Phillip Island street scheme d-day draws closer

THE next stage of the Surf Beach and Sunderland Bay special charge scheme is et to pass a critical milestone with the preferred treatment option set to be decided at this month’s Bass Coast Shire Council meeting.

Throughout recent months, the shire has been developing a preferred concept plan from feedback received by residents of the estates. 

If the preferred concept option is adopted, the project will be further developed, cost estimated and cost proportioning will be undertaken to proportion anticipated costs to the recipients of the project.

If a funding mechanism of a special charge scheme is adopted, property owners will be formally notified of Council’s intention to declare a special charge scheme, and will then have the opportunity to support or oppose the project.

In November 2022, a letter and questionnaire were sent to the estates 1037 property owners to select a preferred concept option and provide comments regarding the scheme. 

The questionnaire provided three concept options and requested owners to indicate their support or objection to the options, which included:
• ‘base case’ option with minimal cost 
• option including ‘street enhancements’ such as landscaped traffic calming features 
• option including both ‘street enhancements’ and a ‘shared path’ along the Esplanade.  

In total there was 511 (49 per cent of estates) questionnaires filled out.  

According to the shire, results from the questionnaire indicated that there is a strong preference towards the ‘base case’ (minimal costs) option (1).

However, 229 property owners chose not to select a preferred concept option.

The ‘base case’ option was the most generally supported and least opposed in the questionnaire.

But again, the majority of property owners did not respond to the survey.

Most concerns from property owners generally have been related to cost or reduced characteristics of the area. 

Members of the Say No Group had presented a petition at February’s council meeting, which contained 602 signatures from ratepayers of both estates who are opposed to the project.

The group is urging council to offer ‘a simple, cost effective, environmentally friendly solution to the dust and drainage issues across the estates e.g. dust suppressant and managed swale drains’.

There are also a number of residents at the estates who are supportive of a scheme. 

A timeline of the project includes:

• March 2023
   Council to adopt preferred treatment

• April - May 2023
   Council meeting to fund through a special charge scheme

• June 2023
   Community consultation to advise of decision

• July – August 2023
   Council meeting to declare a special charge scheme

• September 2023
   Commence detailed design and construction phase