Council to seek advice on goat facility
Wednesday Decenber 23, 2009
Cobar Shire Council will seek advice about the legalities of a kangaroo and goat handling facility on the outskirts of town.
The matter was discussed at length at last week’s general meeting of council, after a report from council’s director of planning and environmental services Garry Ryman on the matter.
Mr Ryman said investigations following complaints about the facility found council did not have any development consent on record for the goat facility.
Councillors stressed that they did not want to put the operation out of business, but rather to “go by the book” on the matter.
Mr Ryman reported that the land which the facility operates on is zoned Rural 1(a) under the Cobar Local Environmental Plan 2001 (LEP) which clearly defines the allowed activities including agriculture, intensive livestock keeping and stock and sale yards.
“Given the potential environmental impacts that may emanate from a goat handling facility it is considered imperative that council does not accept such activities as falling within the definition of ‘agriculture’ without rigorously testing any such claims,” Mr Ryman said in his report.
He said in order to respond to complaints regarding the facility, council needs to be clear on which activities are approved on the site.
Cr Peter Yench said while he understood the complaints made against the facility regarded an isolated incident, it was still important to go through the legal process.
“We should investigate all the options and make sure it’s legal.
“We’ve got to work with them, make sure they stay viable, but also look after the residents,” Cr Yench said.
Cr Sinclair said he still held concerns about the position of the facility, however Cr Marsha Isbester and Cr Tracey Kings said it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“I have no problem about it being on our doorstep, because it says something about Cobar—we are large goat producers,” Cr Kings said.
A further report on the matter is expected early next year.
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