Coastal path delayed
BASS Coast Shire Council has delayed the creation of a much wanted coastal path along Surf Parade in Inverloch by six to nine months.
Council will spend $50,000 to $100,000 on an ecological and geomorphological study to see if coastal erosion will affect the path.
Last Wednesday, council approved a permit for removal of 0.753 hectares of vegetation to make space for the path.
The path, which has been allocated $150,000 for construction, will be 2.5m wide and 2.4km long, and run mostly parallel to Surf Parade from Abbott Street to Cape Paterson Road.
Support for the path was strong, Cr Bradley Drew said.
“We have spoken on numerous occasions of the need for more paths,” Cr Drew said.
“At times when we are building paths it may be necessary to remove vegetation.”
Council granted the permit to clear 0.753 hectares of vegetation, which is the equivalent of a rectangle 100m long and 75.3m wide.
Council had received 12 objections to the permit to remove vegetation.
The objections cited concerns such as loss of vegetation, risk to flora and fauna, the impact on the creek, the lack of parking, the risks of the path itself and flooding.
All feedback to council was well considered, Cr Jordan Crugnale said.
“I would say everyone agrees the status quo is inappropriate and dangerous for pedestrians, and everyone agrees the coastline is active and vulnerable,” she said.
“Questions are being asked around the path’s life expectancy, location, aesthetic, site lines and safety as to its surface treatment.
“With regards to vegetation loss, I am being asked if council will be improving the management of the foreshore vegetation to increase its resilience.”
Acting general manager for strategic planning and engagement Jodi Kennedy said the cleared vegetation would be offset by vegetation at council’s Broadbeach vegetation offset site.
General manager for sustainable development and growth Felicity Sist said council would reduce the width of the road slightly to reduce the amount of vegetation that needed to be removed.
After granting the permit, council agreed to delay the project while they referred it back to the State Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), and engaged an ecologist or botanist and a geomorphologist to assess the area.
Council has already referred the project to DELWP, who indicated a geomorphological study was not required.
However, Cr Crugnale said the decision contradicted the recently released Central Regional Coastal Plan, which identifies coastal vulnerability hazard assessments as a priority.
She raised concerns about how long the path would last if the one dune between Surf Parade and the water were to erode further.
She emphasised the dynamic, changing nature of the coastline at Inverloch and said the dune was entirely sand with no rock to support it.
“To spend $1.52 million on an asset and not know the life of the asset is very irresponsible,” she said.
“Let’s get a little bit more information so the decision is informed.
“As councillors we have a duty of care to make sure we have all the information when we make a decision.
“This isn’t about wanting to delay a project. I am for the path and I want to see it done.”
Bass Coast CEO Paul Buckley’s “best guess” was that the ecological/botanical and geomorphological studies would take six to nine months and cost $50,000 to $100,000.
Cr Phil Wright spoke in favour of completing the studies.
“So what if it costs an extra $150,000 if it means this quality asset will be there in the future for resident and for millions and millions of visitors?” he said.
Long walks: Wattle Bank’s Manny and Tanya Garivaldis would be thrilled to see Bass Coast Shire Council extend the Inverloch footpath so they can walk their dogs Merk and Jagger to the surf beach.
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Posted by Tayla Kershaw on Mar 31 2015. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
