More information on the Drainage issue contained within the C146 Amendment before Council tomorrow night

On reading the background information to Geelong Council to consider Amendment C146 - Ada St, Drysdale rezoning to Residential 1 - at Tuesday night's meeting - more information is provided about the drainage scheme affecting residents in Central Road.

With regard to contributions to drainage infrastructure, the section 173 agreement also requires that, subject to the land being rezoned to Residential 1, the landowner shall pay to Council the required drainage works contribution. In simple terms the situation is as follows:

• Under the section 173 Agreement for the Retirement Village located to the east of the subject land, the Retirement Village owner (developer) is to prepare detailed plans, seek Council approval of the plans and construct at its own cost drainage works for the sub-catchment area.
• The Retirement Village Section 173 agreement estimates the Drainage Works costs at $1.5 Million.
• No later than 5 years after the works have been completed Council is required to recover financial contributions from the “benefiting landowners” of the drainage works and pay the sums recovered to the retirement village Owner.
• On 23 February 2010 Council resolved to declare a special charge scheme in order to recover the cost of the main drainage infrastructure. The scheme applies to all benefiting properties in the catchment. The proposed scheme has recently been advertised and is in the submission phase.
• The special charge scheme does not specify details regarding payment other than the normal payment by instalments arrangement over a period of up to 5 years. Property owners within the C146 area have generally agreed to sign a Section 173 agreement as part of the rezoning process, which requires payment for the main drainage infrastructure only when a statement of compliance is issued for subdivision of their land. In considering the possible declaration of the special charge, Council will need to make recognition of these prior agreements.
• Dalton Consulting Engineers (DCE) as consultants for the Retirement Village (known as Pinnacle Living) have prepared an Outfall Drainage Strategy August 2008 and submitted detailed engineering drawings (as circulated to Panel and other parties).
• Council engineers have approved the drawings by letter of 17 September 2009.

The full agenda for Tuesday 11 May 2010 is available in pdf format on the Councils website.