THE City of Greater Bendigo could reconsider its twelve-month trial of e-scooters before the scheduled end date in May next year.<\/p>\n
At the council\u2019s August meeting on Monday, Cr Julie Sloan successfully had an additional action added to a motion to note the first quarterly update report on the trial.<\/p>\n
Cr Sloan\u2019s extra point was that the city carry out community consultation early next year before possibly having a motion to extend or end the trial put to the council before the scheduled end date.<\/p>\n
Her move followed tabling of a report that revealed 4333 riders had done 13,231 trips covering about 22,745 kilometres up until mid-July, averaging between 100 and 200 trips on weekdays and from 260 to 480 on weekends.<\/p>\n
The report said the city had received 46 complaints and inquiries, with 27 complaints about riders not using helmets, riding on footpaths and poor parking.<\/p>\n
Cr Sloan told the meeting that police had issued 17 infringement notices so far and some residents had contacted her saying they did not support the trial.<\/p>\n
She said while the trial should continue, compliance and saefty issues need to be addressed and adjustments made in response to community feedback.<\/p>\n
Cr Jen Alden said the e-scooters had been used widely and few people would have failed to notice them \u2013 but often for the wrong reasons.<\/p>\n
She had seen riders without helmets on her way to the council meeting, she said, and scooters had been left incorrectly around town.<\/p>\n
But Cr Alden remained in favour of the trial because e-scooters improved transport options.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want individual illegal actions to overshadow the potential usefulness of these scooters,\u201d Cr Alden said.<\/p>\n
Cr Margaret O\u2019Rourke said it was only a minority who did the wrong thing<\/p>\n
Cr David Fagg said correct use of the scooters needed to be encouraged, otherwise discontent would grow.<\/p>\n
He said people with \u201cdoubts\u201d about the scooters should provide their feedback as the trial continued.<\/p>\n
The original recommendation without Cr Sloan\u2019s addition was that the statistics, compliance data and feedback be noted, along with a possible expansion of the existing trial area before summer.<\/p>\n
Traffic petition tabled<\/strong><\/p>\n The council will consider a petition from residents about traffic management in part of Violet Street at a future meeting.<\/p>\n The petition, with 30 signatures, requested consultation with residents about car parking, traffic volumes and speeds generated by the National Hotel and possibly in future by an already-approved Guzman Y Gomez restaurant.<\/p>\n Petitioners called for physical works and other measures from High Street to the Mackenzie Street intersection to address safety concerns and impacts on amenity by current and future traffic.<\/p>\n They demanded that a preferred and costed option be in place no later than the end of November.<\/p>\n A recommendation that an appropriate response be prepared was carried unanimously, with Cr Sloan commenting that the petition was an example of democracy in action.<\/p>\n Airport plan adopted<\/strong><\/p>\n Councillors adopted a new 10-year strategic plan to guide development of the Bendigo Airport, which includes an aim to have 200,000 people passing through the terminal by 2034.<\/p>\n The Bendigo Airport Strategic Plan 2024-2034 focuses on infrastructure, safe and compliant operations, products and services, and financial sustainability.<\/p>\n Cr O\u2019Rourke said the airport was the envy of many regional communities.<\/p>\n Highlights of the plan include development of a master plan to guide investment and growth, and a \u201crobust\u201d expansion of aviation frequency, competition and destination choice.<\/p>\n Speaking after the meeting, mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said the airport had \u201ctransformed\u201d in a short space of time.<\/p>\n \u201cSince 2017, the airport has welcomed a new runway, new emergency services infrastructure, the introduction of a daily QantasLink passenger service to and from Sydney, and a new terminal and business park,\u201d Cr Metcalf said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe broader precinct also welcomed the RMIT flight training program, 19 new tenants constructed hangar facilities, and a new leasing strategy was introduced.\u201d<\/p>\n No to Heathcote permit application<\/strong><\/p>\n Permission to build a six-bedroom house and remove vegetation on a site in Bradleys Lane, Heathcote, was denied in a unanimous vote.<\/p>\n An officer\u2019s report cited bushfire risk and other unacceptable site-specific environmental aspects of the application in recommending the refusal.<\/p>\n Cr O\u2019Rourke said the area was heavily forested and while the issue was \u201ca difficult one,” it would be hard to make any other decision.<\/p>\n Cr Fagg said he would urge the applicant to reconsider the location of the proposed house, because there was nothing wrong with its design or the area\u2019s zoning.<\/p>\n Farmland \u2018fragmentation\u2019 opposed<\/strong><\/p>\n A proposal to build a house and an outbuilding on land zoned for farming in Lockwood South was knocked back by councillors.<\/p>\n According to an officer\u2019s report, the application for a site on Bendigo-Maldon Road failed to demonstrate the land would be used for a genuine and economically viable agricultural purpose that warranted a dwelling.<\/p>\n It would also remove land from being available for agricultural production and increase pressure for similar development, the report said.<\/p>\n The applicants wanted the house and outbuilding to accompany small-scale grazing activities.<\/p>\n Cr Alden said the house would cause fragmentation of agricultural land, and Cr Sloan agreed, saying the proposal did not comply with planning policy.<\/p>\n Cr O\u2019Rourke said a house did not need to be on the site for the proposed use.<\/p>\n Axedale subdivision refused<\/strong><\/p>\n Councillors voted unanimously to refuse an application to subdivide land in Brownes Lane, Axedale, into two lots.<\/p>\n A report to councillors said the proposal was contrary to planning policies on subdivision, rural dwellings and the Farming Zone and would create an undersized residential lot.<\/p>\n It represented an unacceptable outcome, the report said.<\/p>\n It sought to resubdivide the land with a resulting two dwellings on two lots, which was against the planning scheme, Cr Fagg said.<\/p>\n The application attracted six objections when it was advertised.<\/p>\n Cr O\u2019Rourke did not vote, knowing some of the objectors.<\/p>\n