Councillors will have to reconsider a controversial decision they spent more than half-an-hour debating at last month’s meeting.
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Jasmin Jones, along with councillors Greg Butler and Ann Daniel, last week filed a motion that rescinds a decision to approve a truck depot facility in the Wallaroo area.
The casting vote of Mayor Rowena Abbey gave the green light to a 9000 square metre truck depot on Carrington Road - but not before much conjecture.
Opponents were appalled by council’s decision at the September 23 meeting, fearing approval of a truck depot in an area designated for primary production had the potential to open a can of worms.
Six people spoke against the motion prior to last month’s meeting, citing noise and dust, operation hours, inadequate roads and inappropriate zoning as justification against the proposal.
So extensive were discussions, councillors agreed to take a five minute recess after finally giving amended approval for the design.
The item will be once more up for discussion when councillors next meet on October 28.
The Councillor Jones-led opposition means prior approval is placed on hold until further discussion takes place.
If approved a second time, the 8982 square metre block off Carrington Road will house three Kenworth tip-trucks, two semi-trailers and a five-and-a-half tonne excavator on top of employing four people.
Despite clear gains to the local economy, opponents were furious at councillors’ September 23 decision, which they believe was ill informed.
Planning Director Gary Chapman included a draft truck parking policy in the last meeting’s agenda to brief councillors of their scope prior to any decision.
Mr Chapman’s report gave the all-clear for a commercial truck facility even though the area is designated for primary production.
Among those disappointed at the outcome was Kim Griffiths, who fears truck depots could become commonplace in the area.
“This clearly demonstrates anyone can buy up rural land in the Yass Shire, do anything they like and there is no control over it,” she explained.
“Everyone needs to sit up and take notice because there could be a truck depot with heavy vehicles up to 42 tonnes moving to a home near you.”
Mrs Griffiths was particularly scathing of council’s draft truck depot policy.
“Council drew up this policy on the run to ensure this truck depot got approved,” she continued.
“It is not a well researched or comprehensively developed policy based on strategic or regional planning… It doesn’t even define was a truck is.”
Contrary to Mrs Griffith’s fears that truck depots could become mainstream in the region, Mr Chapman’s report points out that a number of heavy machinery operators already conduct business in the Spring Range Road precinct.
Southern Cabling Company, Chris’s Excavation, Hewatt’s Earthworks and Bendalls Transport, to name a few, operate in the Spring Range-Nanima-Wallaroo corridor.
Noreen Pigeon runs Loriendale Organic Orchard on a neighbouring property.
She is relieved councillors Jones, Butler and Daniel moved to rescind the decision.
“This area is zoned for primary production and here we have a commercial truck operation,” she said.
“I understand if someone might run a truck for moving sheep, but this is a big operation. We’re talking about 13 trucks.
“We think council should develop a truck depot somewhere. There are already trucks going constantly down Spring Range Road and it’s got a 10 tonne limit.”
Councillor Jones says she put a hold on the application as she feared it set a precedent that hadn’t been thoroughly considered by council.
