Wagga councillors have voted to remove red tape for natural disaster victims trying to rebuild their homes.
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At Monday night's council meeting, the city's councillors agreed a new statewide provision should be included in the Wagga Local Environment Plan (LEP).
The NSW Standard Instrument LEP was recently updated to include a clause aimed at supporting residents whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters like floods, bushfires and storms.
The new clause applies to development applications to repair or replace a dwelling. It has been introduced in response to the regulatory challenges faced by homeowners who want to rebuild where planning controls have changed over time.
North Wagga Residents Association representative Fiona Ziff spoke against the move as she addressed the meeting via video link.
Ms Ziff said residents were concerned the clause would give the council more power to reject a DA. "[The motion] gives the impression that although the clause is a positive one, there is a chance some North Wagga residents may not benefit from it should council choose to enforce its power to refuse a DA to rebuild a home damaged by flood," she said.
"This is a frightening prospect to our residents."
Ms Ziff said North Wagga residents were "suspicious" of the council and it needed to educate them about the clause and its effect. "We are urging the council to do the right thing and be more open and transparent," she said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Councillor Tim Koschel asked Ms Ziff if she would support the motion if it was amended to included an education campaign, to which she said she would as long as it was a formal meeting.
The council will now ask the NSW government to engage in a community education process with residents.
General manager Peter Thompson said the clause was all about removing red tape.
"It does not introduce any new criteria to refuse a DA. It removes development standards as a reason to refuse the DA. It does not remove the assessment of the DA," Mr Thompson said.
"In the bushfire experience, what they have encountered is homes were built many decades ago, and standards applied to when they were built are different to what the standards currently are.
"The intent of this legislation is that they can build to the standard they had before and they don't need to argue for the departure."
Cr Kendall asked Mr Thompson if it was accurate to say the clause would make rebuilding a house easier post-disaster, and there was a guarantee it would not make it harder.
"I think that's a fair interpretation," the GM said.
"There's less information required ... [but] some of the requirements to meet standards will still apply."