Here are just a few Jindabyne submissions so far that may spark some ideas for your Snowy Mountains Special Activation Precinct (SAP) submission.
Be aware, there are many topics to discuss, so think about what is important to you and concentrate on that. And it does not have to be long, it can be dot points.
All of these submissions have been adjusted to suit our format and template for consistency.
This list is in no particular order and more will be added late tomorrow afternoon
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Parking
There is the suggestion that there could be a separate study on parking, as we all know this is an important part of our daily lives.
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From: Business Owner – Jindabyne Resident
Heading: Parking
Sub Heading: Comment
Reference: Various master plan and technical study documents
Comment:
CDB Retail Parking
At present parking on streets within the Jindabyne township plus parking for businesses and staff working within Jindabyne’s CBD retail area are at full capacity. There is barely enough all-day parking as it stands now for staff of retail shops and offices.
Across your documents and master plan you have suggested changing certain streets to adjust current parking but you have not taken into account the current needs, let alone the future needs.
I urge you to not remove any parking from the business and shopping area unless you can provide a suitable alternative with increased capacity.
Residential Township Parking
It should be mandatory that any new residential or tourist accommodation being built within the township of Jindabyne be fully self sufficient with their own parking.
Example: A 2 story 4 bedroom unit should at least account for 8 car spaces minimum on their building site.
The streets of Jindabyne cannot cope with any infill development where more cars will be parked on the street. It is a nightmare now on the streets during peak tourism times.
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Jindabyne Township
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From: Jindabyne resident
Heading: Growth without Over Development
Sub Heading: Support with Comment
Reference: Draft Master Plan and image page 57 Structure Plan Report Part 1
Comment:
Upon first perusal of the draft master plan my initial thoughts were over development. There seems to be a lot of new development that I doubt sits well with the residents of Jindabyne, of which I am one. Don’t get me wrong, growth is inevitable and welcomed, it is how we go about this growth.
The beauty of Jindabyne is its rural alpine appeal with great assets of Lake Jindabyne and the Kosciuszko National Park at its doorstep. I emphasise the word rural, as that is its main appeal even to the many newcomers in recent years who now call Jindabyne home.
The town has grown in recent years and the attractions are space, nature and what Jindabyne is now. A rural country alpine town.
Please don’t try and change the feel of the town by adding high rise buildings and extensive lake foreshore development. That is unwelcomed by the majority.
Jindabyne is a community first and then a tourism town. Yes, it would be great to be a 12 month thriving tourist economy as you have stated, and that is where your strategic planning and investment comes into play. Just with moderation.
I agree with much of the SAP draft master plan, but it needs refined.
- Tone down building height to maximum 3 storeys, no more than 2 stories near lake.
(your image on page 57 of structure report part 1 titled "Example of a lakeside mixed-use building" would ruin Jindabyne.
- Lake foreshore improvements and landscaping without over development.
- Any new residential sub divisions include set rules around design and style. You could look at Lake Crackenback Resort for how they have set architecture caveats with use of materials.
- Invest in and improve town infrastructure as a first priority.
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From: Lifetime Jindabyne Resident
Heading: Jindabyne Town Centre suggestions and proposed new buildings fronting Kosciuszko Road.
Sub Heading: Objection
Reference: Structure Plan Report Part 1 - Pages 55/57
“The ‘Old Town Centre’ – (which is incorrectly named as this precinct is officially the “Town Centre”)
“The ‘Old Town Centre’ buildings need renewal over time (including the Memorial Hall and other ageing community infrastructure buildings), but another opportunity at this locality is the part development of at-grade parking areas fronting Kosciuszko Road for mixed use development, with upper levels providing opportunities for accommodation uses with attractive views over Banjo Paterson Reserve and to the Lake”.
“This may include mixed use development (potentially including tourist accommodation and more cafe/resaurants) to front onto a traffic calmed and streetscaped Kosciuszko Road, replacing the existing at-grade parking, and integrating with the proposed Lake Jindabyne Waterfront development on the north side of Kosciuszko Road.”
Comment:
Our family has owned shop 5 in the Town Centre since it was built in 1965. It has been a local café as The Snowy River Café and for the last ten years Cocina Mexican Grill & Cantina. We are open to ideas of refurbishment and even re development, but your drawings (and wording) show additional retail and accommodation buildings on Kosciuszko Road which would impact both parking and views of the lake.
The proposal for 4-6 storeys in this zone would be imposing and dwarf all other built form.
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From: Concerned resident
Heading: Future Developments – Jindabyne Town Centre Sub-Precinct (JCS Site)
Sub Heading: OBJECTION to proposed heights of buildings
Reference: Page 54 Structure Plan Reports Part 1 (paragraph 1 and 2 on left column)
“The majority of the site can be developed for apartments of 3-5 storeys with an expectation that a significant proportion of accommodation will be used for tourist accommodation.”
Comment:
Our family has owned residential and low density rental properties and commercial properties in this area for almost 60 years. Over the years the views to the lake have been eroded through unwise tree plantings but the area has retained a semi rural and open vista.
The proposal for 3-5 storeys will create narrow, windy and shaded corridors which in winter will be cold, icy and slippery. Look overseas to Niseko, Japan or Copper Mountain, Colorado as examples of poor multi storey designed accommodation blocks.
The original Go Jindabyne meetings clearly demonstrated that community opinion was very much against high rise development. Lower style, mixed development up to three storeys would not impede lake views and the feeling of open mountain and lake vistas.
To this point – your picture on page 10 of this study taken from Bogong or Munyang Street would no longer have these views if five storeys were permitted.
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From: Lifetime Jindabyne Resident
Heading: Concept Town Square Upgrade
Sub Heading: Support
Reference: Page 54 Structure Plan Report Part 1 plus Page 48/49 Diagram Public Space Study
Concept illustration of proposed Town Square upgrade, constructed over a series of levels and connected by ramps, with an upgraded Snowy River Avenue in the background. The proposal not only provides public spaces for passive use and small events but connects the town centre past Memorial Hall and across Kosciuszko Road to Lake Jindabyne.
Comment:
The Town Square would be a welcome addition to Jindabyne. The clock should be repaired or replaced on the clock tower and be a feature piece of the refurbishment. SMRC have advised that the toilet block won’t be removed just refurbished and will remain in the current location at least for a two year period.
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From: Long term Local Resident, Property Owner in Jindabyne, Local business owner.
Heading: Town Centre and Foreshore
Sub Heading: All 3 - Support, Comment and Objections
Reference: - Page 42 – Snowy Mountains SAP Draft Master Plan
Like (Support)
- Support increased pedestrian / cycle access and a reinvigoration of the foreshore for public use.
- Year-round event space at the Claypits. This area is highly utilised already and due for a great infrastructure and amenities update.
- Streets designed for people – Kalkite St, Snowy River Ave and the lower part of Thredbo Tce, I support to make far more pedestrian friendly.
- Retention of the current NPWS Visitors Centre and integrating this into a “Town Square” idea with a community building and plaza area behind the Memorial Hall
- Redevelopment of the Mitre 10 corner (Thredbo Tce, Snowy River Ave) into something more appropriate to the Town Square. Mitre 10 should be in Leesville. This place is better served as retail / tourist accommodation.
- Aged Care Facility – This is mentioned briefly in the SAP but needs to be actuated
- Community Facilities that also cater to tourists for poor weather days eg: Library, upgrade of the cinema, arts spaces, heritage centres, gym, climbing wall.
- Redevelopment of the existing school site to incorporate a range of the community services and civic buildings.
- Health Services upgrade to more suitable locations eg: Current school site.
- Support the beautification/ upgrade of many of the current buildings in town to have a more alpine feel. EG: Town Centre, Razorback Plaza, Lakeview Plaza
- Support the growth for a second, more accessible supermarket.
- Inclusive outdoor play spaces
- Redevelopment of the Lake Jindabyne Hotel
- Youth Hub at the existing school site
- Basketball Half Court
- Upgrade shared path on Foreshore
- Revegetation and clean up of area around Curiosity Rocks
Neutral –
- Beach at Rydges. While a nice idea, it’s not well thought out, especially given the working nature of Lake Jindabyne as a functional dam. Limited usage in late summer. It also has a major storm water outlet nearby and is not a great place to swim. There has been a jetty/pontoon here in the past and it spent much of it’s time unused and high/dry on the mud. This would be better served at the far more utilised area at the Claypits.
Dislike (Object)
- Kosciuszko Road should remain as a 4-lane road, with the outer lanes utilised as clearways for event parking. If there is concern about pedestrian crossing, then add traffic lights or over/underpasses. By putting this down to a 2-lane road it has the potential on busy days to grind the traffic in town to a halt, which already currently happens.
- I am not happy that the NRMA Holiday Park is being moved out in favour of an expensive “signature” development. This just unfortunately reeks of wanting to cater predominantly to the well heeled and to move the well established and busy tourist park currently in town to a location further away from the town centre where these people will then need to drive to access retail / food / services.
- Development of any accommodation that exceeds 3 storeys and impact existing town lake views.
- Overdevelopment of the lake foreshore. This needs to remain as a public space.
Additional comment
- The focus of this part of the SAP appears to be almost entirely on economic factors and tourism rather than making our town more functional for the community.
This town does not need another coffee shop / café. It has a far greater need for community and social infrastructure. These things are mentioned, but do not make a highlighted appearance and I fear that the large bulk of the development opportunities opened up here will be seen as just another opportunity to continue on with the same old theme of fleecing winter tourism and the growing summer tourist market, to heck with the community who actually live here. - Any further development in Banjo Patterson Park needs to include the facilitation of a suitable Soldiers Memorial before it worries about more playground equipment. Keep in mind that this park occasionally goes under water when the dam height is high.
- Boardwalks on the lakeshore are completely unnecessary. They are costly and not required given the current 100% lakeshore access that already exists.
- Retention of the current Disc Golf Course. This is far more popular than you may realise.
- Encouragement for business and all future accommodation be built to high eco standards, with integration of green energy solutions and green spaces. This is fitting with the vision of the alpine area and should be something that we take pride in.
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Southern Connector
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From: Jindabyne Resident and Business Owner
Heading: Southern Connector
Sub Heading: Support with timeline adjustments
Reference: Draft Master Plan Page 6 Figure 2
Comment:
I like the idea of the Southern Connector and in future years it will hardly be a “bypass”, more just another road in Jindabyne as the town grows.
If you look at where the next housing sub divisions will progress to, and also the growth in the education hub at Sport and Rec, the centre of town will soon not be anywhere near the lake, but more centred at the Sport and Rec area. Already there are large portions of residents who live “out of town” so everyone needs to think ahead 10-40 years and not tomorrow.
The only caveat I have is the staging of the build. Stage 2 towards Essential Energy should be built first, or there will be massive traffic jams down the Barry Way towards Kosciuszko Road. There should be some consideration to the building time line.
Also, the money for this road should not come form the Snowy Hydro Legacy fund, as the "guestimated" $110-150 million would be better spent on other Jindabyne and KNP infrastructure.
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Western Lake Jindabyne Sub-Precinct
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From: Concerned Jindabyne Resident
Heading: Western Lake Jindabyne Sub-Precinct
Sub Heading: Objection:
Reference: Completely object to the Snowy Mountains Special Activation Precinct (SAP) proposal for the Western Lake Jindabyne Sub-Precinct, which is earmarked as a Jindabyne Catalyst Precinct.
Comment:
This proposal completely disregards and overrides the incumbent Snowy River Local Environmental Plan 2013 (LEP) which includes this catalyst precinct area, identified as “Lake Eucumbene and Lake Jindabyne” on the Scenic Protection Area Map, as well as an eastern approaches to Kosciuszko National Park.
The current LEP clearly and unequivocally states:
- Snowy River LEP Part 3 clause 3.3 specifically restricts development in the land included in this catalyst precinct; “Exempt or complying development must not be carried out on any environmentally sensitive area”. This provision must be maintained in any future vision for the region.
- Snowy River LEP clause 7.6 states: “Development consent must not be granted to development on land to which this clause applies unless the consent authority is satisfied that— (3, a) the development will not have an unacceptable visual impact on the scenic quality of the area when viewed from the relevant lake at its full supply level or from a public place, and (1, b) the sense of isolation that can be enjoyed in many areas on and adjacent to the lakes.
- Snowy River LEP clause 7.7 provides; “Development consent must not be granted to development on land to which this clause applies unless the consent authority is satisfied that the development complements the natural beauty of the surrounding area, and the development is compatible with the surrounding natural environment and scenic landscape.”
- The existing land is zoned RU1 Primary Production which is being revoked and changed to SP3 to allow all manner of development that is not in line with the expectations of the LEP planning or best interests of the community. The LEP Land Use table Zone RU1 objectives are; “To ensure that development maintains and protects the scenic values and rural landscape characteristics of the zone through compatible, smallscale development”.
- This earmarked Western Lake Jindabyne area also includes Curiosity Rocks, one of only three Declared Aboriginal Places in the Snowy Monaro LGA, gazetted under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. This Western Lake Jindabyne area is a sacred site that should not be developed.
The Master Plan Appendix on page 112 Appendix B identified 689 tourist accommodation dwellings, along with 36 seasonal worker dwellings.
The Structure Plan Part 1 on page 111 states there will be 120 owner-occupied apartments/villas at Hatchery Bay.
This takes the total number of dwellings to 845, along with a four-star resort, sewage treatment plant, car parking, golf course, conference facilities, a holiday park accommodating cabins, caravans and camping sites, water park, an ecotourism resort, a hotel or serviced apartments, health and wellness facilities and more.
It is difficult to define exactly what it intended as so much of the SAP documentation is contradictory and ambiguous.
The above paragraph defies every intention of the current LEP regarding unacceptable visual impact and a sense of isolation on Lake Jindabyne and as an eastern approach to Kosciuszko National Park.
When you drive into Jindabyne, one of the iconic sights is the rural landscape and mountains across the lake. It portrays the feeling of being in the mountains, away from the busy cities, and gives a sense of peace, escapism and isolation. This huge development will completely destroy this sense of isolation as you will now see a development five times the size of Charlotte Pass’ accommodation when you drive into Jindabyne.
From a personal perspective, we moved to Jindabyne for a rural lifestyle. We invested our life savings into a property to give our children, and ourselves, a sense of isolation and to enjoy the local environment.
We are adjoining land owners to this Western Lake Jindabyne development area and feel absolutely devastated that our rural lifestyle will be stolen from us. We purchased our property with the above-mentioned protections in place and every day we walk to the lake and enjoy the rural landscape. That will all be destroyed should this Western Lake Jindabyne development proceed.
I find it disgusting that we were given absolutely no indication this development was going ahead until we saw the new adjoining land owner begin to start work on the property by installing new fencing and having a stream of contractors coming to survey the land and mark out different aspects.
Later, this SAP was released and we realised what was going on. Please take a moment to consider your own home and lifestyle being destroyed by a big development you were assured could not take place under current laws.
The SAP draft Master Plan overrides the LEP to avoid having to comply with existing provisions of the LEP in catalyst precincts and reduce the community expectations for development in these areas.
The SAP states that the LEP will no longer apply, and new controls introduced, along with a separate approval process outside of council management. These new controls water down the existing LEP provision and reduce the requirements on developers to abide by the planning environmental obligations of the LEP for these areas.
This changing of zoning and approval process appears to be purely to suit developers and facilitate development that would otherwise be unacceptable to council or the community under the existing planning provisions.
Any development and Delivery Plan under the Jindabyne Catalyst Sub-Precincts must consider the provisions of clauses 3.3, 7.6 and 7.7 of the existing LEP along with Land Use tables and clause 4.2 for RU1 zoning and not destroy the planning work that has been done over the years to protect this area.
Recommendations
- If a catalyst project is so important then put it out for public exhibition and consideration individually to be viewed and judged on its own merits. Do not bundle it up for 'overall' commentary with everything else in the thousands of pages of the SAP that limits and inhibits the ability of the community to thoroughly understand, review and consider the impacts of each individual catalyst area.
- Any development and Delivery Plan under the Jindabyne Catalyst Sub-Precincts must consider, include, and abide by the provisions of clauses 3.3, 7.6 and 7.7 of the existing LEP along with land use and clause 4.2 for RU1 zoning and not destroy the work that has been done over the years to protect this area.
- As an alternative to above item 2, all development within this Western Lake Jindabyne precinct must also be subject to consideration against the Snowy River LEP per the Jindabyne Growth precinct approval structure.