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Ocean Reef Marina: development progresses in council

Tyler BrownJoondalup Times

JOONDALUP councillors voted on two items at last month’s meeting to progress the Ocean Reef Marina project.

The first was to consider initiating an amendment to the City’s district planning scheme (DPS2) to modify the scheme boundary to include land for the marina development.

This is to align with the boundary proposed in the Metropolitan Region Scheme (MRS) amendment, which was lodged with the WA Planning Commission (WAPC) in April 2014.

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The amendment also suggests the areas proposed to be zoned urban under the proposed MRS amendment be zoned urban development under DPS2.

Councillors unanimously voted to initiate the scheme amendment to advertise for public comment for 42 days, after which the proposal will return to the council for further consideration.

A council document said the DPS2 amendment would be advertised at the same time as the MRS amendment as part of an overall consultation strategy.

The amendment will need to be referred to the WAPC and the Environmental Protection Authority before it is advertised.

The second item was to consider applying to change the City’s local government boundary at Ocean Reef Boat Harbour to include the marina development.

Currently, the boundary follows the water line around the shore and groynes and does not include the internal water body in the harbour and the finger jetties.

The boundary change would incorporate the proposed shoreline, northern and southern breakwaters, jetties, marina water body and boat pens of the marina development. To make this change, the City must apply to the Local Government Advisory Board. A council document said the City was preparing a structure plan for the Ocean Reef Marina but for adoption, it needed to be within the City’s boundary.

“Without an amendment to the City’s district boundary, the structure plan process cannot proceed and the Ocean Reef Marina will not progress to construction,” it said.

The Department of Transport and Department of Parks and Wildlife, as administrators of the Marmion Marine Park, will be invited to comment on the proposed boundary change.

MORE: State Government to take over Ocean Reef Marina project

Councillors unanimously voted to “approve in principle” the proposed change and requested a further report to the council following comments from the departments before “making a final determination to the Local Government Advisory Board” to submit the proposal.

The council document also noted there was a risk in progressing the DPS2 amendment ahead of the MRS amendment and the boundary change because any changes to the amendments could require the DPS2 amendment to be reinitiated or readvertised.

“However, given the desirability of presenting all possible detailed information on the Ocean Reef Marina project to the public at the same time, it is recommended the amendment to DPS2 be initiated now with the aim of it being advertised concurrently with the MRS amendment,” the document said.

“This will depend on the WAPC providing their advice on any modifications to the DPS2 amendment in a timely manner.

“This approach provides the community with an open and transparent planning framework and ample context against which submissions can be made.”

At last month’s meeting, Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard said if there was “any doubt in our local community’s mind of the aspirations of the City to proceed with the Ocean Reef Marina, then these two items send a very strong signal that the process is well and truly underway in a planning sense”.

“This is a precursor to two very important stages that are about to approach our community; namely the public environmental review and the MRS amendment,” he said.

“Both of those will very shortly, within the next couple of months, be advertised publicly for comment so the community of Joondalup, please be on notice that we will be seeking your views as to the appropriateness, or otherwise, of the Ocean Reef Marina.

“I encourage the silent majority to come out and speak loudly and support what is a wonderful, world-class marina so that we can commence groundwork and start what is a 12-year build.”

As at August 11, 2016, the City has spent $5.84 million on the Ocean Reef Marina project, of which $785,500 is from grants received.