Philip Habel opened the meeting with a presentation and discussion on the Lyneham Commons Food Forest.
The following Executive and Committee members were re-elected unopposed at the Annual General Meeting on 15 October 2014.
- Chair: Mike Hettinger
- Deputy Chair: Greg Zwajgenberg
- Honorary Treasurer: Bruce Smith
- Honorary Secretary: Leon Arundell
- Committee members: Waltraud Pix, Marcus Hipkins, Jochen Zeil, Geoff Davidson, Marianne Albury-Colless
The main items considered were light rail, city to the lake, loss of green space, and courtyard walls.
Light Rail
The Council endorsed the following motion on light rail:
The North Canberra Community Council notes that page 6 of the Capital Metro Industry Briefing presentation of 15 September shows fifteen light rail stops from Gungahlin Place to Alinga Street, but states “13 stops in total (including termini).”
The Council also notes that the omission of any one of those fifteen stops will:
- increase total journey times by up to six minutes for residents within walking distance of the omitted stop;
- cut less than one minute from all-stops tram travel times;
- have no impact on express tram travel times; and
- adversely affect the amenity, viability and value of current and future developments within walking distance of the omitted tram stop.
The Council calls on the ACT Government, if it does build the light rail, to commit to:
- building all of the fifteen light rail stops shown in the September Industry Briefing presentation unless there is a business case that clearly demonstrates the advantages of having fewer stops;
- publishing the criteria that it intends to use to determine which stops to retain; and
- conducting public consultation on which stops should be retained.
Capital Metro will make a presentation on light rail, and on the business case that is to be released on 31 October, at our next meeting on 19 November.
City to the Lake
The meeting noted and discussed the Committee’s decision to develop a position paper/media release on the related issues of the Barr Arena and the relocation of the Civic swimming pool.
Loss of green space
We agreed to check with ACT Government agencies, about what information they have on how much green space exists in north Canberra.
Courtyard walls
We agreed to draft a letter, to take to the November Combined Community Councils meeting, on the increasing and sometimes illegal erection of courtyard walls near property boundaries to address privacy issues relating to inadequate management of traffic and parking.
Next meeting
Our next meeting will be at 7.30 pm on 19 November, at ACT Sports House, 100 Maitland Street, Hackett.
Leon Arundell, Secretary