ZONING anomalies have led to Wellington Shire Council delaying its adoption of the Rosedale Structure Plan.
Adoption of the plan, which sets out priorities for future development around the town, will also need to wait until a sufficient number of councillors are present at a future meeting.
Resident Kerri Logan expressed concerns about information not being made available for the plan, particularly about her land on Shaws Lane to the west of Rosedale.
Council and consultants, Ms Logan said, were not made aware of a planning amendment by the former Rosedale Shire Council, which identified future planning strategies in Shaws Lane as low density rural residential zoning.
Ms Logan also said the plan ignored a VCAT ruling in 2006 that the land was an “anomaly” which needed to be rezoned during the new strategic planning review.
The land in question was bought in 1996 as rural residential zoning, but was later told by Wellington Shire Council the land was zoned farming.
“The zoning had changed without us being informed,” she said.
Ms Logan said the area was ideal area for residential expansion.
“The proposal provides for an appropriate use of land with the four barriers, the railway line, the edge of the coal buffer zone, the Princes Highway and Blind Joes Creek,” she said.
Councillor Jeff Amos said more information was needed before the Rosedale Structure Plan was adopted.
“While I don’t necessarily agree with the person who has just spoken, I do agree there are some anomalies that still need to be considered,” he said.
“We are also down on numbers as far as councillors are concerned to have a full and frank debate on it.”
Three councillors were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.
Among changes to the draft plan was to have any rezoning dependent on a flood study and subsequent mitigation works.
While nearly 60 submissions were received seeking to rezone land west of Blind Joes Creek immediately, as it would enhance the western entry into town was less likely to flood compared to other areas, the plan gave priority to land to the east of town, which has 35 years of land supply, and adjacent to the school on the west side.
It was felt the land west of Blind Joes Creek would be the last to require infrastructure such as sewerage, water and drainage.
