Shoalhaven forum hears costs motion on refused development applications

Shoalhaven City Council’s public forum in Nowra on Tuesday 19 May listed a notice of motion about legal and consulting costs for determining refused development applications. The forum was held at The Studio, Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra, and ran from 5.30pm to 8.13pm.

Amanda Smith spoke in favour of the motion on CL26.95. The minutes do not include the motion’s wording or any debate on the item at the forum.

Other listed speakers addressed a cluster of planning and community items. They included Dirk Treloar, on behalf of the Conjola Community Association, on CL26.94 about enhancing environmental management for Fisherman’s Paradise and Lake Conjola Village; Amber Andersen and Joslyn van der Moolen, on behalf of the National Parks Association NSW - Eurobodalla Branch, on CL26.65 about access to community areas and logging; and Oliver Griffiths, on behalf of Bay and Basin Sporting & Community Hub, on CL26.96 about the Bay and Basin Sports and Community Hub Project.

The forum also heard from Shane Connelly, on behalf of Hyams Beach Village Association, on FR26.9, an additional item about paid parking at Mollymook, Huskisson, Hyams Beach and Berry. Gary Bickford spoke on CL26.100 about a proposed accredited community forums model of engagement, while Ryan Omrod and Ed Karim spoke on CL26.111, the preparation of a local infrastructure contributions plan for the Moss Vale Road North Urban Release Area.

Two speakers addressed CL26.115, the development application at 30 Tallowa Dam Road, Kangaroo Valley. Toni Wearne spoke for the owners, and Sarah Waddell, on behalf of Sydney Bushwalkers Inc, spoke against the recommendation. A second application to speak against the same item, from William Fitzsimmons, was refused.

The chief executive officer said no more than one speaker is permitted for and against each item under section 4.2(b) of the Public Forum Policy, and that a speaker against CL26.115 had already been approved when the request was received. The CEO added that it was within his discretion to increase the number of speakers if needed to hear a fuller range of views, but refused the extra application because the report already outlined and addressed community objections raised during consultation.

The CEO also made a less than significant non-pecuniary interest declaration on CL26.96 because he knows Oliver Griffiths through his time in the Liberal Party and because Mr Griffiths was on his campaign team for the 2025 federal election. He remained in the room.

Written submissions were received on CL26.65, CL26.100, CL26.115 and CL26.116, including submissions from Joslyn van der Moolen, Theo van Veenendaal, Russell Moule and Michael Farmer. No council decisions were made in the public forum itself.