Ordinary Council Meeting - Tuesday 27 October 2026

Topics

• Council backs Somersby rezoning for tourism, conservation and heritage redevelopment
  Council advanced a planning proposal for the former Old Sydney Town site, including a major increase in conservation-zoned land and tourism uses.
  The proposal could reshape a prominent Somersby site and affect future development, heritage protection, traffic and local services.
• Central Coast Council sets out staged plan for airport hybrid delivery
  Council will seek an external airport operator while proceeding with lighting upgrades from already approved capital funding.
  The approach limits immediate new capital exposure but could change the airport’s future operation and investment model.
• New Central Coast petitions policy and public register proposed
  Council asked staff to create a formal petitions system with a public register and response requirements.
  Residents would have a clearer way to submit collective concerns and track what happens after Council receives them.

Decisions

• Community Events and Place Activation grants approved
  Council allocated $200,000 from the 2026–27 grants budget to events and place-activation projects, including New Year’s Eve fireworks at Wyong Golf Club, the Liberte Laneway Project, festivals, a film festival and Words on the Waves.
  Supports local events, cultural activity, tourism and community participation across the Central Coast.
• Community Support grants approved
  Council allocated $2,150 from the 2026–27 grants budget for Woodport Public School’s Identity and Belonging Project and the Gosford Masters Swimming NSW Carnival.
  Provides small-scale support for local community and sporting activities.
• Petitions Policy to be prepared
  Council requested a draft policy covering paper and electronic petitions, registration, referral, responses, privacy and a publicly accessible petitions register. The draft is to return within three months and be publicly exhibited if endorsed.
  Residents should receive a clearer and more transparent process for submitting petitions and tracking Council’s response.
• Vulnerable Community Assets and Resilience report requested
  Council requested a report for the February 2027 meeting on options for a consolidated, risk-based register, dashboard or reporting framework covering community assets exposed to flooding, bushfire, coastal erosion, sea-level rise and other climate hazards.
  Could improve how Council prioritises protection, maintenance and spending on at-risk community infrastructure.
• Somersby planning proposal advanced
  Council supported seeking a gateway determination for rezoning land at 945 Old Pacific Highway and 66 Myoora Road, the former Old Sydney Town site. The proposal includes increased conservation land, heritage protection, tourism and employment uses, and a neighbourhood shop capped at 125 square metres. A rescission attempt was later lost.
  The proposal could change future tourism, conservation, heritage and development outcomes in Somersby, subject to State planning processes and public exhibition.
• Section 7.12 infrastructure contributions plan to go on exhibition
  Council endorsed the draft Central Coast Section 7.12 Local Infrastructure Contributions Plan 2026 for public exhibition for at least 28 days.
  Developers and residents can comment on how development contributions may fund local infrastructure and works.
• Regulatory Priorities Statement 2026–29 endorsed
  Council endorsed the Central Coast Regulatory Priorities Statement 2026–29. Overnight parking compliance is to follow Council policy and legislative requirements.
  May influence Council’s compliance priorities, including how overnight parking restrictions are administered.
• Airport hybrid-delivery planning progressed
  Council supported further due diligence and implementation planning for an endorsed hybrid-delivery model, an expression-of-interest process for an external operator, and use of already approved 2026–27 capital funding for airport lighting upgrades. Further approval is required before land disposal, an external operating arrangement or additional capital commitment.
  Creates a staged pathway for the airport while limiting immediate additional capital exposure and requiring further Council oversight.

Discussion

• Coastal and environmental planning
  Council received committee recommendations on PFAS monitoring in the Ourimbah Creek Catchment, works-in-kind policy amendments, the Calga Sand Quarry Community Consultative Committee and development application statistics. The draft Coastal Lagoons Coastal Management Program was deferred to 17 November 2026.
  Affects environmental management, development assessment and future coastal resilience planning.
• Financial monitoring
  Council received the September 2026 monthly financial and investment reports and considered the 2025–26 annual financial reporting items.
  Provides public oversight of Council’s financial position, investments and financial management.
• Water and sewer services
  The agenda included the 2025–26 Water and Sewer Annual Performance Report and the January–June 2026 delivery plan progress report.
  Reports on the performance and delivery of essential water and sewer services.
• Community grants and local events
  Multiple community, sporting, cultural and place-activation projects received funding, while several applications were declined as ineligible, including Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre and Littleroc Incorporated applications.
  Shows which local activities received Council support and why some applications were not funded.

Impacts

• Residents will have opportunities to comment on the draft Section 7.12 infrastructure contributions plan during a public exhibition of at least 28 days.
• A draft Petitions Policy and register may make it easier to submit petitions and track Council responses.
• The proposed Somersby rezoning will proceed through further State planning and public-exhibition processes before any final planning determination.
• Council is developing a way to identify and prioritise community assets vulnerable to climate-related hazards.
• Grant-funded events and community projects will receive Council support during 2026–27.

Places

• Wyong (town)
  Wyong Golf Club received funding for a New Year’s Eve fireworks display.
• Somersby (locality)
  Planning proposal covering 945 Old Pacific Highway and 66 Myoora Road, the former Old Sydney Town site.
• Ourimbah Creek Catchment (catchment)
  PFAS monitoring and management plan implementation were noted.
• Budgewoi (locality)
  A deferred telecommunications tower notice of motion was considered.
• Ettalong Beach (locality)
  STARS Festival received community events funding.
• Gosford (city area)
  Gosford Masters Swimming Carnival received community support funding.
• Calga (locality)
  Council appointed councillor representatives to the Calga Sand Quarry Community Consultative Committee.
• Central Coast Airport (facility)
  Lighting upgrades and a proposed hybrid-delivery model were referenced in the extracted motions.

Next

• Prepare and return a draft Petitions Policy, including a proposed public register, to Council.
  Within three months of the 27 October 2026 meeting.
• Place the draft Section 7.12 Local Infrastructure Contributions Plan 2026 on public exhibition.
  For at least 28 days; exact dates were not stated.
• Place the Somersby planning proposal on public exhibition after statutory requirements are met.
  Future date not stated.
• Report options for a Vulnerable Community Assets and Resilience Register or equivalent decision-support resource.
  February 2027 Ordinary Council meeting.
• Continue airport hybrid-model due diligence, implementation planning, approvals and external-operator expression-of-interest work.
  Ongoing; further Council approval required before specified commitments proceed.
• Consider the draft Coastal Lagoons Coastal Management Program.
  17 November 2026 Ordinary Council meeting.

Extract

OFFICIAL Central Coast Council MINUTES of the Ordinary Council Meeting held in the Central Coast Council Chambers 2 Hely Street, Wyong Tuesday 27 October 2026 Present Mayor John McNamara Deputy Mayor Rachel Stanton Councillor Margot Castles Councillor Helen Crowley Councillor Kyla Daniels Councillor Doug Eaton OAM Councillor Corinne Lamont Councillor Kyle MacGregor Councillor Lawrie McKinna Councillor Trent McWaide (remotely) Councillor John Mouland Councillor Belinda Neal Councillor Jane Smith Councillor Sharon Walsh Councillor Jared Wright Council Officers Jamie Loader Acting Chief Executive Officer Boris Bolgoff Director Infrastructure Services Luke Nicholls Director Environment and Plan...