Draft Minutes of the Berry Forum Meeting
Held 21 July 2022, 7:30pm at the Berry School of Arts

Present: 85 people attended including Councilors Mathew Norris, Serena Copley Tonia Gray, and Patricia White. State Member Gareth Ward also attended.
Apologies: John Wells 

Welcome and Introduction – Ian Hendry (Chair)

Minutes from meeting held 12 May 2022 – Approved

The Future of David Berry Hospital
Michelle Linton spoke on behalf of the Voice of David Berry Hospital. The current medical services provided by DBH are intended to change in 2026 and the Voice of DBH are intent on ensuring proactive timely community consultation is undertaken. The presentation is available on the Forum website.

Forum Planning Priorities Update
The proposals below were sent to Council, with a request that planning staff resources be assigned to work on them as a high priority. The councillors attending were asked to give their support to the proposals at the Council meeting on Monday 25 July. Clr Patricia White planned to propose that a workshop be held for all councillors to assist with their understanding of the workings of the SLEP and SDCP.

  • Requested Amendment to SLEP – Managing the Impacts of Tourist Development in Berry & Kangaroo Valley
  • An additional Heritage Conservation Area (HCA)
  • Development Control Plan (DCP) for Berry

Berry Parking Dilemma
Preliminary feedback from Council’s parking survey, provided by the Project Manager, was quoted –

  • 94 survey responses received, many with lengthy explanations, so they are taking longer to process.
  • Re the proposed formal parking along North St, west of Alexandra St, 21% of respondents do not support the proposal, mainly citing:
    • As cars already use this space, it won’t alleviate pressure
    • Decreased amenity for North St residents
    • Risk of unwanted changes to traffic flows
  • However, there are a number of other responses and reasons, which will be explored more fully later.
  • 61% of respondents provided additional feedback on provision of parking, including Staging and Long Vehicle parking.

Kerb and guttering
A recent request by an owner/developer in King Street not to have to construct kerb and guttering in the middle of the grass verge running the length of King Street was supported in a letter to Council by the Berry Historical Society.

However, the Council development manager rejected the request and insisted it go ahead. The Forum Committee subsequently made enquiries and found that:

  • a similar request made by a Culburra resident in March resulted in Councillors calling for a report on where K&G would be appropriate (yet to be completed)
  • two years ago a Calalla Bay owner/developer was forced to pay for and install K&G in a grass verge area, and then told to remove it after complaints from the local community association.

New Service Station
The new proposal is not substantially the same development as the DA originally approved in 2011. The planned alterations to the site layout and facilities are significantly changed and will have adverse impacts on the streetscape and heritage character of Berry. A proposal that the Forum make a submission to Council was unanimously supported.

General Business: None

Meeting closed at 9:05 pm
Next Forum Meeting – 13 October 2022