for construction of a private helipad on a residential property near Huntley to Orange's south was approved by councillors, subject to a handful of stringent conditions designed to reduce noise impact on neighbours.

The project at 360 Phoenix Mine Road is expected to cost $20,000. It will allow its owner to fly their Robinson R44 Raven helicopter to or from home up to seven times per week, via by a pre-approved flight path. The aircraft will be kept in a hanger at the house.

Council also granted "deferred commencement" consent to subdivide 157 Lysterfield Road into 163 residential blocks ranging between 258m2 and 6,406m2, with construction of one public reserve and nine new roads also included in the application.

Logistics planning and work schedules for council staff during the upcoming holiday period were given the go-ahead by councillors - as was the proposed purchase of a six-metre-tall artificial reusable Christmas tree for $40,000.

The decorative piece was recommended for installation in the Civic forecourt, but Cr. Jeff Whitton amended the motion to allow residents to choose between that site and Robertson Park.

A poll will be carried out via Council's HaveYourSay website. The museum roof was pitched by Cr. Tammy Greenhalgh as a third potential location for the Christmas tree, but found to be unviable.

"I think it's fantastic that we're going to have a Christmas tree in Orange this year ... I'm all for putting it in Robertson Park ... I think it'd be ideal to have a bit of fun and ask the community where they want to put it," Whitton said.

"Up to" $4000 in-kind council support was approved for Newcrest's 2023 Cadia mine open day, $1000 was granted to non-profit Anglicare for its annual Christmas party, and $500 was given to Canobolas Rural and Technology high for its 2022 presentation night.

Councillors unanimously voted to engage private consultants to update the "Orange Flood Model an Development of a Vegetation Management Plan", off the back of findings from a committee meeting held on 11 October, 2022.

A quarterly review of council's budget was provided to councillors, showing several million dollars in grant funding has been secured. Favourable variations totalling $815,503 were identified in the review, improving the "projected overall deficit and cost to council by $65,286."

"The really good news out of this is the list of initiatives that we workshopped ... shade cloths, aquatic centre expansion scoping, $200,000 more into road patching, fish stocking ... I think this is a good news story out of this quarterly budget," Mayor Cr. Jason Hamling said.

The Lake Canobolas Pump House will be recognised with an "engineering heritage marker" at an unveiling ceremony on 14 November to recognise the site's historical significance, with councillors unanimously supporting the proposal.

"As little is known by the general public of the history of the pumping station the heritage marker will encourage people to explore their neighbourhood and will bring its history and story alive," the recommendation from council staff says.

The total work expenses claimed by each councillor were made public in the pre-meeting papers as part of mandatory disclosure requirements, as were four non-descript "code of conduct" complaints lodged against councillors or the CEO since January.

A non-descript "land matter," subdivision of the Old Saleyards, and a lease of Endeavour Oval to Emus Rugby Club were discussed in closed meeting. More information on the relevant decisions will be published in the papers for the next council meeting on November 15.

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