Consultations completed 2022

The devastating floods of early 2022 have caused a rethink of how our communities and their built environments exist and can grow in the future.

In response, we developed a Discussion paper: Working out possibilities together(PDF, 5MB).

The purpose was to start the conversation about long-term planning for how and where people will live and work in the future. 

Throughout October and November 2022, we asked for feedback on this paper. Below is a summary of the purpose of this paper and the consultation findings.

Four key pillars

The discussion paper asked a series of key questions based on four key pillars:

1. Pillar 1 Build Back Better
2. Pillar 2 Build Different
3. Pillar 3 Build Elsewhere
4. Pillar 4 Build Supporting Infrastructure

Find out more about the Four key pillars of the After the Floods Discussion paper, including what we heard about them during the consultation.

Consultation findings

The consultation closed on 18 November 2022. We thank you for your feedback, taking our survey, participating in a 'kitchen table' discussion or attending one of our market stalls or conversation cafes.

Findings from the consultation were reported to Council on 15 December 2022.

Your feedback was brought together into four overarching principles:

• Communication is key
• Enable local responses
• Options are necessary
• Co-ordination is needed

A further 16 principles are also detailed in the Findings Report.

A summary of the principles can be found in the feedback report to Council.

• Report to Council: After the Floods Discussion Paper feedback
• Council's decision
• Findings Report: After the Floods Discussion Paper(PDF, 1005KB)
• Engagement Report: After the Floods Discussion Paper(PDF, 1MB)

Next steps

The Findings Report, along with other post flood consultations like the NSW Government Flood Inquiry Report recommendations will now be used to guide and inform the review and preparation of Council’s long-term land use strategies and plans, including:

• Residential Strategy
• Rural Land Use Strategy
• Business and Industrial Lands Strategy
• Place Plans

The Mullumbimby Hospital Site Strategy and Urban Design Protocol was endorsed by Council on 15 December 2022.

This document outlines: 

• The vision for future land use including residential use and a multipurpose community space to support residents and community and encourage social contact. 
• Objectives of the Site Strategy.
• Urban design principles for the site. 

This document is based heavily on the recommendations from the Mullumbimby Hospital Project Reference Group provided in 2018.

For more information and to download the Site Strategy visit Mullumbimby Hospital redevelopment

We are responsible for managing public spaces including our beaches, parks and bushlands. With around 10,000 dogs living in the Byron Shire, we also have a role in managing dogs in those spaces.

Following community feedback, the Dogs in Public Spaces Strategy was adopted in late 2022.

The Federal community began developing a village masterplan with Council in 2020.

The Federal Village Masterplan Steering Group championed the process. The steering group of ten community volunteers worked hard to ensure that the plan reflects the aspirations of the wider community.

The steering group held several community workshops during the process of formulating the plan and worked closely with Council staff to ensure that the projects included are feasible and well thought out.

On 8 December 2022 Council adopted the Federal Village Masterplan - a visionary document created through a community-led process.

Concept Plan for Federal Drive

One of the priorities identified by the Federal Village Masterplan group was the need to upgrade the main street, Federal Drive. 

The purpose of this was to fix issues with:

• safety
• accessibility
• buses
• parking.

Through a design process, led by Council and a Landscape Architect, and in consultation with the Masterplan group, we created a Concept Plan for Federal Drive.

The designs creates a:

• safer, pedestrian-friendly street 
• leafy and functional centre 
• addresses issues between cars, buses and pedestrians 
• retains the unpolished existing feel.

The draft Concept Plan for Federal Drive was open for feedback in December 2021 and was endorsed by Council on 8 December 2022.

In September and October 2022, we asked for your feedback on replacing our Australia Day Awards Ceremony with a more inclusive annual Byron Shire Community Awards program at another time of the year.  

Feedback closed 4 October 2022.

The results were presented to the 27 October Ordinary Council Meeting. It was decided that the Australia Day Awards will be replaced with a community awards program during Local Government Week, 1 to 7 August.

View Community Awards

Moving Byron forms part of Council's Integrated Transport Strategy 2022 to 2042.

It takes a 20-year view of our transport network and identifies changes that can provide a better, more sustainable, accessible and safer transport network.

The community consultation closed in April 2022. Feedback we collected covered the following themes:

• Use of the rail corridor in some form.
• Reducing car dependence and traffic congestion.
• Diversifying and providing infrastructure that supports multi-modal transport options, like linked shared paths, bus/train corridors.
• Improving transport connections within Byron shire and with other Local Government Areas. 
• Climate change, reducing environmental impact, use of electric vehicles.
• Impatient for action – submissions which supported Council taking action without delay.
• E-bike use – submission supporting the use of e-bikes as a transport method.
• Improve hinterland roads - safety improvements needed to rural roads.

The results of the survey were reported to the Moving Byron Advisory Committee and the Moving Byron document was adopted by Council in December 2022. 

View the Strategy at Moving Byron

Following community feedback, the Draft Community Engagement Strategy was adopted by Council in December 2022.

Thank you to those people who made a submission.  Your comments were incorporated into the report to Council. 

Thank you for your feedback.

Works on this project will be completed in two stages. Stage one works start September 2022. Stage two works are due to be complete June 2023.

For more information visit Broken Head parking and road improvements

About the project

The beaches at Broken Head and on Seven Mile Beach Road are popular with locals and visitors.

In recent years there has been a significant increase in traffic, raising concerns about:

• pedestrian safety
• parking
• vehicle speed
• emergency vehicle access
• impact on wildlife and the natural environment. 

The Draft Unauthorised Dwelling Policy was open for feedback from 23 September to 4 November 2020.

Submissions were presented to Council on 28 October 2021. 

Council decided to convert the draft policy into an internal guideline to process reactive and owner-initiated complaints.

View the Unauthorised Dwelling Guidelines 2022(PDF, 189KB).

The guideline, including the Planning Pathways, is a supporting document to the Enforcement Policy 2020.

You can read the Council report and Council decision here.

The Additional Flow Path is a drainage upgrade project to better manage treated water from the Byron Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and stormwater flows across the Belongil Catchment area.

The project was completed in early 2022. 

In December 2021, approximately 700 metres of new shared pathway and cycleway and a 14-metre long fibreglass pedestrian bridge were constructed alongside the drainage route, which are now open.

The upgrade of the playground at Byron Bay Memorial Recreation Grounds was completed in December 2022.

The improvements will increase the safety of the equipment plus make it a great place to play for people of all ages, abilities and cultures. 

Thank you to everyone who provided feedback in February and March 2022 by completing our online survey.

Your feedback informed the detailed design of the playground.

Funding for the upgrade

The upgrade project is part of the Recreation Grounds maintenance program and Council has allocated approximately $90,000 towards this project.

Throughout October and November 2021, we collected community feedback to develop our Disability Inclusion Action Plan for 2022 to 2025.

The Draft Disability Inclusion Action Plan was open for final comments in May to June 2022.

The Final Plan is available to download People with disability

Read the Disability Inclusion Action Plan Consultation Report(PDF, 899KB)

This consultation has closed.

The Delivery Program is our commitment to the community about what we will deliver during this Council term.

The annual Operational Plan details the actions we will take 2022 to 2023. It includes the:

• budget
• statement of revenue policy
• fees and charges.
• Integrated Planning and Reporting

Following an election, each new Council adopts a suite of Integrated Planning and Reporting documents. The documents are adopted by Council by 30 June the following year.

The final plans are available from under Delivery Program and Operational Plan.  

The Bayshore Drive Pocket Park is the first project being delivered from the Byron Arts and Industry Estate Precinct Plan, which was adopted in June 2020.

We had over 50 responses from the community about what they wanted to see in the park. The biggest ideas were spaces for sitting and relaxing, native plants and shade and amenity. These were included in the final design.

The result is a plan that includes a flexible space for hanging out, alone or with friends, and a shady space to eat your lunch.

Works were completed in 2022.

The park is being funded through the NSW government's Stronger Country Communities Fund.

The Community Strategic Plan sets the vision that guides Council’s activities over the next ten years.

It is a whole of Byron Shire document which has been developed following community engagement to understand our collective vision, aspirations and priorities.

The draft Byron Shire Community Strategic Plan 2032 was on public exhibition until 26 April 2022. It was adopted at the 30 June 2022 Council meeting. 

Thanks to everyone who submitted a flood story.

Your story helped to inform our submission to the NSW Flood Inquiry that closed on 24 June 2022. 

The information will also be used to support future funding and grant submissions to assist with our recovery efforts.

The NSW flood inquiry provides a forum for community voices to be heard and helps prepare NSW for future disaster events.

The aim of the Green Spine project is to create a leafy, green boulevard on Stuart Street, Mullumbimby that runs from Heritage Park and the Brunswick River, through the town centre, to the Mullumbimby Recreation Grounds and community gardens.

Find out more about the works completed as part of the Green Spine project

Stage 1A of works were completed in June 2021. The second stage works were finalised after the floods in June 2022. 

The Talking Street Trial project allowed us to test new ideas to turn Burringbar Street and the Mullumbimby town centre into a more attractive, safe and people-friendly public space.

Throughout 2021, we asked locals to provide feedback on aspects of the trial.

This informed a report to Council in early 2022.

What changes happened as part of the trial?

Pedestrian crossing

A new pedestrian crossing located near the Commonwealth Bank on Burringbar Street is designed to make it safer and easier for people to cross the road.

Narrowing of the road

Narrowing of the road at the Burringbar and Stuart Street intersection aimed to make the traffic move more slowly. It creates the feeling of ‘closeness’, and by helping traffic to slow down, it creates more of a shared space where people, bikes and vehicles move around safely.

New Arakwal pavement artwork

Local Arakwal artists, Nickolla and Kaitlyn Clark, have started work on four pavement artworks being created near the intersection of Burringbar Street and Stuart Street. The artworks depict symbolism of sacred and significant areas of Country, like Gabanbaa - thick forest and coastal middens. They will highlight the importance these places hold, as they are now under threat.

New signage

New signage reduces the speed in the town centre from 50km/h to 30km/hr.

This aims to create a safe shared-space for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. It will also help people move easily from one side of the street to the other.

Parklets

Two temporary parklets were installed, with new artwork, thanks to Shearwater Steiner School students. The two parklets were installed in March 2021 at the taxi rank and bus stop in Stuart Street, near the Burringbar Street intersection.

Unfortunately the parklets were removed from the trial due to anti-social behaviour.