Otway Forum Report
14th November 2017
OTWAY FORUM MEETING No. 307 & AGM - Nov. 12th
Cr. Chris Potter in attendance. Apologies Cr. Hart.
- Congratulations to new Mayor Joe McCracken and Deputy Jason Schram
- Let’s HOPE they listen to what the Apollo Bay community wants for a harbour redevelopment and the resort proposal.
- Close to 200 objections to 275 Barham River Rd. Resort application so far.
- 12 letters of support.
- Submissions will still be accepted by COS.
- Submissions can be viewed at the shire office.
- 500 plus members of Objectors Association so far, with shop front in Moore St. and Facebook page.
- SGM of AB Chamber of Commerce passed motions to withdraw support for resort application and maintain a neutral position.
- The book by John Spencer on the Great Ocean Green planning fiasco now available online on the Forum website and Apollo Bay Community Website. Thanks Jill Spencer!!
- Let’s hope the current resort application proposal is not as stressful to our community as Great Ocean Green was.
- Also lets hope it doesn’t drag on and cost the rate and taxpayers as much as GOG did.
- COS only charged the developer $28,300 to process his application for a $70m plus development?
- A Planning Consultant, Brydon King has all ready been working on the project for several months for COS.
- Who pays once the $28,300 has been spent??
- COS Rating Strategy Review soon to be released.
- Project Control Group for a harbour redevelopment, to meet next week to progress Expression Of Interest process.
- EOI process expected to cost over $150,000
- Temporary toilet and shower below co-op site now being heavily used by back packers.
- Otway Forum recently presented at a Parliamentary Inquiry in Colac that’s looking at rates and planning issues that affect rural shires.
- Forum’s presentation included a review of the Great Ocean Green planning fiasco and the current resort proposal.
- Also covered was the way rates are spent on a top heavy bureaucracy and endless unpopular consultancies that are rarely acted upon.
- Also discussed was the how the political representation in our electorate at state and federal levels affects funding in COS.
- Also the damage caused to the GOR by the increasing number of large buses was mentioned.
- Should only smaller buses be allowed? They would be safer for all road users as well!!!
- Should they be licensed and numbers restricted?
- $3-4 million walking track proposal, from Wild Dog to Skenes Creek, open for public comment.
- Would this money be better spent on groynes to protect the Great Ocean Road and current walking tracks, as proposed 20 years ago?
- Apollo Bay harbour continues to fill with sand and create dangerous conditions for boat operators.
- Dangerous swimming signage required at back and front beaches in foreign languages.
Otway Forum meets 2nd Sunday of every month at 3pm at Marrar Woorn or find us at www.forum.apollobay.org.au.
Find out what’s really going on!
Peter Fillmore
Hon. Secretary
Otway Forum
0428 091 694