Community members are encouraged to attend the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) Public Hearing, which is part of its review into water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices for the Central Coast.The Public Hearing is the final opportunity for the community to provide feedback to IPART before it releases its Draft Report and Determinations in April 2019.Central Coast Council Director Water and Sewer, Bileen Nel said Council’s detailed submission to IPART reflected overwhelming community feedback that water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices should be consistent across the region.“In developing our submission for IPART our community consultation process saw 1,339 residents complete surveys and more than 1,260 attend face-to-face engagement activities,” Ms Nel said.“Our recommendation would see average residential water bills decrease across the Central Coast by lowering the per kilolitre cost of water and significantly reducing the water service fee.“Taking into account all elements of the water bill – water, sewerage and stormwater drainage – Council’s proposal would see typical residential bills reduced by between $27 and $245 annually.”Ms Nel said aligning sewerage prices would see some customers pay less for this service and some customers pay more, with increases predominately offset by a reduction in the overall bill.“The price paid for residential and non-residential sewerage services would decrease in the former Gosford local government area and would increase in the former Wyong local government area, but this increase will be offset by the lower water cost.Council Director Roads, Transport, Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said Council had proposed to reduce the stormwater drainage charge for all existing residential customers across the Central Coast.“Over 65 percent of residents surveyed indicated that stormwater drainage charges should be consistent across the Central Coast,” Mr Bolgoff said.“Most Central Coast residents and businesses already pay a stormwater drainage charge and Council is proposing that this charge be applied to all rateable properties.“A small number of non-residential customers currently do not pay any stormwater drainage charge and we are proposing that this change.“Coucil believes that all residents and business should contribute to the maintenance and development of our stormwater drainage network as it delivers region-wide benefits.“Stormwater drainage protects public and private property from flooding, enhances our natural assets and waterways, and helps to connect communities by supporting access to homes, schools and places of work.“Very large non-residential/business properties would pay $5,427.81 annually under our proposal but it is important to note that this does not apply to the vast majority of farmland properties on the Central Coast.“Non-residential farmland properties would qualify for a discounted Low Impact rate of $110.77 per year as long as more than 90 percent of their area is designated as agricultural, grassed or vegetated, which would be most farmland properties.“We are investigating ways to make obtaining the Low Impact assessment as easy as possible for farmland customers by making it a one-off or automatic process.For the proposed changes to stormwater drainage charges to come into effect they must be endorsed by IPART and Council must then obtain approval from the NSW Government to establish a new Drainage Area to cover all of the Central Coast local government area.IPART will release its Final Report and Determinations for the Central Coast in late May 2019 and new water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices will come into effect from 1July 2019.The Public Hearing will be held on 27 November at 10am at the Mingara Recreation Club.Community members wishing to attend the Public Hearing need to register via IPART’s website – ipart.nsw.gov.au.

Central Coast Council is rolling out a $2.5million multiyear project to replace water meters across the Central Coast.Over $675,000 will be invested this financial year to replace approximately 16,000 water meters.Council Director Water and Sewer, Bileen Nel said Council will use a mobile phone application to streamline the process.“Replacing and maintaining our water and sewerage assets is a high priority for Council,” Ms Nel said.“Our water meter program sees us replace meters that are nearing the end of their asset life.“The meters we install measure the actual volume of water used to provide the most accurate reading.“We use an app to enter the details of the old and new water meters in real time and to take a photo before and after replacement.“The app streamlines the replacement process by automatically storing all data captured in Council’s system – saving hours of data entry and thousands of sheets of paper.“This technology also allows us to plan and allocate work across the water supply network electronically and ensure staff are prepared with the specific details of each water meter.Ms Nel said Council will make alternative arrangements with customers who cannot be without water, such as dialysis patients.“The water meter replacement process only takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, which minimises the amount of time residents are without water.“We are also pleased to be implementing a further waste-reduction initiative by recycling components of the old meters.”

Central Coast Council is seeking community feedback on a $995,000 project to construct a new section of shared pathway on the Tuggerah Lake foreshore in Tuggerawong.The community-driven project will extend the popular ‘Tuggerah Lake loop’ by one kilometre and connect an existing pathway at Friday Street with a play area at Tuesday Street.Council Director Roads, Transport, Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said the project was jointly funded by $542,269 from the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund and $452,731 from Council.“This project will improve access to local shops, a play space and the public school,” Mr Bolgoff said.“It will also extend the increasingly popular ‘Tuggerah Lake loop’, which is a great space for locals and the wider community to walk and cycle for exercise and to take in the beauty of Tuggerah Lake and surrounds.“This pathway will increase connectivity and help create a loop around a scenic waterway.”Mr Bolgoff said the current project is the first of five stages, with future works to extend the shared pathway through to the vicinity of Tacoma Oval.“The three metre wide design of this pathway means it can be used by walkers, cyclists and community members who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids.“We have selected a route that minimises the environmental impact by keeping the need to remove trees to an absolute minimum and by raising the pathway in some locations to avoid disrupting tree roots.”Mayor Jane Smith said Council was committed to constructing new pathways to enhance the liveability and sustainability of the Central Coast.“The new section of the ‘Tuggerah Lake loop’ at Tuggerawong will not only create an inclusive space to get active and experience this beautiful location but will also offer a great alternative transport mode that will really connect the local communities,” Mayor Smith said.“This is a great example of how we can protect and enhance the local environment while delivering the infrastructure our growing community needs.”Constructions of Stage 1 of the project is scheduled to commence in March 2019 and should be complete by the end of the financial year, weather permitting.The project will be on public display from Monday 19 November 2018 to Sunday 16 December 2018 and all community members are encouraged to provide feedback by visiting yourvoiceourcoast.com/tuggerawong-shared-pathway.IMAGE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

Dredging will continue within Ettalong Channel as Council and the NSW Government begin longer-term dredging and beach nourishment activities.Earlier this year Council welcomed $1.225million in matching funding from the NSW Government for the long-term dredging of the Ettalong Channel under the Rescuing Our Waterways program.Central Coast Mayor Jane Smith said that through a cooperative relationship, the dredging will continue beyond the initial emergency dredging.“The NSW Government will continue the dredging operations currently underway as part of the emergency works using Rescuing Our Waterways funding,” Mayor Smith said.“Of the grant funding announced in September, it is proposed to spend up to $1M this financial year, so we can get on with the longer-term dredging program as that is what the community want to see.“This will ensure the program continues beyond the emergency works and avoid additional mobilisation costs for Council.

On the first day of Christmas Central Coast Council will launch the first ever LED light show with animated Christmas tales and sound effects for children and families on the Coast to enjoy.‘A Luminous Christmas’ will run each evening for 30 days throughout December with a full program of performances by local schools and bands in a true celebration of the festive season.Central Coast Council Unit Manager Community Partnerships, Glenn Cannard, said a walk along The Entrance foreshore is a must this December with this new event sure to delight locals and visitors.“For the first time ever on the Central Coast we are hosting a special 30 Day LED light, sound and animation show to ignite that spirit of Christmas in our community,” Mr Cannard said.“The official launch of ‘A Luminous Christmas’ will kick off at 5.30pm on Saturday 1 December when The Entrance will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland with stilt walking candy canes, giant bouncy elves, an enchanting ballerina in a bubble, live entertainment, a ‘Road Star Party’ hosted by Star 104.5 and of course - Santa!“And when all is calm at 8.30pm, we invite families, friends and loved ones to witness all becoming bright when we switch on the amazing LED light show for the first time.“On Christmas Eve we will also be holding our popular ‘Carols in the Park’ so bring your picnic rugs and reindeer ears down to Memorial Park and sing along to all of your favourite Carols and well known hits.“Christmas is a very special time for many people on the Coast and we invite everyone to celebrate with us during the 30 days of Christmas.”A Luminous Christmas is the second Council event that will have the ‘Including You’ accessibility tent set up to support people in the community living with a disability, their families and carers, as well as elderly people, parents with prams and others with limited mobility.An initiative of Ability Links Hunter Central Coast, the tent provides a range of free to hire sensory, vision, mobility and communication aids and supports, plus a ‘safe space’ for retreat to improve the level of enjoyment and the length of time people living with disabilities are able to attend community events.For more information visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/events

Don’t miss that magical moment when the Christmas Tree’s twinkling lights are switched on for the first time, lighting up Kibble Park and kicking off this year’s festive season.Mr and Mrs Claus will also make a special appearance in an evening of live music and Christmas carols, free children’s craft activities, food trucks and entertainment.Central Coast Council Unit Manager Community Partnerships, Glenn Cannard, invited the community to bring along a picnic rug or chairs and enjoy the evening of free entertainment and activities.“The Lighting of the Christmas Tree is a free annual event for the community with a range of arts and crafts, entertainment, food and Christmas Carols,” Mr Cannard said.“Kids that are feeling creative can try their skills on bauble, calico bag or gingerbread cookie decorating plus have their photo taken with Mr and Mrs Claus who have made a special trip down to the Central Coast.“We invite families, locals and visitors join us in Kibble Park from 5pm as we celebrate the start of the magical Christmas season.”The Lighting of the Christmas Tree will be held on 30 November 2018 from 5-8.30pm.The event is proudly presented by Central Coast Council and Gosford Business Improvement District.For more information visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/events

Central Coast Council has received an Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) Engineering Excellence Award for its innovative online interactive map that displays road and drainage capital works projects.Council Director Roads, Transport, Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said the interactive map provides valuable information for our community including project description, location, budget, construction start time and duration.“We wanted community members to be able to easily find information on road and drainage projects that are of interest to them,” Mr Bolgoff said.“This year we will invest over $70million across 574 road and drainage projects and community members can access a concise summary of any of these projects by simply clicking on the icons on our interactive map or searching a location.“It is wonderful to receive acknowledgement through an IPWEA Engineering Excellence Award, especially in a category recognising an initiative that uses a new or improved technique or innovation.”Council is constantly improving the interactive map and has recently added the capacity to upload photographs and concept designs.The interactive map is one of the most popular features on Council’s website, receiving approximately 6,000 page views each year.Community members can explore road and drainage projects across the Central Coast’s 2,200 kilometre network of roads by visiting www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/roadanddrainageprojects.The IPWEA Engineering Excellence Awards for 2018 also acknowledged Council with a highly commended for the upgrade of Pleasant Valley Fire Trail in Fountaindale.The project transformed a track into a fully functioning fire trail in a particularly rugged, steep and dense bushland area in an extreme bushfire zone.Council and the NSW Rural Fire Service can now better manage the extreme bush fire risk in this area, allow for hazard reduction burning to take place, and provide safe access for fire fighters should an emergency arise.

It’s National Recycling Week, and Central Coast Council is encouraging residents to celebrate by discovering how they can recycle beyond the yellow bin at a number of free Green Living events.The workshops will assist residents to refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle around the home to help live a more sustainable life and divert waste from landfill.Mayor Jane Smith said Council was committed to helping the community find ways to reuse items and reduce an increasing reliance on single use items.“Through Community Strategic Plan (CSP) consultation, our community have told us they want ongoing education opportunities to help minimise waste,” Mayor Smith said.“During National Recycling Week we will be running a number of events to help our community create a more vibrant and sustainable Central Coast.“There will be workshops to reduce food waste, an op shop event to pick up clothing bargains and a free movie screening of ‘Closing the Loop’ for those interested in how to eliminate waste going to landfill.”Bookings are essential for all events.

All inclusive disability precincts to create more liveable communities and boost tourismCouncil is developing all inclusive disability precincts to improve lifestyle choice, boost tourism and provide economic stimulus.A detailed analysis is currently underway to identify two geographical locations suitable for initial development as holistic disability ‘destinations’.Mayor Jane Smith said Council would continue to work with the community to ensure the development of inclusive spaces.“We are committed to creating and maintaining accessible and well-maintained facilities and open space areas that provide opportunities for inclusion and participation for people living with disabilities,” Mayor Smith said.“Once the locations for our all inclusive disability precincts are determined we will engage with the community once again to move the project forward and deliver the best outcome for our community.Council’s Disability Inclusion Action plan was developed with extensive community and stakeholder consultation and contains a four year dedicated strategy and actions to be undertaken to create a liveable community by improving accessibility and creating inclusive events and activities for people living with disabilities.Council on track to meet increase in demand for housingCouncil has declared that it is tracking well to meet the annual housing target, following a report which highlights the number of development applications processed during July to September 2018.Mayor Jane Smith said Council was committed to assessing development applications as demand for housing increases.“As the Central Coast continues to grow, Council is committed to assessing development applications.“Council is tracking well against future housing requirements outlined in the Central Coast Regional Plan finalised in 2016.“During the July to September 2018 Quarter, Council approved 843 applications out of the 857 received, which included the creation of 287 additional residential lots and 241 dwellings.“Council approvals are an indicator of the demand for housing on the Central Coast, which is expected to increase by 2075 additional homes per year.Since 2016, Council has approved 7,715 additional dwellings and completed 3,412 additional residential lots, dual occupancies and secondary dwellings.According to the Central Coast Regional Plan, the Central Coast is expected to increase by approximately 75,500 people by 2036, and will require 41,500 new homes.Community to input into strategy for the future of the Somersby to Erina CorridorCouncil will seek community feedback on a draft strategy to support sustainable growth along the Central Coast Highway between Somersby and Erina.The draft Somersby to Erina Corridor Strategy identifies Somersby, Mount Penang/Kariong, West Gosford, Gosford City Centre, East Gosford/Point Frederick and Erina as key centres which will play a unique role in the future functioning of the Corridor.Mayor Jane Smith said the strategy aims to create centres with their own identity that provide a range of experiences, infrastructure and jobs that support the success of the Central Coast Region.“We are committed to positively contributing to the sustainable growth of the Central Coast and the Somersby to Erina Corridor Strategy aims to not compromise those attributes the community has identified which makes the area such a unique and desirable place to live and work.“We have consulted with various Government Agencies and now we are seeking input from the community to inform a final strategy and guide planning and development for the corridor to 2036.“The Strategy will go on public exhibition for a minimum of 60 days with a number of community consultation workshops and meetings during this time to allow the community to input on the strategy.

Central Coast Council will support a Hunter Water initiative to help drought-affected farmers by donating a water tanker and driver to transport much needed drinking water.Central Coast, Newcastle and Lake Macquarie City Councils are each donating a truck and driver to transport water from Branxton and Scone across the Hunter and Upper Hunter.The water will help properties which are not connected to a town supply and need to top up their domestic rainwater tanks.Council Director Water and Sewer, Bileen Nel said Council was thrilled to contribute to the initiative and would start with an initial delivery of 20,000 litres of drinking water collected from Hunter Water’s Branxton and Scone supplies.“Farmers from towns including Murrurundi, Merriwa and Cassilis are receiving this support and their feedback is very positive,” Ms Nel said.“We could not be happier to contribute to an initiative that is making a real difference, with our first deliveries taking place on the 12 and 13 November.”Mayor Jane Smith said Council had been looking for the best way to provide direct support to farmers in need.“The Central Coast has been giving so generously to farmers doing it very tough,” Mayor Smith said.“Across the Coast I hear stories of individuals and groups acting to support our farmers and I want to thank our community for all they have done and will continue to do.“I am also pleased that Council is helping our farmers in such a tangible and practical way.”More than 1.4 million litres of water has been donated to 100 properties in need since the initiative began on August 24.Farmers in the Hunter and Upper Hunter experiencing a shortfall in their domestic water supply are invited to contact Hunter Water’s Drought Support Team – droughtsupport@hunterwater.com.au or 1300 657 657.

Central Coast Mayor Jane Smith will meet with Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation’s CEO Michelle McLaughlin on Tuesday 13 November to emphasise the importance of the ‘Hold My Hand’ road safety campaign.Developed by the Foundation, the campaign promotes the importance of adults holding young children’s hands when they are close to roads.

Central Coast Council will kick start comprehensive engagement with the community on a draft Climate Change Policy with an online survey which opens today.Council endorsed a draft Climate Change Policy in August 2018 for public exhibition.

To make some Council-hosted, major events more inclusive and accessible for everyone in the community, Council has adopted the use of an ‘Including You’ accessibility tent – which will debut at Lake Festival’s ‘Light up the Lake’ event this Saturday at The Entrance.An initiative of Ability Links Hunter Central Coast, the tent supports people in the community living with a disability, their families and carers, as well as elderly people, parents with prams and others with limited mobility (from injuries or illness), while also raising awareness around disability, access and inclusion.The tent provides a range of free to hire sensory, vision, mobility and communication aids and supports, plus a ‘safe space’ for retreat to promote the participation of people living with a disability at Community events.

Central Coast Council have released a community report ‘Making the Coast and Council Inclusive and Accessible’ which highlights the year one progress from Council’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP).Mayor Jane Smith said Council have implemented a number of actions over the last twelve months to improve inclusiveness and accessibility on the Coast.“Implementing a plan with strategies and actions that enable people with disabilities to participate in all aspects of community life creates a sense of belonging and inclusion - which is one of the key goals from our Community Strategic Plan,” Mayor Smith said.Central Coast Council Director of Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said “Creating an inclusive and accessible community involves developing positive community attitudes and behaviours, creating liveable communities, supporting access to meaningful employment, improving access to services through better systems and processes – which are the four strategies of Council’s Disability and Inclusion Action Plan, 2017-2021 (DIAP).”Council has a dedicated Disability Inclusion Officer to oversee the implementation of the DIAP, provide subject matter expertise and support to the business units that are responsible for implementing the actions.To create liveable communities, some of the implemented actions include the completion of access audits for 72 Council owned assets, purchase of new beach wheelchairs, building a new accessible waterway pontoon and pathways to fishing platforms, installation of wheelchair accessible picnic facilities, preparation of a draft Pedestrian and Access Mobility Plan, the continued delivery of inclusive and accessible playgrounds and participation in the working group for the NSW Government’s ‘Everyone Can Play’ initiative.A number of delivered actions developed positive attitudes and behaviours both within Council and the broader community.

Central Coast Council is asking the community to take part in a survey to determine ways to provide medium to long term parking solutions for the growing population on the coast.As part of the Community Strategic Plan, the community identified parking in town centres, tourist hubs and commuter areas as important issues to be addressed as Council and its partners work together to shape the future of the Central Coast.Acting Director, Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff said the creation of car parking options and solutions that address the needs for residents, visitor’s and businesses was the key to delivering essential infrastructure for our growing region.“Council is aware that there are a number of pinch points for parking across the Central Coast including town centres in Gosford, Wyong, The Entrance, Woy Woy and Terrigal and commuter parking at Warnervale, Tuggerah, Wyong, Lisarow and Woy Woy,” Mr Bolgoff said.“This survey is the first step in capturing information from the community about the types of parking they need to be able to go about their business on the Central Coast.

Central Coast Council is helping local households reduce food waste and save money thanks to $20,000 of funding received from NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deliver the Food Smart Program.Council has already engaged with local childcare centres and primary schools to educate young families with children, who usually throw out more than the national average of $3,800 worth of food every year.Council Unit Manager Learning and Education, Beth Burgess is encouraging locals who would like to learn effective and easy techniques to reduce food waste, while helping the environment and their hip pocket to register for the program.“Food waste still accounts for over a third of the rubbish in the average Australian household bin and is estimated to cost the Australian economy $20 billion each year,” Mrs Burgess said.“We can all play our part to help minimise the problem through simple techniques and habits, which our residents can learn by signing up to this very worthwhile program.“After completing the Food Smart Program 91 per cent of families reported being more aware of food waste, 89 per cent reduced their food waste, and 78 per cent saved money on groceries.“Those who register will receive a free pack that includes a reusable shopping bag, tea towel, bag clips, reusable food covers and planning tools, after completion of an initial survey.”Those interested can register their interest by emailing foodsmart@centralcoast.nsw.gov.auMayor Jane Smith emphasised food waste had become a critical environmental issue on a global scale, which Council is addressing on a local level through the Green theme of the Community Strategic Plan (CSP).“If food waste were a country it would be the third biggest source of carbon pollution, accounting for eight per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases,” Mayor Smith added.“Additionally, when we waste food we are also wasting all the energy and resources it took to grow, raise, store, package and transport that food.“Through our consultation to develop the first ever Community Strategic Plan, our community told us maintaining our natural assets and environmental resources for the future must be a priority and education is a crucial component of this goal.“This program further helps us meet our objective of increasing community awareness and instilling behaviour change around sustainable living, including waste avoidance.“Change on these massive issues often starts at grass roots level with everyday people like you and me - if you don’t know how to make a change I would encourage you to register for this very worthwhile program.”Visit lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au for more information and tips to reduce food waste.Funding is provided through Love Food, Hate Waste, a component of the NSW EPA Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded by the waste levy.

Niagara Park and Chertsey Public School have been named Environmental Schools of the Year in Central Coast Council’s 2018 Schools Environment Program.The win is a double celebration for Chertsey Public School, with the school winning the same Small School of the Year award last year.Niagara Park Public School was named the winning Large School of the Year.Three other schools also received awards at this week’s awards ceremony:Innovation:

Central Coast Council has completed the first stage of the $2.8million coastal foreshore works at the southern end of Avoca Beach in preparation for a bumper summer beach season.The works, funded by the NSW State Government as part of the Stronger Communities Fund, will improve the infrastructure and amenity of the area as well as deliver important coastal protection and rehabilitation works to stabilise the foreshore.Council Acting Director, Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff, said the upgrades will deliver a more attractive, safer and more accessible foreshore area for the local community and visitors to the area.“Council is very pleased that this first stage of works has been finished on time and we thank the community for their patience during the construction period,” Mr Bolgoff said.“This first stage of works was designed to deliver an engineered and purpose built rock sea wall next to the rock pool in order to stabilise the foreshore area and we are really pleased to have achieved that.“As part of these works, we also relocated the drainage outlet to the eastern end of the rock pool, renewed the existing walkway between the surf club and eastern rock shelf and incorporated some landscaping.“In April next year, we will start the second stage of works which will involve rebuilding the smaller rock wall, improving the ramp near the surf club, upgrading the beachfront walkway and providing additional landscaping.”Mayor Jane Smith said the project was a great example of Council investing in our community through collaboration with the NSW State Government to deliver projects the community have identified as a priority.“These works were originally identified in the Avoca Beach Masterplan in 2012 and we are really pleased that with the help of funding from the NSW State Government, we will be able to deliver a revitalised foreshore area for the community,” Mayor Smith said.“Avoca Beach is a very popular area for residents and visitors alike and these works will ensure the foreshore area will be more resilient to weather events and continue to deliver for the community as one of the Coast’s most iconic and historic hamlets.Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the State Liberal Government was proud to fully fund the project through the Stronger Communities Fund.“This funding is a direct result of the successful amalgamation and creation of Central Coast Council,” Mr Crouch said.“Avoca Beach already plays host to the annual Central Coast Pro and is recognised internationally as the home beach of many world-class surfers.“I’m pleased the Avoca community has embraced this infrastructure upgrade, and I look forward to Council continuing with stage two of the foreshore upgrade after the busy summer season.”This project is one of ten local projects made possible through the Stronger Communities Fund, established by the NSW Government to provide merged Councils with funding to kick-start the delivery of projects that improve community infrastructure and services.Details about this project can be found at:

Council moves forward with short-term parking solutions for GosfordIn response to the increasing demands for commuter parking and heightened economic activity in Gosford City Centre, Council has approved the allocation of $1.4million to fund the design and construction of a short-term car park at 10 Racecourse Road, West Gosford.Council has identified car parking as an emerging issue across the region and recognises the need for a consistent integrated approach to the issue of parking to meet the community’s current and future needs.The report confirmed the significant demand for all day parking for the Gosford CBD, with current publicly available supply at capacity due to demand driven by Gosford Train Station, the CBD Commercial Core and the Central Coast Heath District.Parking capacity in the CBD could experience further strain through the potential future loss of the privately owned Kibbleplex car parking spaces.Gosford CBD parking will also be impacted by the large number of approved development applications in recent years including commercial office developments such as the ATO building and the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation building.In addition to the construction of the new short-term car park in West Gosford, the report detailed a series of short-term parking solutions including:Utilising spare capacity at Baker Street Car ParkUtilising spare capacity at Central Coast Leagues Club car parkingImplement a park and ride (bus) scheme on the fringe of the CBDCouncil will also seek funding from the State Government to undertake investigations, civil design and construction of a short-term car park at Faunce Street, West Gosford.Mayor Jane Smith said the issue of car parking in Gosford is both a critical and complex one.“Gosford is growing rapidly and emerging as the commercial heart of the Central Coast,” Mayor Smith said.“Part of this transition will involve really looking at how we can accommodate the needs of everyone who need to come into the city centre.“Parking is certainly at a critical point and we need to investigate and implement practical parking solutions for the community who need to travel to and park in the city for work, to conduct business or for leisure and recreation.“We also need to look to the medium and longer term needs of the Gosford City Centre and find solutions for people commuting here every day including options for leaving the car at home and using public transport to and from Gosford City Centre.“Council will continue to work with the Department of Planning and Environment, Roads and Maritime Services and Transport for NSW to ensure a co-ordinated and considered approach to these issues for our growing community.”Council rejects proposed Ourimbah drug and alcohol facilityCouncil has rejected an application for a transitional group home for drug and alcohol rehabilitation at 74 Glen Road, Ourimbah.The supplementary report to Council stated that there has been insufficient information supplied to satisfy Council that the development will have adequate sewer servicing and that the site is suitable for the proposed on-site sewage management system having regard for site topography, soil characteristics and potential impacts on adjoining properties, the endangered ecological community and the watercourse.Mayor Jane Smith said Council had considered this proposed development carefully including attending a site visit with seven Councillors in June to inspect the location and understand the concerns of neighbours and the local community.“There has been considerable community interest in the development and Council received 166 submissions on the application”.“This is clearly a sensitive matter for everyone in the community and despite the merits of this service being provided within the community, Council does not believe adequate sewer servicing has been provided for the facility nor have the potential impacts of the proposed on-site sewage system been adequately demonstrated.

Central Coast Council has turned on new pedestrian traffic lights in the Terrigal CBD, marking completion of Stage 1 of a $2.2million project to improve traffic flow.Council Acting Director Assets, Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff said the project had been completed on schedule ahead of the busy summer period.“Local businesses, residents and visitors will now benefit from measures to restrict traffic ‘looping’ and unregulated pedestrian activities, which will significantly reduce traffic queuing in the Terrigal CBD and along Terrigal Drive and Ocean View Drive,” Mr Bolgoff said.“We have installed new traffic control signals, created two-way routes on Campbell Crescent, Church Street and Kurrawyba Avenue, and restricted right-hand turns to and from Terrigal Esplanade.”Mayor Jane Smith said that the project will deliver significant traffic flow improvements for both motorists and pedestrians during peak times.“Activating town centres as key destinations and attractors is a high priority for our community and this project will make Terrigal even more appealing,” Mayor Smith said.“Council recognises that it will take time for motorists and pedestrians to adjust to the changes and we will monitor the site carefully.“Completing this project before the summer holiday period was a high priority for Council and the support of local businesses and residents helped to make this happen.”Key project features include:New/ modified pedestrian crossings throughout the CBDTraffic control signals at Terrigal Esplanade and Campbell Crescent intersectionMid-block pedestrian traffic control signals on Terrigal EsplanadeNo right turn from Campbell Crescent into Terrigal EsplanadeNo right turn from Terrigal Esplanade into Kurrawyba Avenue (emergency vehicles and vehicles over six metres excepted)Two-way traffic on Campbell Crescent, Church Street and Kurrawyba AvenueMountable roundabout at Church Street, Pine Tree Lane and Kurrawyba Avenue intersectionModified kerb and guttering and new road pavementMember for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the State Liberal Government was proud to fully fund the project through the Stronger Communities Fund.“This funding is a direct result of the successful amalgamation and creation of Central Coast Council,” Mr Crouch said.“The Terrigal traffic flow improvements are an example of effective consultation with residents and local businesses to achieve the best possible result.“Terrigal is one of the jewels in the crown of the Central Coast, which is why it is so vital that it exceeds the expectations of visitors and locals alike.