Minutes of Meeting

Coastal Estuary Catchment Panel Meeting

Venue	Cavanbah Centre, Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay
Date	Thursday, 16 March 2017
Time	2.00pm

BYRON SHIRE COUNCIL

Coastal Estuary Catchment Panel Meeting Minutes                  16 March 2017

Minutes of the Coastal Estuary Catchment Panel Meeting held on Thursday, 16 March 2017

File No: I2017/338

PRESENT:   Cr C Coorey, Cr J Hackett, Cr M Lyon, Cr Richardson

Staff:   Phillip Holloway (Director, Infrastructure Services)

            Peter Rees (Manager, Utilities)

            James Flockton (Flood and Drainage Engineer)

            Chloe Dowsett (Coastal Estuaries Officer)

            Helen Waldron (Minute Taker)

Community Representatives:   Col Draper, Tim Hochgrebe, Tony Flick, John Flick, Mary Gardner

Observer:  Duncan Dey

Cr Richardson (Chair) opened the meeting at 2.10 pm and acknowledged that the meeting was being held on Bundjalung Country.

Apologies:

There were no apologies.

Declarations of Interest – Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary

There were no declarations of interest.

Adoption of Minutes from Previous Meetings

This is the first meeting of the Panel.

Business Arising from Previous Minutes

This is the first meeting of the Panel.

Staff Reports - Infrastructure Services

Report No. 4.1             Capacity Assessment Belongil Creek Drainage System

File No:                        I2017/296

Committee Recommendation:

That the Coastal Estuary Catchment Panel recommends to Council:

1. that feasibility plans be developed, including negotiations with State Government agencies and regulators to make the primary effluent release point through the Industrial Estate drain (Option 2 in the Capacity Assessment of the Belongil Creek Drainage System Report) as a modification to the current licence as soon as possible.

2.       that the parameters, triggers and limits of reuse at the current licence point (EPA 4)for the purpose of ensuring that acidic runoff events and / or peat fires are limited within the upper drainage catchment be determined.

3.       that Council acknowledge its commitment at the commissioning of Byron Bay STP to relying on reuse to match increases in sewer load and either find a strategy to achieve that level of reuse, or consider calling a moratorium.

4.       that within development of the strategy, both reuse for human activities, as well as within the environment, be considered.

5. feasibility studies be commenced for the recommended Byron Bay Sewage Treatment Plant   2025 augmentation to 10 ML/day.

6.       that Council include an easement over Lot 12 Bayshore Drive to ensure the feasibility of           Option 2 effluent flow path through the industrial drain into the future.  The cost of the easement, including opportunity cost, to be reimbursed to the General Fund from the Sewer        Fund.

7.       that further information be provided on both the historical and future reuse regime and     moratorium implications.

8.       that upon Council endorsement, this be sent to the Drainage Union.

(Draper/Flick)

The recommendation was put to the vote and declared carried.

Action

· a request be sent to the Department Primary Industry to expedite the running of the elections for the Drainage Union (DU)

· that if action hasn’t occurred in relation to the DU elections prior to the cut off for the next Council Meeting, a report be brought to Council at the April Ordinary Meeting to enable a resolution to be passed

· that the $50,000 funds needed to be provided by Council towards the Belongil Opening Strategy be provided by the sewer fund and that a line item be identified in the 2017/2018 budget

· consultants to attend next Panel meeting to explain modelling

There being no further business the meeting concluded at 4.05 pm.