Preliminary questions for tonights Council Meeting

There is a Council meeting tonight; we will have people there to try to get BMCC to delay the commencement of works on this development until concerns raised by the community are satisfied. 
The preliminary questions are:

Consultation 
• Council states in its Community Consultation policy (as approved by Council on 29 September 2009 and revised on 12 October 2010), that it “considers consultation as a central principle in sound planning and decision making”. Despite this, at its meeting on13 March 2012, Council made some significant resolutions about the future of the Blackheath Airstrip site without any form of community consultation, despite the significant impact that the resolutions would have on the community. Why was no community consultation undertaken? 
• Why is a plan of subdivision registered in 1929 (83 years ago) considered appropriate today for a development of this magnitude (either 45 or 90 potential new houses) and having regard to the changes since 1929?
• Has Council rescinded its 1956 decision to use the proceeds of sale of the airstrip for the purpose of tar sealing and kerb and guttering in Blackheath? If so, when did Council do this?

Safety issues
• What assessment was made as to the impact of increased resident numbers in the case of bushfire, particularly concerning traffic ingress and egress? In that regard what report has been prepared by the NSW Fire Brigade or Rural Fire Service to assess the risk to public safety in the event of bushfire, especially in regard to the evacuation of the increased number of residents?
• What assessment has been undertaken to ensure that the airstrip land is not contaminated from airport usage, the sewerage works depot (on the airstrip site during 2007,2008,2009) and any illegal dumping (particularly when asbestos has been found on site)?

Sustainability
• What reports have been received by Council to assess the sustainability of the development? Where can these reports be accessed? In particular, on what basis did Council find that there would be nil negative environmental, social, economic and governance impacts of the proposed development? 
• What feasibility study has been undertaking to confirm the economic viability of the development, having regard to the statement to Council that the real estate market is flat?

Infrastructure
• What upgrades is Council proposing to the existing infrastructure and utilities in the surrounding area having regard to impact on the area of this proposed development (both within the development site and within the broader local area)? For example, are the natural gas pipeline, the sewerage lines and drainage able to cope with the increased demand and changed use of the land?
• What report has Council commissioned to consider the suitability of the road surface of Hat Hill Road for this major development, both during any development and into the future when there will be increased traffic usage?

Meeting with Council
• When are Council members available to address the Blackheath community at a public forum about the many concerns raised by this development?