Minutes for the Berry Forum Committee Meeting
At the Uniting Church on Monday 1st May 2017 at 10.15am.
Present: David Carter (Chair), Stuart Coughlan, James Robinson, Dorothy Hanbridge, Marilyn Kellett, Margot Claringbold, Bill Rice, David Brawn, Mary Beare, Hania Norman, John Underwood, Laurie Watson. Apologies: John Cullity
Minutes of Meeting held 10 April: Approved. No actions arising.
Planning Proposal (Peter and Pam Brice)
Discussion covered procedures for rezoning requests and the State Gateway approval process, as is occurring with the current Beach Rd planning proposal.
Both the Berry Strategic Plan and the Shoalhaven Growth Management Strategy are relevant reference documents.
It was explained that the Committee’s role is to monitor compliance and act as a communications conduit, but not to reject or support the proposal.
It was suggested that a conceptual plan of the proposed layout of buildings, roads and landscaping would be required before engagement with the community.
Review of Forum meeting on 20 April
Better use of slides and operation of the projector needs to be considered.
Acoustics could be improved by having someone signal to the speaker from the back of the hall. Need a second microphone and runner for questions during the meeting.
A suggestion was made about inviting a high profile keynote speaker each time to encourage greater attendance.
Berry District Park
DPRG is meeting tomorrow. The output from the workshop will be pulled together for communicating to the community from the stakeholder workshop.
Strategic Plan Focus Areas:
Town Centre (Bill)
Looking at future parking and access to TC from around Berry.
There are no footpaths on Price Alfred St and Alexander St accessing town.
We need to consider access to town from the south. Traffic could be directed toward the Showground for parking and we should consider placing a toilet block at SofA, using the sewage connections from the SofA.
Infrastructure & Facilities (Laurie)
Proposed that a request to Council to use remaining funds for tree planting be released.
Action: Laurie to draft letter to Council requesting funds, to go from Forum.
Station Masters House 1891 Heritage – not the responsibility of the Forum.
Sustainability (David B)
Focus is on getting a web presence – potentially using Berry.org (David Power handling).
Boomerang Bags – supporting the launch on 5 June.
Other Business
Indian Myna Bird Workshop held on 18 April – SCC plans to develop a control model.
TC article is due by Wednesday 17 May.
Gareth is planning a community walk along the bypass bridge on opening.
Action: David B to raise fundraising opportunity with Gareth at June Forum meeting
Action: David B to ask Chamber about organising an event in a closed off Queen St (post-Bypass opening) to promote Berry to visitors
Next meetings at SofA – Committee May 29 Forum 8 June
Meeting closed 12:10 pm