Lioness fund camp
A proposal to consolidate titles into a large farming lot and a separate small lot for a house has been refused by Baw Baw Shire.
Although one councillor moved an alternative recommendation to approve the application, councillors took the advice of planning officers and refused the proposal.
A planning permit had previously been issued in May last year for a house to be developed on one of the lots on the farm zoned property in Cazalys Rd, Brandy Creek.
Permit conditions required the consolidation of four lots to create a parcel of 52.66 hectares that would contain the house.
However, the property owner, Dennis Stoll, sought to consolidate only three lots, creating a 50.52 hectare lot and a smaller two hectare lot for the house.
Officers said the two hectare lot was part of a larger landholding of 68.39 hectares that is being used for cattle grazing.
The larger landholding already has been developed with a house.
Officers recommended the application be refused, saying it would result in the loss of productive agricultural land and affect the expansion of nearby agricultural uses.
“The proposal is likely to result in land-use conflicts,” officers said.
Mr Stoll told council he wanted the second house so his son could have an opportunity to live on the family property.
He said the larger 50 hectare lot would be still larger than most of the surrounding farm lots.
On behalf of the applicants, surveyor Chris Morris said in the past three years council had approved five subdivisions to create small farming allotments in the immediate vicinity of this Cazaly’s Rd property.
He said under the rural zone policy, council had the right to exercise discretion.
“Without being facetious, in my humble opinion, it’s a no brainer,” Mr Morris said.
Crs Peter Kostos and Darren Wallace moved the application be approved, but they failed to get the support of councillors.
Cr Kostos said maintaining the two hectare lot for a house and creating the larger farming lot was a good result.
Cr Wallace said there were currently 33 houses within a one kilometre radius of this property that were on properties less than 40 hectares in size.
Cr Mikaela Power moved that council refuse the application.
She said she understood it was a difficult situation for the applicant’s son but council had to consider the rural policy it has in place.
She said while it was an opportunity to create a larger lot, the two hectare lot was still a loss of agriculture because of the cumulative effect.
Cr Keith Cook said council’s rural policy was based on what people had been telling council for the protection of rural land.
Cr Michael Leaney opposed the motion. He said while approving the application had the potential to allow two houses, it was still a better option because a larger farming lot would be created.
Cr Kostos called for a division. Crs Power, Cook, Joe Gauci, Tricia Jones, Jessica O’Donnell and Danny Goss supported the motion to refuse the application.
Crs Kostos, Wallace and Leaney opposed the motion.
The Warragul Lioness Club has enabled 45 students to experience the fun and adventure of a school camp.
Lioness members recently attended Warragul and District Specialist School to hear of the successful camp to Licola and other school activities.
President Ann Keating presented a cheque for $1300 to principal Matthew Hynd. The funds helped subsidise costs for 22 staff to attend the camp in support of the 45 students.
Mr Hynd said the school didn’t want families to fund staff attendance, so it was a case of the Lioness club “to the rescue”.
Ms Keating said the club heard of the Licola camp from member Merilyn Nunan who has a daughter-in-law teaching at the school.
“We couldn’t think of a better place for us to give,” she said.
The club donated $1300 raised from a trivia night to the cause.
The Warragul Lioness Club has recently donated about $12,000 to worthy causes across the local community.