VOTES IN: How council decided Sekisui's fate
SIGNS are being erected outside the council chambers as councillors prepare to vote on the Sekisui House's Yaroomba proposal.
Sunshine Coast
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UPDATE: SUNSHINE Coast Councillors have decided the fate of Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach proposal.
Councillors Rogerson, O'Pray, McKay, Hungerford and Baberowski voted against the development.
Councillors Connolly, Dickson, Robinson, Dwyer and Cox voted for it.
Mayor Mark Jamieson was the last to vote and did so in favour of Sekisui, making the final count six to five in favour.
DOUBLE WHAMMY VOTE NO
EARLIER: CR GREG Rogerson has told the meeting he will not be supporting the Sekisui House Yaroomba Beach proposal.
Of all of his reasons, he said the threat of setting a precedent for further development at Yaroomba was a headache he did not want to cause for residents in the area.
Cr Jenny McKay has also said she would not be supporting it, which garnered a large cheer from the crowd.
Cr Tim Dwyer is now detailing the reason for his decision.
O'PRAY'S CONCERNS
EARLIER: CR JASON O'Pray has told the public gallery at Sunshine Coast Council's Nambour chambers he will not be supporting Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach proposal.
In coming to his decision he detailed the difference between the slow and subtle development with which he associated the Sunshine Coast as opposed to "meteoric" development.
Cr O'Pray said most people would not see the proposal as a tourism development but rather a "massive residential development" with a hotel attached.
He said height, density, traffic concerns and community opposition informed his decision.
"The onus is on the property owner to garner that community support… and that hasn't happened here."
DICKSON SUPPORTS
EALIER: CR CHRISTIAN Dickson has backed the officers of his planning department portfolio, saying the reasons for approval outlined in their reports have formed the basis of his vote.
He said he had taken note of the feedback he had received, including 500 emails in the past-week-and-a-half.
But he said he had also gone out into the community to speak with people to get their thoughts on the application from a regional perspective.
"This is the type of proposal that they would support," Cr Dickson said.
"I will be supporting this today."
BABEROWSKI SAYS NO
EARLIER: CR Rick Baberowski has risen to make clear he would not be supporting Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach proposal.
It came after images of the proposal's apartments and hotel were shown on a big screen.
"I believe I have heard enough," Cr Baberowski said.
He said he believed the development and particularly the building design had "thoroughly failed to capture the imagination of the majority of the local community".
Cr Baberowski said dialogue about the proposal was largely mechanical and about numbers.
He said the region deserved an exceptional development on the site and wasn't satisfied the proposal met that criteria.
"So I will not be supporting it today."
HUNGERFORD SAYS NO
EARLIER: APPLAUSE has punctuated Cr Ted Hungerford's argument against Sekisui House's proposal, mainly on grounds of its conflict with the town plan.
"Mr Mayor, I will not be supporting this today," Cr Hungerford opened, which drew cheers.
"To me it is do we have a town plan or do we not?"
He referenced a recent hotel approval at Buderim.
"First of all Badderam, now this one.
"The precedence created today can affect future court cases."
He said correspondence he had received from the community had indicated people were not against a development on the site, but they wanted it to be within the town plan.
"I think that's a reasonable enough expectation."
CR DICKSON HAS QUESTIONS FOR THE PROPOSAL
EARLIER: CR Christian Dickson has asked a series of questions on topics including visual amenity and effects on other five-star accommodation on the Coast.
On visual amenity, he asked about how the development would affect views of the coastline from Mt Coolum.
Sunshine Coast Council group executive of customer engagement and planning services, James Ruprai, said 3-D modelling showed the proposed development's height, 24.5m at its highest, did not breach "the land and water interface" from the highest points of Mt Coolum.
However, he did say it would have an impact.
"The most visible portion will be from Mt Coolum," Mr Ruprai said.
Cr Dickson also asked what five-star hotels were on the Coast to which the answer was none.
A council officer explained there was self-catering accommodation that had five-star accreditation but no hotels.
The meeting continues.
JOHN CONNOLLY WEIGHS IN
EARLIER: CR JOHN Connolly was the first to rise and speak on the motion.
Cr Connolly referenced the Coast's expected growth to 500,000 people by 2035.
He also noted the development of major infrastructure such as the University of the Sunshine Coast, the Sunshine Coast Airport as well the new Maroochydore city centre.
"When I grew up here, most people had to leave the Coast for work," Cr Connolly said.
He said he didn't want that to continue.
Cr Connolly noted 8000 of the submissions made were pro-forma documents.
He referenced another development in Mooloolaba and said people "were put in a headlock to sign them".
That drew cries out from the public gallery.
He spoke in favour of the application.
"For me this is an easy decision," Cr Connolly said.
HISTORY OF PROPOSED SITE
UPDATE: SUNSHINE Coast Council executives are detailing the history of the land which Sekisui House wants to develop as well as the different applications which have been proposed and approved.
Group executive of customer engagement and planning services James Ruprai listed differences of an existing residential development approval for the land, gained in 2007 and Sekisui House's current option.
Sunshine Coast Council development services manager Patricia Jensen detailed aspects including density, height and open space elements.
Her explanation of the site not being visible from places such as the Point Arkwright lookout drew some groans of disbelief from the public gallery.
An image of the proposal's serviced apartments displayed on a big screen drew further groans.
The meeting continues
MAYOR DECLARES CONFLICT OF INTEREST
UPDATE: THE public gallery is full and adjoining room for the start of a meeting that will decide Sekisui House's Yaroomba Beach proposal.
Mayor Mark Jamieson has declared a perceived conflict of interest in that he received donations from directors of town planning company Project Urban before the 2012 Sunshine Coast Council election.
Project Urban has lodged Sekisui House's application on behalf of the company in a town planning role.
Cr Jamieson said he sought advice on the $1330 donations in light of recent changes to laws for local government representatives.
He made clear that the donations were from Project Urban and he had never received donations from Sekisui House.
He also sought advice from Queensland's integrity commissioner, who advised he should declare the conflict of interest but still remain in the discussion and take part in the vote.
His fellow councillors were then asked vote on whether or not he should remain a part of the debate and vote.
All except Cr Ted Hungerford voted in favour of Cr Jamieson remaining a part of the process.
The meeting continues.
PROTESTORS GATHER OUTSIDE CHAMBERS
BREAKING: SIGNS are being erected outside Sunshine Coast Council's Nambour chambers and people are gathering ahead of a vote on Sekisui House's Yaroomba proposal.
Yaroomba resident of 28 years Jason Ward took time off from his building job to help put unfurl a banner created in February.
On it were hundreds of messages about the proposal.
"It's a big moment for Yaroomba," Mr Ward said.
"I hope they (councillors) listen to everything that everyone has been saying in that local area."
He said he hoped the current proposal would not be supported.
"I hope something goes through that suits the area.
"I don't want to see it empty."
He said he would love a five-star resort but wanted it to fit within the town plan.
Point Arkwright carpenter Clancy McGowan also said he hoped the proposal was rejected.
Mr McGowan took some time off work and was hoping to be able to fit inside the council chambers for the vote and discussion.
He was not in favour of the size of the development or its conflict with the town plan.
"Obviously something is going to happen... but it is going to have to be a lot smaller than what they are proposing."
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 2pm.
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