Kiama Heights residents are making the most of a second opportunity to present a case against Council’s proposed reclassification of 85 Attunga Ave to operational, a step necessary for it to sell the block off.

“There are only two parks in our whole suburb, and Council is looking to sell off one of them,” says Sue Singh of the newly formed Kiama Heights Residents Group (KHRG).

“It isn’t right.”

The block was first ear-marked for sale by Council’s Long Term Finance Committee in 2017.

“That would have been the time to engage with residents to see what they thought of the idea,” says Alan Woodward, another member of KHRG.

Residents were granted a stay of execution when the final endorsement was deferred by the November Council Meeting for further consultation.

The proposal had passed through the Gateway approval process necessary for the reclassification of the land, from community land to operational land in the Kiama Local Environment Plan (LEP).

All that remained was for the councillors to endorse it.

Residents say they were unaware of the proposal being endorsed for the process of approving changes to the LEP (known as Gateway) back in March 2020.

It was not until the public notification period of this Gateway process that many became aware of the plan, despite Council following its usual processes.

Notification of the public hearing was mailed to close neighbours, and advertised through The Bugle and the Council website.

“Only five neighbouring residents were notified directly, as if it was a DA rather than something that affected all residents in the area,” says Janet Peters, the Secretary of KHRG.

While 16 submissions and a petition were lodged on the proposal, no-one spoke against it at the public hearing, due to misunderstandings about the process.

In the report to Council’s November Meeting seeking endorsement of the reclassification, staff advised councillors the site was not gazetted as a public reserve.

Residents are confused by this, as Council’s Plan of Management for Parks lists it and a block across the road as the only parks in Kiama Heights.

“We know it was zoned as a reserve in 1991, because one of the neighbours made an enquiry before he purchased and still has a letter from the then Town Clerk,” says Ms Singh.

Other people have similar letters.

As they understand it, the original intent was for there to be a land bridge from the site across the road, through 85 Attunga and the land on the other side of the old stone wall (formerly owned by Council but now owned by the East family) to the top of the stairs.

As late as February 2020, Dean Letic made enquiries about the block before buying his house across the road, and was told by Council there were no plans for it.

The following month it went to the Council Meeting to start the Gateway process.

“Having the park across the road heavily influenced my purchase,” says Mr Letic.

“It is great for the local kids and it was pretty heart breaking when we did hear about it.”

He’s one of the drivers behind a push to establish a community garden, possibly on the higher block, and to move the play equipment down to the block in question as its slope suits it more.

Residents recently held a community picnic on site, and agree the good thing to come out of all this is the building of community spirit.

“The irony is that if they sell the land it has to go into a land reserve fund for purchasing other land for parks or improving existing parks,” says Ms Peters.

After the motion was deferred, Council staff had onsite meetings with residents and have opened another round of engagement on the proposal.

“It isn’t something we are required to do by the State Government,” says Council’s Acting General Manager, Jessica Rippon.

“The extra consultation is in response to the community concern around the proposal.

“We followed all the processes that were required, and Council could have approved it at the November meeting.

“We are responding to the community by providing this additional period of consultation.”

Submissions close 10 March.