At the July Ordinary Council Meeting the gallery was crowded with Gundaroo residents to hear the resolution of the Gundaroo planning proposal. 

Yass Valley Council staff and Councillors stated that there had been legal advice given to the group known as ‘Friends of Gundaroo’. Although no advice had come forward as yet, councillors moved to make recommendations to include that the legal advice be submitted within 30 days for review. 

Four residents spoke at the open forum stating the general lack of correspondence between the residents and council regarding the issue. 

Linda Le Mesurier held the floor first, saying that the Fit for he Future submission did not cater for double the size of Gundaroo.

“There was no catering for economic development or management of financial growth,” she said. 

Ms Le Mesurier said it was important that Gundaroo is given a voice and asked whether council was certain they were given the right voice.  

Gundaroo resident Moraig McKenna highlighted the 162 residents who signed the petition against the proposal. 

“We need the engagement with the community over the planning to be comprehensive,” Ms McKenna stated.  

“The community needs to be more involved, we need to put the proposals aside until this engagement has been done.”

One of the proponents of the rezoning, Marien Meischke spoke about her time in the community, having been a resident since 1979 and as such any development by them would keep the villages interests at the forefront.  

Community consultation on the two Planning Proposals for the expansion of the Gundaroo village was undertaken in 2014, following receipt of the Department of Planning’s gateway determination. 

A total of 135 submissions were received and a community forum held in Gundaroo in October 2014 allowed submitters the opportunity to address Councillors. Three key issues became apparent during the consultation including; groundwater quality, the need for a Master Plan and consistency with strategic planning for the area.

After much deliberation, councillors resolved that, for both proposals a minimum buffer of 50 metres be a requirement to protect any threatened or endangered habitat on adjoining land. 

The land use zones be minimum lots sizes of 2,000 or 5,000 metres squared and a minimum lot size of one hectare for the elevated area in the northern planning proposal and the area over Harrow Creek.  

Recommendations also included that the adopted proposals be submitted to the state Department of Planning and Environment for approval; and funds be allocated from the Development Contributions Reserve to undertake the preparation of Master Plans for Gundaroo and Sutton. 

The recommendation was resolved with seven votes to one, with Cr Burgess having removed himself from council chambers. 

Councillors also resolved that they write to the Friends of Gundaroo to ask them to submit the legal advice on the validity of the council processes undertaken for Council’s consideration. 

In the event that Council does not receive a response within 30 days, the State Department will be advised of the submission and be requested to undertake a quality assurance audit of the process.