Port Campbell residents, reluctant to see over-development of their coastal town, have had their say on a new town blueprint.
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Around 50 people turned out to view the updated Port Campbell Town Centre Plan at the surf club late last week.
Council adopted the concept plan in March, following strong public feedback.
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Many locals think the plan, which includes changes to parking, improved pedestrian linkages and additional roundabouts, still needs refining.
Forage on the Foreshore owner Sam Anderson objected to the part of the design that would replace the grassy area at the front of his cafe with a car park.
"My business is on the foreshore and they want to take away our on-street dining by taking away the grass and turning it into more car parks," he said.
"That takes a lot of seating away from us, we can fit three tables out there that hold eight people on each. That means a lot of people we can't feed.
"The tables and umbrellas are what draw the people in.
"If they decide to take it away we would definitely fight it. It would be a fair bit of money to miss out on and our employment levels would have to go down as a result."
Mr Anderson said the town needs more work.
"The town needs more development but most other people want to keep it as a sleepy town," he said.
"Being so close to the Twelve Apostles I don't think it can stay a sleepy town forever. We're busy all the way through the year now.
"I lived here in 1996 and the town still looks the same, it's a bit tired."
I don't think it can stay a sleepy town forever.
- Sam Anderson
12 Rocks Beach Bar Cafe owner Michael Hunt said while he didn't want to be 'too negative', parking was still an issue.
"Everything to the south of Cairns Street, the boardwalk, the widening of Lord Street, I think that's all very positive," he said.
"But there's a fair bit of feeling that we don't want to lose the parking in Lord Street.
"The first question to ask is, why do they have to have 90-degree parking? An international traveller backing out may not remember which way to turn.
"If we had 75 degree angle parking we would not lose car parks and it makes a huge difference to safety and parking in Port Campbell."
He said there was also concern about the loss of boat ramp parking with the addition of a new roundabout.
Marion Manifold is the secretary of the Port Campbell Community Group and was on the community reference group.
She wants to know how the works will be funded.
"I wonder where the funding will come from, the shire rates have risen rapidly," she said.
"I think the council must get funding elsewhere rather than flog the ratepayers for it.
The council must get funding elsewhere rather than flog the ratepayers for it.
- Marion Manifold
"The bottom line of all this planning for Port Campbell is what can be afforded without making the rates go up? We just can't afford to have higher rates.
"It's peoples' homes and that's the first priority."
The issue of funding was raised by several ratepayers.
"There's no money yet, it's all got to be costed. We've been waiting to get the Twelve Apostles trail to be finished for about 12 years," Mr Hunt said.
Coastal Ward councillor Simon Illingworth said the council would look into community concerns.
"I understand one of the shops would have lost a couple of outdoor tables that sit on the grass, which is something I'll see if we can address," he said.
"The overall feeling now is people are understanding how Port Campbell is going to be a lot more pedestrianised which relates to the trail from Timboon, Twelve Apostles trail and the new pedestrian bridge.
"Traffic will be slowed right down, with pedestrian priority zones so less people can enter the CBD in a hire car to make it much safer.
"People are generally OK with development but they are very keen to see the feel of the place remain seaside and village."
He said the council hopes to obtain state and federal funding to carry out the town upgrade.
"It's unfair for local ratepayers to be paying for facilities used by people that don't pay rates in our region at all, that being tourists," he said.
"Tourism brings wealth to the region, but nowhere in the vicinity of what is required to pay for these things, certainly with the amount of money being spent here being so low."
A council spokesman said the 2016-2017 budget included $0.35 million for design and 2018-2019 budget allocated $3.366 million for construction.
"That's a total of $3.716 million," he said.
The proposed design includes:
- Changes to parking layout and supply: 268 parking spaces, up from the existing 245 spaces
- Shared pedestrian and vehicle zone in Lord Street and Cairns Street. It will be a low speed area for vehicles
- Retention of two way vehicle movement on all streets
- Picnic platforms and decking along the Norfolk Pines area
Council sustainable development director Ian Gibb said consideration had been given to angle parking in the development of the plan, but that it would result in a reduction in the number of parking spaces able to be provided.
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