Council - 30 Mar 2026 4.00pm

Key decisions

• Creative City Strategy adopted
  Council adopted the Draft City of Hobart Creative City Strategy, rescinded the previous Creative Hobart strategic framework, and authorised minor amendments before publication on the City website.
  Sets the City’s updated direction for arts, culture and creative-sector support.
• Inner-city housing incentive approved
  Council endorsed the Hobart Inner City Housing Supply Incentive Policy, including a five-year 100% remission of the General Rate and Stormwater Removal Service Rate for eligible developments and repayment of development application fees for eligible projects.
  Aims to encourage more housing supply in inner Hobart and may affect development activity, rates concessions and application incentives.
• Farm Gate Market relocation pathway advanced
  Council endorsed Liverpool Street between Murray and Harrington Streets as its preferred alternate event site for the Sunday Farmers Market, supported delivery in 2026-27, and approved detailed engagement with nearby property owners and occupiers before a further report returns to Council.
  Could change where the market operates and affect nearby businesses, residents, traffic and access in the city centre.
• Dark Mofo city partnership endorsed
  Council endorsed a three-year City Partnership Agreement with DarkLab for Dark Mofo festivals in 2026, 2027 and 2028, including annual cash support of $200,000 excluding GST, indexed to Hobart CPI.
  Confirms ongoing Council support for a major city festival with economic, cultural and event impacts.
• Alliance for Gambling Reform program participation endorsed
  Council endorsed participation in the Alliance for Gambling Reform Leadership Council Program and authorised the Chief Executive Officer to finalise scope and governance arrangements.
  Signals Council support for gambling harm minimisation and related public health advocacy.
• Ridgeway Waterworks zipline petition received and noted
  Council received and noted the petition opposing a proposed zipline on Ridgeway Road, stating any application on Council land would require both planning approval and Council landowner approval with opportunities for public input, and took no further action.
  Residents concerned about the proposal were advised future formal approval processes would include community input.
• City Hall Activation deferred
  Council deferred Item 15 City Hall Activation to a workshop for further consideration.
  Any activation or related decisions for City Hall were delayed pending more discussion.

Important topics

• Dog Management Policy Review
  A Dog Management Policy Review item was considered and adopted from the officer report, but the extracted text does not include the detailed resolution.
  May affect dog management rules or enforcement, but the specific changes are unclear from the available extract.
• Open Space Strategy
  An Open Space Strategy item was listed among officer reports, but no decision detail is clearly captured in the extracted text.
  Potentially relevant to parks and public open space planning, though the outcome is unclear from the extract.
• Elected member parking permit reform motion lost
  A notice of motion to limit free elected member parking to the Town Hall parking deck and discontinue free parking at Council meters and off-street car parks was lost.
  No change was made to current elected member parking permit arrangements.

Resident impacts

• Eligible inner-city housing developments may receive a five-year rates holiday and development application fee repayment.
• Liverpool Street is the preferred alternate location for the Farm Gate Market, with consultation to occur before any final implementation.
• The Creative City Strategy will replace the previous arts and culture framework and guide future City initiatives.
• Council funding support for Dark Mofo is set for 2026 to 2028 under a new partnership arrangement.
• Residents concerned about a possible zipline at Ridgeway Waterworks were told future approval processes would include public input.
• City Hall activation decisions were postponed for workshop consideration rather than being settled at this meeting.

Places affected

• Liverpool Street (road)
  Preferred alternate site for relocation of the Sunday Farmers Market, specifically between Murray and Harrington Streets.
• Murray Street (road)
  Forms one boundary of the proposed Liverpool Street market relocation area.
• Harrington Street (road)
  Forms one boundary of the proposed Liverpool Street market relocation area.
• Ridgeway Road (road)
  Location referenced in the petition opposing a proposed zipline.
• Ridgeway Waterworks (facility/locality)
  Site associated with the petition about a proposed zipline.
• City Hall (facility)
  Subject of the deferred City Hall Activation item.
• Town Hall parking deck (facility)
  Referenced in the unsuccessful motion about elected member parking permits.
• Hobart inner city (locality)
  Area targeted by the housing supply incentive policy.

Next steps

• Publish the final Creative City Strategy on the City website after minor amendments.
  Following finalisation
• Provide clear public information on eligibility and application steps for the housing incentive policy and review the policy after an initial implementation period.
  After policy adoption
• Undertake comprehensive engagement with property owners and occupiers in the proposed Liverpool Street market area and return an engagement report to Council.
  Before any final market relocation decision; delivery targeted in 2026-27
• Chief Executive Officer to engage with the Alliance for Gambling Reform to finalise scope, governance and related arrangements.
  Following endorsement
• Advise the lead petitioner of Council’s position on the Ridgeway Waterworks zipline petition and invite participation in future approval processes if an application proceeds.
  After the meeting
• City Hall Activation to be considered at a future workshop.
  Future workshop

Extracted minutes text

MINUTES Open Portion Monday, 30 March 2026 At 4.00pm Council Chamber, Town Hall Minutes (Open Portion) Council Meeting 30/3/2026 ORDER OF BUSINESS PRESENT, APOLOGIES AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE 1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY ................................................... 4 2. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES ................................................................ 5 3. TRANSFER OF AGENDA ITEMS ............................................................. 5 4. COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIRPERSON .................................... 6 5. NOTIFICATION OF COUNCIL WORKSHOPS ......................................... 7 6. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME ...............................................................