Three years on, a plan for pound

As the clock ticked towards the third anniversary of its decision to buy and operate the Utopia Pet Lodge at Longwarry North and co-locate a new municipal animal pound Baw Baw Shire will now develop a master plan for the property’s use.

The public will be consulted in developing the plan.

Council decided on the purchase on July 27, 2016, preferring it to three other options – two in Warragul and one at Lardner – for which it had plans and cost estimates compiled and released for public consultation.

At last week’s council meeting (July 24, 2019) council adopted a recommendation from its community assets directorate to develop a master plan given the “commercial business of the boarding kennel and cattery ceased (in 2017) and the current operations are different to what was originally proposed”.

The municipal pound was established there in 2018.

The report to council last week pre-empted an intention expressed at a previous meeting by Cr Tricia Jones to give notice of motion for a master plan to be developed.

A second part to last week’s recommendation – to “support the removal of the existing dwelling at the site” for which council has budgeted $50,000 this year – did not proceed.

Instead, its future will now be determined during the master plan study.

Cr Jones said last week that to demolish the house that has not been occupied since council took over the property was “putting the cart before the horse” and council needed first to understand all the issues with the property and what use the land could be put to.

She said it was estimated the house would require expenditure of about $90,000 to become habitable.

Cr Jessica O’Donnell agreed it “made sense” to get a master plan before demolishing the house and Cr Darren Wallace said the plan would be about how council fully utilises the value of the site.

Cr Michael Leaney said it was important to involve the community in the planning and it was “a pity that wasn’t done” before the property was acquired by council.

According to Cr Keith Cook the main reasons for criticisms about buying the Utopia business and property were that the community had not been involved in the process and council needed to share its expectations and options.

The commercial pet lodge incurred ongoing losses and was closed after about 12 months (in 2017).

The report to council’s meeting last week said the master plan considerations could include the operation of the pound, promotion of council’s animal management and pet adoption program, uses that assist other areas of council’s operations and improved community outcomes.

It was also proposed to open the pound on weekends for people to pick up impounded animals, view pets available for adoption, better promote the facility and accept payments rather than requiring them to be made at a council customer service centre.

Occupational health and safety regulations require at least two employees to be on site during the pound’s opening hours.