An Ordinary Council Meeting will be held tomorrow, 10am on Tuesday 28 September, 2021.
Announcement and Table of Contents
3.1 Mayoral Minute – Employee Recognition Awards 2021
20 Council Officers will be presented with Recognition Certificates for achieving the milestones of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and an amazing 40 years of service to Douglas Shire Council and our communities – totalling 340 years of experience.
5.2 Material Change Of Use For Resort Complex At 71-85 Port Douglas Rd Port Douglas-compressed
Council is in receipt of a development application for a material change of use of premises
for a Resort complex at 79-85 Port Douglas Road, Port Douglas formally described as Lot 1
on SP150468.
The application seeks approval for Australia’s first Fairmont resort with 253 rooms, food and
drink outlets, function facilities, basement car parking and recreation facilities configured
within a single building at up to six storeys in height.
The applicant’s economic benefit report claims that the $278m construction will create 694
jobs per annum over two years and will total $203m in gross value added to the State
economy per annum over the same period with 196 ongoing jobs supported on site.
The site is within the Tourist accommodation zone under the 2018 Douglas Shire Planning
Scheme where development of a Resort complex is nominated as an Impact Assessable
land use.
Public Notification of the proposal was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the
Planning Act 2016 and no properly made submissions were received. There were three (3)
not properly made submissions received against the application.
The proposed development is non-compliant with a significant number of planning scheme
components due to its height, length, site cover, setbacks, bulk, scale and provision of
facilities rendering it inconsistent with the character of the area.
The proposal is in conflict the planning intent for the site and locality and is recommended for
refusal.
5.3 Contract For Domestic Violence Or Community Housing Unit Development Mossman
5.4 Contract For Sewerage Pump Station Switchboard Renewal Project
5.5 Contract 2021-065 – Landfill Waste Cartage & Disposal
5.6 Foreshore Management Plans
The Foreshore Management Plans (FMPs) identify management objectives and actions to
undertake to reduce the impacts of coastal hazards in the coastal zone. The FMPs will help
to guide Council in the protection, maintenance and management of the coastline and
Foreshore areas within Douglas Shire.
In 2019, Douglas Shire Council developed the Resilient Coast Strategic Plan 2019-2029
(The Strategy) and committed to undertake actions to reduce the impacts of coastal hazards,
such as erosion and coastal flooding, and activities in the coastal zone. A priority outcome of
the Strategy is to undertake dune protection, maintenance and monitoring. To help achieve
this five (5) Foreshore Management Plans (Plans) have been developed for Wonga Beach,
Newell Beach, Cooya Beach, 4 Mile Beach and Oak Beach.
The intent of the Foreshore Management Plans is to help guide Council in the protection,
maintenance and management of the coastline and foreshore, while maintaining the natural
character of the area and respecting the ecological, cultural and social values of these
coastal reserves.
It is proposed that Council adopts the five (5) Foreshore Management Plans.
5.7 FNQROC Strategic Regional WMMR Advisory Group – Appointment Of Elected Member Representative
5.8 Douglas Chamber Of Commerce Resource & Performance Agreement 2021-2024
It is recommended that Council continue its support for the Douglas Chamber of Commerce
with a Resource and Performance Agreement over a period of three years, with KPIs to be
developed through negotiation between DCC and Council officers.
it is recommended that Council
- Resolves to contract the Douglas Chamber of Commerce as a specialised service
provider under S235(b) of the Local Government Regulation 2012 for specialist
business support under terms set out in a Resource and Performance Agreement,
for the following years and amounts:
i. $20,000 (Ex GST) year 1 October 2021 to 30 June 2022; and
ii. $10,000 (Ex GST) year 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, and
iii. $10,000 (Ex GST) year 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
5.9 Mossman State High School Sponsorship
It is recommended that Council provides Mossman State High School with $500 (GST Exc) sponsorship as Gold Sponsor of the Awards Presentation on 17 November 2021;
5.10 RV Park Mossman Business Case
It is recommended that Council delegates authority under Section 257 of the Local Government Act 2009 to the Chief Executive Officer to explore options and undertake activities toward:
- Operating an RV Park on Council-owned, bought or leased land; or
- Leasing appropriate Council-owned land to an RV Park Operator; or
- Facilitating discussions between private owners of appropriate land and an RV
Park Operator;
to pursue the development of an RV Park on an optimal site in Mossman, to assist
local businesses access an untapped tourism market.
5.11 Wonga Beach Caravan Park Caretakers Management Agreement
5.12 Port Shorts Film Festival – Amendment To Resource And Performance Agreement
5.13 Request For Funding – Taste Port Douglas
5.14 Covid Relief Fee Reduction For Port Douglas Market Stallholders
5.15 Financial Report August 2021
The Financial Report details the progress of the 2021/22 annual budget for the period ended 31 August 2021. Key points to note include the following:
+ Operating revenue is ahead of budget by $368k.
+ Operating expenditure is under budget by $619k.
+ The Operating Surplus is currently $9.3m, compared to a budgeted Surplus of $8.3m.
5.16 Daintree Ferry Advisory Committee
Described as a “Late Item” with no further details publicly available.
5.17 Building Douglas Standing Committee
Described as a “Late Item” with no further details publicly available.
5.18 Legal Expenses Former CEO
Described as a “Late Item” with no further details publicly available.
6.1 Notice Of Motion – Options For Council To Develop Retirement Style Living Houses
This is a notice of motion submitted by Councillor Lisa Scomazzon concerning Council
options to develop retirement style living houses. Councillor Scomazzon gave notice of her intention to move the following motion at the Ordinary Council Meeting of 28 September 2021.
- That the CEO provide a report to Council with options for Council to itself
develop retirement style living houses at both the properties in Mossman -land parcel SP295098 and in Craiglie – land parcels SP323468, C2251 & C2251
In 2016, Council approved The Salvation Army’s application to build a 42-bed aged care facility at 49 Johnstone Road Mossman. Construction commenced in May 2019 and the Kubirri Aged Care Centre opened in August 2020.
At the same time, Council issued a Preliminary Approval for a retirement village on the lot next door at 47 Johnstone Road, Mossman. This 2.849-hectare lot is owned by Council as is the 1.87 hectare block in Craiglie.
The Preliminary Approval remains in place and can be amended as part of any new development application. A development approval for the blocks in Craiglie can be sort during this process.
In March 2020, Expressions of Interest [EOI] were invited from interested parties to develop
47 Johnstone Road. The EOI process produced little interest, and recent discussions with other possible developers continues to be fruitless.
The residents of the shire have expressed many times that it not only wants but requires suitable accommodation for retirees before another five years pass.
This Council is determined to deliver that request and if external parties are unable to achieve this goal due to the financial constraints of profit margins that are required, Council should be stepping up to facilitate this required development with a proposal of properties that can be built for sale and built for rent.
