DISGRUNTLED investors are threatening to walk away from the city if the council's climate emergency declaration imposes strict conditions on its plans.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Although Wagga City Council has passed a motion to discover ways it can address climate change at a local level, the exact plans are yet to be determined.
John McNickle, of Custom Originals, is considering withdrawing his investment, despite spending five decades in the commercial real estate game.
"To invest in the city's infrastructure at a business level it needs to be economically viable. Stacking up red tape and charges isn't commercially viable," he said.
Related:
Mr McNickle has 22 commercial properties that have been occupied by companies such as Coca-Cola and the Department of Civil Aviation.
"It is prime clientele for this city, but at the end of the day the charges are adding up and eventually I'll be forced to withdraw future investments," he said.
Bill Preston, of Preston Grain, has expressed interest in the Bomen Business Park as a possible site for buying and selling grain storage, but is now rethinking this choice.
"I would rather go to the facilities towards Junee than be tied up with Wagga City Council," he said. "We're seeing this happen in other areas. It gets harder to get a development application and next minute there are levies put on to pay for it."
Wagga mayor Greg Conkey said it was too early to say what the plan will entail, but the city's residents will have an opportunity to decide "how far they are prepared to go."
He said the council voted to recognise that climate change poses a serious risk and has committed to developing a climate emergency plan, which will be presented in four weeks.
"The council's officers will compile a report of recommendations that could include cheap projects like planting more trees or looking at water saving measures," he said.
"But, there will be an opportunity for the community to give their thoughts on how far we are prepared to go."
In other news:
However, the council could yet overturn its decision to call for a climate emergency plan with Cr Paul Funnell preparing a rescission motion in a bid to reverse the outcome.
"This is an opportunity we need to take. The fact of this issue is that no one really knows what this means - not even the council's staff who will be seeking outside consultation," he said.
"We don't have the resources as is, but they're expected to come back in four weeks with a report about a motherhood statement."
Cr Funnell argued that Crs Tim Koschell and Rod Kendall, who were absent from the meeting, also have a right to have a vote on the important issue before the council.