These are draft minutes and are subject to confirmation by the Committee at its next meeting. The confirmed minutes will replace this draft version on the website.

 

Meeting Name

Environment Advisory Committee

 

Date

11 April 2024

Time 5:45PM

Venue

PHIVE – Level 4, Civic Reception Room + MS Teams

 

Attendees

Committee Members

·      Julia Strykowski (Deputy Chair)

·      Clr Phil Bradley

·      Melissa Brooks

·      Crystal Fleming

·      Adriana Genova

·      Alexi Gilchrist

·      Marina Gilmore

·      Annie Nielsen

·      Murray Sayle

 

Council Staff

·     Luke Wolstencroft - Strategy Manager (Convenor)

·     Anthony Collins - Group Manager Environment &

Sustainability

·     Phillip Daffara - Project Team Lead

·     Hugh Johnston - A/Project Team Lead

 

Apologies / Leave of Absence

·      Lord Mayor Councillor Pierre Esber (Chair)

·      Clr Kellie Darley

·      Clr Michelle Garrard

·      Mark Green

 

Secretariat

Melissa McIsaac – Governance

 

HPRM Reference

F2022/01409

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.

Item

 

Note: The Committee were advised that in the Lord Mayor Clr Esber’s absence, the Lord Mayor had delegated to Clr Bradley to chair the meeting. The Committee agreed that Clr Bradley, attending via MS Teams, would commence the meeting as Chairperson, but that the Deputy Chairperson, Julia Strykowski, would be asked to continue as Chairperson after joining the meeting in-person.

1

Acknowledgement of Country

 

The City of Parramatta Council acknowledges the Burramattagal Clan of The Dharug Nation, the traditional owners of land of Parramatta and pays its respects to the elders past, present and emerging.

2

Apologies

 

The Committee noted apologies from the Lord Mayor, Clr Pierre Esber, Clr Kellie Darley, Clr Michelle Garrard, and Mark Green.

3

Disclosure of Interests

 

There were no disclosures of interests made for this Committee Meeting.

 

4

Confirmation of Minutes

 

The Minutes of the previous Environment Advisory Committee meeting, held on 27 February 2024, were resolved by Gilmore and Nielsen and CARRIED.

 

5

Parramatta River Vision

Description

The Committee received a presentation from Phillip Daffara, Project Team Lead – City Strategic Planning, regarding the development of the Parramatta River Vision.

 

The Committee were informed that the Parramatta River Vision is being developed by a network of agencies and foreshore landowners, and that at an external workshop on 22 February, Council was requested to lead development of the plan agreement. The Committee were advised about the scope and intended outcomes for the draft action plan, addressing the Parramatta River region from Lake Parramatta to Wentworth Point.

 

The Committee noted that the next network workshop will be held on 18 April to confirm key actions and mechanisms for delivery, with a target date of 2 May for government landowners to approve the action plan agreement.

 

The Committee were requested to participate in an action planning and visualisation activity, which has also been undertaken during consultation with other stakeholders, to inform the Parramatta River Vision action plan. The Committee considered key collaborative actions for Council and State Government Agencies in undertaking holistic river planning, in respect to the Parramatta River’s key roles.

Outcome

·      Committee Member’s individual suggestions from the visualisation activity will be collated by Council staff to further inform key consultation themes, to be reported to the next Parramatta River Vision network workshop.

6

Aquatic Bio-indicator Program

Description

The Committee received a presentation from Anthony Collins, Group Manager Environment & Sustainability, with an update on the Aquatic Bio-indicator Program, undertaking an aquatic biological survey of local waterways.

 

The Committee were informed of the survey methodology, and that samples will be taken in Autumn (April/May) and Spring. The Committee were advised that the current survey builds on earlier collaborative surveys, and will compare the previous years’ site results. The Committee noted that the survey intends to enable protecting the healthiest creeks and restoration of the next-best creeks, including geomorphic and vegetative works, pollution control, and pest species targeting.

 

Clarification was provided that Council will be undertaking a letter box drop to provide further information about invasive fox management activities, with a view to reduce noted community concerns.

 

The Committee further raised for discussion about considerations for the management of stray cats, and opportunities for providing community education. The Deputy Chairperson, Julia Strykowski, encouraged Committee Members to engage their networks regarding education about appropriate management of stray cats.

Outcome

The Committee noted the provided updates.

7

Canopy Plan

Description

Upon joining the meeting in-person, the Committee requested for Julia Strykowski to continue as Chairperson for the remainder of the meeting.

 

The Committee received an update from Hugh Johnston, A/Project Team Lead – City Strategic Planning, regarding the development of Council’s draft Canopy Plan.

 

The Committee were reminded of the RMIT canopy study outcomes and purpose of the draft Canopy Plan, as presented to the Committee in April 2023. The Committee were informed about the findings from the outcomes of Council’s Strategic Canopy Improvement Framework, and considered identified changes in local tree canopy rates.

 

The Committee considered canopy target options to be established in the Canopy Plan, and were advised of the implications associated with the different canopy rate targets. The Committee further considered operational opportunities to improve canopy rates, including asset management process improvements.

 

The Committee were invited to provide recommendations regarding how Council can support residents to protect, maintain, and grow canopy trees on private properties. Suggestions included educational campaigns, offering advisory services to assist with succession planning for replacing trees where required, encouraging nature strip plantings where there is insufficient remaining block space, promoting residential energy savings from canopy coverage, and alternative planter box options where ground tree plantings may not be feasible. 

 

The Committee noted that Council staff intend to seek endorsement to put the draft Canopy Plan on public exhibition in the new term of Council.

 

Adriana Genova retired from the meeting at 6:47pm, during discussion of Item 7.

Outcome

·      The Committee were encouraged to submit any further suggestions regarding increasing tree canopy to Luke Wolstencroft, for consideration during development of the draft Canopy Plan.

·      The Committee requested to include as an Agenda item for the next meeting to further consider the presented canopy target options, to form a view on the target option to be recommended by the Committee.

 

Phillip Daffara retired from the meeting at 7:03pm, at the conclusion of Item 7.

8

General Business

Description

Committee Members were invited to raise emerging environmental and sustainability topics of interest, or any other matters of general business, as follows:

 

·      Melissa Brooks will circulate to Committee Members following the meeting a link to the consultation page for the NSW State Government’s Synthetic Turf in Public Open Spaces Guidelines for decision makers.

·      Crystal Fleming invited Committee Members and their networks living near the Blacktown or Hawksbury LGAs who are interested in receiving a free residential property integrated resilience and energy assessment to make contact via email.

·      Julia Strykowski requested an update on the community recycling centre. Council staff clarified that it is intended to provide an update on the community recycling centre and FOGO rollout at the next Committee meeting, following a scheduled Councillor Workshop on the matters. The Committee were further advised that the proposed community recycling centre will need to go through the Development Application process for change of site use, including addressing flooding considerations.

·      Alexi Gilchrist further enquired about what support services are offered by Council for stray cat management, such as desexing programs.

·      The Committee further discussed about opportunities within its area of influence to promote protecting existing tree canopy, and opportunities for planting trees on underutilised Council land.

·      Melissa Brooks will circulate to Committee Members after the meeting information regarding climate resilience workshops for renters and a composting survey.

 

Murray Sayle retired from the meeting at 7:06pm, Crystal Fleming retired from the meeting at 7:09pm, Clr Bradley and Annie Nielsen retired from the meeting at 7:11pm, and Clr Prociv retired from the meeting at 7:12pm, during discussion of Item 8.

Outcome

·      The Committee requested to be further advised about what items are planned for collection at the recycling centre, as part of the update for the next meeting.

·      The Committee requested to receive a briefing at a future meeting from Council’s Regulatory Services unit regarding Council’s measures for managing stray cats, and options to further support effective animal management.

9

Next Meeting Date: 13 June 2024

 

Meeting Closed:  7:19pm