DEAR News Of The Area,

The Harbour Planning Process should involve key steps, and the community should be part of each step.

I suggest for consideration, the key steps to be:

1. Deal with necessary Infrastructure needs:

– The sand in the Harbour – there needs to be a funding model in place so that it is managed always.

Maybe three levels of government have to commit to regular funding.

– The Jetty timber structure likewise needs an ongoing funding-for-maintenance model:

Such should never be part of a larger debate as has been suggested recently
– The parking demands that deals with a significant level of the maximum parking needs of the area:

I expect Sunday markets are to remain as an ongoing weekly event, so such should be the basis to assess parking needs.

– The traffic plan to allow for reasonable traffic movements in and out of the area:

Such will need either a third access, or dealing with one way traffic flow.

– The reasonable level of parklands necessary for the Coffs Harbour regional area:

That may mean a serious assessment of the location of Jordan Esplanade.

2. Following from that, there can be a discussion of the available land and how such should be developed, as to:

A. Community spaces
B. Accommodation: Which can then have a discussion as to Tourist or Residential accommodation.

The discussion is wrong to focus on residential accommodation as a funding model and the key driver in the process – such is only a short term solution to avoid government dealing appropriately with the asset it has been bestowed upon it.

I do note of recent times that the State Government has managed to allocate a very significant amount of additional monies to endeavour to deal with what has proven to be a very poorly planned boat ramp extension.

Regards,
Ian HOGBIN,
Coffs Harbour.