Redlanders will get another say on the City’s new local laws, with proposed amendments to go out for a second round of community consultation.
Redland City Council on Wednesday (28 January) agreed to proceed to the next stage of adopting the laws by taking the proposed changes back to residents for comment for 21 days from 4 February.
Mayor Karen Williams said Council wanted to be sure that the community fully understood the changes.
You may also like these stories
“Council has already responded to residents’ feedback during the first round of consultation and amended some of the original recommendations to reflect community wishes,’’ Cr Williams said.
“For instance, in response to more than 120 submissions, a proposed increase in parking fines has been reduced while a law relating to the confining of dogs at night on acreages has been added back into the draft laws.’’
Among the key changes to again go to public consultation are:
• Parking infringement penalties – a smaller increase is proposed, with the fines to rise as a percentage of the current Queensland penalty unit of $113.85, meaning the existing $50 fine in the Redlands for overstaying the parking limit will rise to $79.70.
• Koala protection – koala management areas are proposed to be reinstated to the Local Law and Subordinate Local Law, requiring dog owners, if their property is 2000m2 or more, to tether or confine their dog between sunset and sunrise.
• Roadside memorials – It is proposed that Council develop a guideline to outline the issues which need to be considered when installing roadside memorials, such as safety, amenity and community consultation.
• Keeping of pigs – the previous draft law allowed the keeping of one desexed miniature pig on land greater than 4000m2. The new draft proposes to allow any type and number of pigs on land greater than 4000m2, provided relevant conditions are met, except in the Ridgewood Downs prohibition area.
• Animal noise nuisance – The time an animal may make noise before the noise is considered a nuisance is proposed to be changed to 3 minutes in any 30 minute period, at any time of day or night. This is the same as the current requirements between 10pm to 7am; but is a change for the current day-time (7am to 10pm) requirement, which is a maximum of 6 minutes in any 60 minute period.
• Unsightly objects and materials – proposes that Council can enforce the clean-up of unsightly properties including boating related material in line with the city’s coastal location
• Defining urban area – amendments which stem from changes to the Fire and Emergency Service Act 1990 relating to where community safety hazards such as barbed wire and electric fencing can be installed.
• Lighting of fires – additional criteria is proposed to be added allowing fires on land of 6000m2 or more, while still allowing fires in the rural (non-urban) zone.
Council has also decided to propose two additional issues for public consideration:
• Horses in parks and reserves- Council seeks feedback on whether horses should be allowed in all Council parks and reserves on and off designated trail systems, unless specifically signed otherwise?
• Election signage – Council seeks feedback on whether the criteria regarding election signage “affecting the visual amenity of an area” is too subjective and therefore potentially ambiguous and difficult to enforce?
Cr Williams said the overwhelming majority of the City’s local laws would remain unchanged or undergo simple administrative amendments to correct legislative references and minor drafting errors.
“This next step in the process is to make sure everyone fully understands what is being changed as a result of feedback from the community and has an opportunity to comment on those changes before the laws are finalised,’’ Cr Williams said.
