Griffith City Council voted to postpone a decision on the long-awaited application for 29 frost fans in Nericon.
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The much-discussed decision was set to appear in council last night, deciding on whether to approve the development and install 29 frost fans at a new citrus orchard, or reject the application on the grounds of the noise complaints and environmental concerns from nearby residents.
One younger resident, Annabel Navero, said she was worried.
"If we had them, I wouldn't sleep for a week," she said.
Many objectors came to the council meeting, filling up the gallery to see what result council elected.
While the tension was at it's highest, Mayor Doug Curran jumped in to suggest that council table the application for the next meeting and use the three intervening weeks to research more.
"I'd like to move that we lay it on the table until our next meeting in three weeks time, and it is my intent during that time to try and hold an on-site objector's meeting to try and give councillors an opportunity," Mr Curran said.
"I know a lot of councillors have been lobbied quite hard recently, today included. I know that we have people here today to speak on that motion but I think it's important that we lay it on the table at this stage to gather some more information and get those reports right."
He cited a number of inconsistencies in the DA tracker and suggested to hold an objector's meeting at the proposed site. Council quickly voted in agreement of the proposition, putting a temporary end to things.
One objector, filing out of the room, was overheard muttering to someone "Oh, is that it?"
The rest of the open meeting passed in just under 20 minutes, with council voting near-unanimously on the rest of the agenda.
IN OTHER NEWS
Council elected that Councillors Glen Andreazza and Simon Croce would attend the upcoming NSW Road Congress before moving on to the outstanding action report after some semantics.
Concerns over the Benerembah Street lighting project came up, as we approach the anniversary of the initial estimated completion date. The energy installation for the street has hit a hurdle, after construction hit immovable amounts of rock underneath the street.
Director Phil King confirmed that the plan to move to overhead power lines had also fallen through.
"We had approached them about going for overhead connections ... but we have found that that would require a different type of pole and that the pole then couldn't be stood because of the rock."
"We are still working on it and we're now anticipating we'll receive approval in the next two months or so."
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