Dear Councillor,

This email is in relation to the agenda item for tomorrow's council meeting in
regards to the feasibility study for a sewerage scheme at Gundaroo.

We request that Council delay putting this Options Study out to community
consultation pending the answering of a few questions that are not adequately
addressed in this study.

As background, the altered Gateway determination for rezoning of the Kyeema

and Faithful Street subdivisions proposes:
Applying a minimum lot size for subdivision of land (5000m2) and dual
occupancy development (1 hectare) on land zoned R2 Low Density Residential
Zone in Gundaroo where reticulated sewerage and a sustainable water supply is
not provided. (My italics)

The major issue is why would the Council want to move to more dense
development than is recommended by the Department of Planning? To address
that question requires the costs and benefits to be exposed and weighed by
Council as a first step before going further.

We think it should be made clear in any community consultations that there is no

need for an STP. The Gateway determination allows for 5000m2 or larger
subdivisions without reticulated sewerage. This is the same size property that
Council has regulated as being appropriate along the boundary between the
village and the common on Lute Street, and we therefore believe is a logical size
for the new subdivisions.

Water
In assessing the costs a primary question is: Where does the water to operate
any of the proposed systems come from?

It would seem apparent that for any of these sewerage treatment schemes to
operate successfully an adequate supply of reticulated water will be
required. The scheme proposed by the consultants is similar to the scheme
established in Murrumbateman, where a pipeline is being provided to supply
potable water from Yass. No such scheme seems to be proposed for Gundaroo,
and would be an expensive cost to the resources of the shire. Many Gundaroo
residences are currently required often to purchase water; the water required to
successfully operate an STP would seem likely to make this situation worse.

Therefore the question that arises is:

Does the provision of reticulated sewerage fulfil the requirements of the revised
Gateway determination and allow subdivisions of 2000sqm? Without the
provision of a sustainable water supply to the subdivisions we dont believe it
satisfies the revised Gateway determination.

Is there as real need for an STP?

The Options Study responds to the question: What type of STP would be most
cost effective in relation to Gundaroo? It does not address the issue of whether
there is a genuine need for an STP in Gundaroo for any reason other than to
allow a small number of developers to sell properties of 2000sqm. We dont
believe it is the function of Council to expend $8m-plus and provide a 20 or 30
year financial burden on Shire finances to help developers maximise their profit.

We do not believe that any community consultation can be meaningful unless it

includes answers to these questions and request that the process be delayed
until these issues have been addressed.

Another rezoning

The third issue arising is that construction of this proposed STP seems to be
contingent on development of the Coolawin proposal, which seems to involve
either 23 or perhaps 83 lots given some confusion in the numbers in the study.

Note that this area is external to the areas for future investigation identified in
the Town and Villages Study. Coolawin is not just unapproved, it hasnt even
been through the Gateway process but its being treated in the STP study as
already approved and part of new developments. If the STP goes ahead there is a
risk that Coolawin has to be automatically approved without any of the usual
consultation processes including that from the community. It is clear that the
Coolawin development would be surplus to any need as the two existing
developments will provide 120 new lots, and Councils own briefing notes
identify 46 potential lots within the existing village boundaries.

Why should the Coolawin subdivision option be considered at all? If Council is

convinced that Gundaroo and the two new rezoned areas require an STP, surely
they can resume or buy the land required without the need for another rezoning
and subdivision?

The fact that Council has organised, and in partnership with the developers, paid
for a study of options for reticulated sewerage in Gundaroo should not become a
justification, in itself, for proceeding to construct an STP without adequately
addressing the need, the consequences and the totality of the costs. We believe
that judgements should not be based on the fact that a study has been done, but
on whether there is a need for this solution and whether it is affordable to the
village and the Shire. The Department of Planning s revised Gateway process
offers a plan that allows for reasonable new developments without the impact
on, and costs to the village that proceeding with an STP would cause.

In conclusion we ask that Council, and Council staff, give full regard to the option
of restricting these development to 5000m2 lots with onsite sewerage treatment
systems as suggested by the Department of Planning, and clearly communicate
this as a viable option during the period of community consultation

Ian Jones
President, Friends of Gundaroo Inc.