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Mogo: From nowhere the councillors appeared: after two years of absence

Writer's picture: The BeagleThe Beagle

Members of the Mogo Community assembled at the Mogo Sports Oval on Thursday 18 Nov at 5:30pm to discuss the Mogo Activation Plan and the concerns they have with both the draft plan and the process that Council is applying to having it seemingly fast tracked. Eurobodalla Council were adamant that they would close public submissions to the draft Plan on December 1st, irrespective of the communities insistence that an upcoming report from Transport NSW regarding main street parking, proposed pedestrian lights, traffic lights and a B-Double capacity roundabout at the carpark entrance must be considered first. They have since kindly extended that deadline to December 31st. The Mogo Activation Plan Community meeting went ahead without any Council staff present to answer personally the key questions that had been lodged for response. Council had advised that they would provide responses beforehand to help address community’s interests. Their responses are to be found below. It was noted by many attending that the community event had seen the unexpected arrival of councillors who had been "missing in action" for the past two years since the 2019/20 bushfires. Also present were candidates to the upcoming election hoping to show some presence. Gayle Smith said "After 39 years in Mogo I'm totally disgusted that our Eurobodalla Shire Council constantly still goes against what the residents and business people of this fabulous little town need and want.

"They are sly and underhand and are constantly doing what suits them and not the needs of Mogo. There are employees of this Council who know what is going on behind the scenes, know that it isn't what is good for Mogo and keep information from us. Shame on you .

"Why do we have to face more unnecessary battles that we have fought in the past . They know how we feel and obviously that's irrelevant. Why should we, the people who care about this town, not be allowed an opinion that counts!

We could not get any sensible answer as to why a large roundabout was going to be built on Tomakin Road at the entrance to our carpark . There's no need for it just metres back from the busy bridge T intersection ( Tomakin Road and Princes Highway )... that does have it's major congestion problems already !

So What's The Story ?"

"Well we've already faced this ridiculous proposal in the past and stopped it happening... or so we thought!

"A Bus Depot...!!. Right there... Buses coming and going in one of the busiest intersections just metres away from our Primary School and people walking and driving in this popular Historic meandering gently Town of Mogo.

"Already a dangerous situation that we have addressed in the past ...about to be DISASTROUS ! And yet there is no mention of this in the Council Plan.

"Also most people who have known Mogo over the years , know that we need Public Toilets where the people 'need them' ... not up in the back blocks to facilitate the washing of mountain bikes and showering facilities etc , we just NEED toilets in the central part of Mogo.

"There are many more issues that we are being railroaded on... the natural watercourse that are valuable environmental areas that can be enhanced ( like other towns have done ). .. being treated like a drainage system, another issue we have addressed in the past."

Above: A section of those gathered at the meeting offering their show of hands in support of building the Public Toilet in the John Street reserve. The questions raised by the Mogo community are:


1. How many individual toilets are proposed in the new toilet/shower/bike wash block? Council response: The design of the new toilet block has not commenced. The draft Plan proposes to relocate the public toilets to a more central location in Charles Street. This location allows greater flexibility in terms of scale with the opportunity for an amenities block that provides accessible toilets, showers, bike wash, sheltered seating or an event space. Once the location is confirmed ie by adopting the Mogo Village Place Activation Plan, Council will commence design and construction of this facility.


2. How many additional car spaces including ambulant are proposed for the town of Mogo in the Activation Plan? Four accessible parking spaces are planned for Bateman Street (west of the Princes

Highway) in Mogo. Further parking opportunities that are proposed to be delivered in the

short-term are shown on the Mogo Village Structure Plan (page 36 of the draft Plan).

Council continues to investigate, and work with TfNSW, to deliver a combination of on- and

off-street, formal and informal parking opportunities in Mogo, including on the Princes

Highway and Annett Street. Detailed design has not been completed and as such we are not able to provide the number of carparking spaces for Mogo at this time.


3. Is the “green space” proposed on private land been discussed with landowners? The “green space” proposed on private land is associated with a drainage easement that

landowners are aware of. Discussions with landowners was most recently undertaken as

part of the development of the draft Mogo Village Place Activation Plan and the Mogo

Village Commercial Area DCP. All landowners in Mogo have also been invited to make

comment on the draft Plan. Further discussion with landowners would be undertaken to

design the stormwater upgrades and landscaping plan along this easement.


4. Why is there a pink zone (land marked tourist accommodation) where current residents live? Feedback from the community included that the draft Plan should consider further tourism

accommodation facilities. The draft Plan proposes that tourism accommodation uses are

well suited to the areas surrounding the commercial area. Residential uses can and would

continue in these locations, while the existing opportunity to provide tourist

accommodation would be encouraged.


5. What are long term plans for maintenance of Cabbage Tree Creek? Council developed a weed control plan for Cabbage Tree Creek, in consultation with the

Mogo Village Business Chamber, Local Aboriginal Land Council and South East Local Land

Services. This has been implemented, and maintenance will continue as required in 2022.

The draft Plan includes a short-term action 1.18 to continue rehabilitation of Cabbage Tree

Creek as currently underway to preserve the natural and ecological values of the creek by

increasing native vegetation.

However, long-term management of Cabbage Tree Creek is the responsibility of Crown

Lands and private landholders. As such, the draft Plan also proposes that Council would

develop a long-term plan or agreement to ensure ongoing maintenance of Cabbage Tree

Creek. This is expected to be a management plan agreement between Crown, Council

(Landcare), Mogo LALC (rangers) and other volunteers. Council would investigate

community interest to form a Landcare group which would be eligible for Council support

and Landcare grant funding. Council would also investigate other funding sources such as

from Local Land Services to fund Mogo rangers to undertake ongoing works on the creek.

Opportunities for community days and/or school led initiatives may be useful approaches to

deliver this action.

Property owners would also continue to maintain their properties to further support the

maintenance of Cabbage Tree Creek.


6. Have the owners of land where the “swale” is proposed been notified of the construction type? The proposed stormwater upgrades are consistent with the Mogo Village Commercial

Centre Development Control Plan (DCP) adopted by Council in 2018 which identifies a 15-

metre drainage easement in Map 2 of the DCP. The draft Mogo Village Place Activation Plan

supports this by describing how the drainage easement would include stormwater upgrades to:

• minimise flood impacts and improve drainage.

• provide more opportunities for pedestrian connectivity from the Charles Street

carpark to the Princes Highway

• be designed as an attractive open space for people to use and/or for businesses to

face

• create more opportunities for commercial uses along Charles Street carpark.

A design of the stormwater upgrades and associated landscaping has not been completed,

but this concept will continue to be discussed with landowners.


7. What are the plans to complete to road alongside the preschool? Council is not proposing to construct a road alongside the preschool. The draft Plan

identifies the future potential for roads in the vicinity, however construction of them is not

identified as an action in the draft Plan. Development of new roads in the North-East of

Mogo (eg extending James Street and/or Bateman Street) would depend on future

development and associated access requirements.


8. What is the reason for the approved and planned toilets in John St Reserve where the community want them and approved by ESC counsellors in 2019? Councillors acknowledged the significant community support for centrally located toilets

and resolved to progress investigations. They also noted the community support for them to

be in John Street Reserve. The draft Plan proposes to relocate the public toilets in Mogo to a central location within the village and suggests the most appropriate location to ensure

alignment with other future projects and activities for Mogo. The proposed location of the

new public toilets would:

• be in Charles Street near the new connection to Annett Street making it more

centrally located within the commercial area of Mogo

• provide enough space for a facility that can cater for accessibility, visitors shopping in

Mogo and mountain bike user groups, and more opportunity for innovative design

• be accessed via improved accessible pedestrian networks from the Princes Highway

• allow John Street Reserve to be reimagined as a meeting place and green space on

the Princes Highway

• minimise people stopping and taking up limited carparking on the Princes Highway

to only use the public toilets as they pass through Mogo.


9. What are the plans for the land adjacent the RFS shed and current toilet block? The draft Plan includes a long-term action (action 3.2) to investigate a multi-function

cultural/community space on the corner of Tomakin Road and Princes Highway. This

location would provide an opportunity for community groups to meet and be creative.

There is also the opportunity for additional parking to be provided on the corner of Tomakin

Road and Princes Highway, which would be investigated as part of the parking study also

proposed in the draft Plan.


10. Is there are update on the delivery of the draft TNSW Princes Highway Plan for public comment? Transport for NSW is considering a range of possible options to improve pedestrian safety

on the Princes Highway in Mogo. These have been recommended by the community during

earlier consultation. These options are not confirmed and subject to further consultation,

design work and funding.

It is anticipated TFNSW consultation about options will commence by the end of November

2021. The feedback received will be used to inform further planning.

TfNSW and Council are working together to ensure proposed changes to the Princes

Highway are reflected in the draft Mogo Village Activation Plan and vice versa. We have

also asked TfNSW to keep the Chamber updated regularly on progress.


Above: Posted by Mogo Lolly Shop "So this is what happens with our disgraceful council! The Mogo Community is meeting here tonight at 5.30pm for a meeting about the activation plan and what has the council done YET AGAIN! Locked the community out of their toilets. The men’s are open but the women’s are locked! Eurobodalla Shire Council you should be damned ashamed of yourselves! You locked the community out before the bushfires! You locked them out earlier this year and here we are trying to have a community meeting and you’ve locked us out AGAIN! Shame on you!"

NOTE: Comments were TRIALED - in the end it failed as humans will be humans and it turned into a pile of merde; only contributed to by just a handful who did little to add to the conversation of the issue at hand. Anyone who would like to contribute an opinion are encouraged to send in a Letter to the Editor where it might be considered for publication

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