Addendum Agenda of Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee

Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee

Meeting Date: Wednesday, 05 September, 2018

Location: Jervis Bay Rooms, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra

Time: 4.00pm

Addendum Agenda

Reports

CBD18.56... Outstanding Actions Information Report........................................................ 1

CBD18.57... Nowra Bridge Project.................................................................................... 17

CBD18.58... Commercial Property Leasing...................................................................... 19

Addendum Agenda - Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee – Wednesday 05 September 2018

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CBD18.56 Outstanding Actions Information Report

HPERM Ref: D18/289923

Group: Finance Corporate & Community Services Group

Section: Human Resources, Governance & Customer Service

Attachments: 1. Outstanding Actions Report ⇩

Purpose / Summary

To advise and update the Committee on the Outstanding Actions from the Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee.

Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)

That the Outstanding Action report be received for information.

Options

1. As Recommended

2. Adopt an alternate recommendation

Background

These actions (Attached) are drawn from Resolutions made by the Committee of which an action is required.

The Action Table (Attached) is current as at the time of drafting this report (Wednesday 22 August 2018).

This will be a standing report on the Agenda for each meeting to keep the Committee informed of progress on the actions/resolutions from previous meetings.

Addendum Agenda - Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee – Wednesday 05 September 2018

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Addendum Agenda - Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee – Wednesday 05 September 2018

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CBD18.57 Nowra Bridge Project

HPERM Ref: D18/302316

Submitted by: Scott Baxter

Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)

That Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee Invite RMS to attend to discuss environmental assessment and concept design for the Nowra Bridge Project to discuss the revised bridge plans in greater detail.

Details

The Princes Highway is the main north-south transport corridor linking Sydney and Wollongong to the NSW South Coast and north-eastern Victoria. The highway is an important freight, bus and tourist route for the South Coast, particularly south of Bomaderry where the existing rail service terminates. Key tourist destinations accessed by the highway include Nowra and the South Coast, with peak traffic volumes experienced on weekends and during holiday periods. The network performance is poor, and modelling has suggested that the existing arrangement would reach capacity by 2026. The existing southbound bridge has restrictions for vehicles over 4.6 metres high and for higher mass limit (HML) vehicles. To travel south these vehicles, require a police escort to travel over the existing northbound bridge resulting in traffic delays. Additionally, the southbound bridge is over 130 years old, is in poor condition and has substantial maintenance costs estimated at $35 million over the next 50 years. Roads and Maritime is proposing to construct an additional bridge crossing over the Shoalhaven River to:

· Remove barriers to freight, particularly over height and HML vehicles

· Address current poor bridge condition and reduce ongoing maintenance and major rehabilitation obligations

· Improve local and regional network connectivity for motor traffic

· Improve journey reliability, particularly during holiday seasons.

Directors A&W Comments

Council has received a briefing from the RMS on the Shoalhaven River Bridge Project and is preparing a submission making comment on the RMS proposal.

RMS staff have been contacted and are unavailable to attend this scheduled committee meeting at such short notice.

A special briefing for the committee is being arranged as soon as possible (perhaps the 6 September).

The RMS are holding local information sessions in Nowra in September, information can be found via the following link:

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/south-coast/nowra-bridges-shoalhaven-river/index.html

The following has been extracted for the committee’s convenience.

Nowra School of Arts
Berry Street, Nowra
Saturday 1 September,
11am – 3pm;
Thursday 6 September,
4 – 8pm

Stocklands Nowra
60 East Street, Nowra
Thursday 13 September,
4 – 8pm

North Nowra Shops
Saturday 8 September,
11am – 3pm;
Wednesday 12 September,
11am – 3pm

Addendum Agenda - Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee – Wednesday 05 September 2018

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CBD18.58 Commercial Property Leasing

HPERM Ref: D18/302320

Submitted by: Scott Baxter

Attachments: 1. Policy - Occupation of Council Owned and managed Land ⇩

Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)

Council’s policy of leasing commercial properties and having the head of this department attend to explain the Lorna Jane situation.

Details

No details were submitted for this item.

Director Assets and Works Comment

The Council owned property at 43 Kinghorne Street (5 shops) was acquired by Council in 1988 as a strategic investment with a view to providing Council with options when redevelopment of the Stewart Street car park is considered at some future date.

The commercial opportunities and agreements in relation to these shops are managed by Integrity Real Estate, under direction from Council staff.

Four of the five shops are tenanted and the other has been vacant since November last year.

In managing commercial properties Council staff reference the “Occupation of Council Owned or Managed Land” policy (POL16/150 attached) in particular the cost recovery principle which states

“3.8 Cost Recovery – Council is to ensure that agreements do not impose an unreasonable burden on general revenue. Council is to obtain a reasonable dividend and at a minimum, cost neutrality from the use of its property, i.e. the tenancy is to be at no cost to Council.”

In cases where a long-term tenant cannot be contracted to a premises Council considers short term options.

Typically speaking Council will let market forces guide the tenancy of properties and does use the tenancy to protect or stimulate a particular market sector. Such targeted action would be a Council decision based on consultation with the local market and stakeholders and usually be undertaken for a set period of time.

In the case of this property some months ago Council agreed to Lorna Jane operating a “Pop Up” store on a daily lease arrangement.

In the case of the second and most recent approach by Lorna Jane to tenant Council’s property Integrity Real Estate brokered and promoted a deal based on previous experience without direct discussions with Council staff.

It is understood that the current public controversy arose from a Facebook post by Integrity Real Estate which implied that Council had agreed to make the space available as a “pop up” shop free of charge. This is not true as a daily fee had been imposed and when Integrity Real Estate realised that a mistake had been made, the post was removed from the Facebook account.

For the committees reference the ToR of this committee are;

“1. ROLE

1.1. To direct the development and implementation of the Revitalisation Strategy for the Nowra CBD and review as appropriate.

1.2. To determine overall capital works programs established by the Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy, as amended from time to time.

1.3. To agree an annual capital works budget with council

1.4. To identify and approve all expenditure of funds identified in the Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy, additional funds allocated by council for capital expenditure in the Nowra CBD including any loans, grants or from funds from any other source.

1.5. To act as a communication conduit between Council and the CBD stakeholders in respect to the Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy with appropriate support from council as required.

1.6. Assist council in advocating the adopted CBD Revitalisation Strategy to the community.

1.7. Provide a report to council each year outlining progress towards achieving the goals set out in the CBD Revitalisation Strategy together with any recommendations for updating the Revitalisation Strategy.

1.8. Consult with relevant stakeholders as needed.”

ELEMENT WITHIN NOWRA CBD REVITLISATION STRATEGY

Activating the Centre

Activation Plan

• Opening and protocol for use of Junction Court

• Renew’ approach to address vacant spaces: “pop-up”

• Program of activities based on community feedback & needs. Eg Free Wifi