After months of deliberation, research and arguments, the deadline for Griffith City Council to make a final decision on whether to allow 29 frost fans in Nericon is approaching fast.
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Council will be voting on the contentious issue at the upcoming general meeting on June 14. The development application has been met with widespread disapproval from the Nericon community - who have fears of the noise the fans will generate, along with the environmental impacts.
While this might be grounds to reject the application, the proposal is in line with Council's Frost Control policy which puts them in a bind. As Mayor Doug Curran explained, unfairly rejecting the application makes Council liable to repercussions both legal and social.
"We need to be aware of the ramifications if we knock it back - we're liable to the Land and Environment court and beyond that, we send a clear message to other people who want to come to town," he said.
On the other hand, the community at Nericon turned out in force to the most recent council meeting to make their voices heard - where the matter was tabled in order to hold an objector's meeting and find out more.
A petition against the frost fans has now gathered 300 signatures, signifying the overwhelming response against the development.
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The council's agenda has been written with a recommendation of approving the application, noting that some degree of conflict is "inevitable" due to Nericon's proximity to production areas.
"Council adopted the frost fan policy in an effort to reduce conflict through imposing noise attenuation measures. Agricultural noise cannot be eliminated and therefore what was considered a reasonable compromise was achieved through the adoption of the policy," it reads.
Roz Vardanega, a staunch advocate against the fans, said she was looking forward to the journey being over one way or another.
"I'm nervous and hopeful in equal measure ... I'm extremely hopeful with the amount of objections and the amount of people against it," she said.
"I've done the best I can either way."
"It's been an interesting journey."
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