Council Decides: November Ordinary Meeting 2025

Published on 12 November 2025

Welcome to our November issue of “Council Decides”, where we update you on the decisions and discussions of the Lismore City Council’s monthly Council meeting.

The business papers and attachments for the meeting can be found at here

MATTERS ARSING

Councillors resolved to:

• Note the responses provided to Questions on Notice

   

  REPORTS OF THE GENERAL MANAGER

  Councillors resolved to:

• authorise the issue of formal written notice to Homes NSW (formerly NSW Land and Housing Corporation) in accordance with clause 2(c)(i) of the 1990 Deed, offering Homes NSW the first option to purchase Council’s share in 15 Eggins Place, Goonellabah (Lot 514 DP 774504) at market value as determined by the Valuer General or another valuer agreed between the parties (2) authorise, if Homes NSW declines the offer or fails to respond within the three-month period specified under the Deed, the issue of a subsequent offer at market value to the North Coast Community Housing Company Ltd in accordance with clause 2(c)(ii) and (3) delegate authority to the General Manager to: (a) negotiate and enter into a contract for the sale of the land, should an offer by either party be accepted, and (b) execute all documents and take all necessary steps to give effect to the above actions
• adopt the September 2025 Quarterly Budget Review Statement and approve the recommended changes to the 2025/2026 budget
• ·note the Monthly Finance report
• support the Planning Proposal to amend the Lismore LEP 2012 to allow a timber yard as an additional permitted use subject to flood considerations at 98 Terania Street, North Lismore, (2) forward the planning proposal for Lot 12 DP1156149, 98 Terania Street, North Lismore to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) seeking a Gateway Determination and proceeds to public exhibition in accordance with any Gateway requirements and (3) confirm should any objections be made during the public exhibition stage that the planning proposal be reported back to Council. If no objections are received, the planning proposal be finalised and made, as per the delegation of the Gateway Determination
• acquire by agreement the easements described below, for the purpose of facilitating the reinstatement of sewer infrastructure damaged during the AGRN1012 event, in accordance with the requirements of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991: 2 Denbos Crescent East Lismore, 2 Beaumont Drive East Lismore, 7 City View Drive East Lismore, and 37 City View Drive East Lismore, (2) in the event that acquisition by agreement cannot be achieved with the affected landowners, Council proceed with the compulsory acquisition of the required easements for the same purpose, in accordance with the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991, (3) make an application to the Minister for Local Government and the Governor for approval to acquire the easements described in this resolution by compulsory process under section 186(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, where required and (4) Delegate authority to the General Manager to: (a) negotiate and finalise all matters associated with the acquisition of the easements, whether by agreement or compulsory process (b) enter into and execute any access agreements or other documentation necessary to facilitate construction works prior to finalisation of the acquisition process, and (c) finalise compensation and settlement matters arising from the acquisition process
• approve the partial acquisition in accordance with the requirements of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 of the following properties to accommodate road restoration works: a. 9 Rose Road, Tuntable Creek, b. 74 Rose Road, Tuntable Creek, c. 63 Martin Road Larnook (Lot 1 DP 632815), d. 96 Johnston Road, Clunes e. 9 Orion Street, Lismore (2) compensation for the partial acquisition may be negotiated to include a land swap under Section 44 of the Roads Act 1993 and under section 64 of the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991, (3) in accordance with Section 38D of the Roads Act 1993 Council supports any required statutory road closures and land swaps/transfers to be negotiated in relation to the properties listed in this report (4) the landowner’s costs associated with the acquisition be met by Council, including but not limited to survey, fencing, Council fees, the landowner’s reasonable legal fees, valuation fees and plan registration fees, funded by Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) (5) approve the full acquisition of the following properties, by way of transfer for a nominal value from the New South Wales Reconstruction Authority (NSW RA), to accommodate road restoration works: 1, 3 and 5 Coleman Street, and 2 and 4 2 Cambrian Street, (6) advertise Council’s intention to classify the land transferred from the NSW RA as Operational land and a report be brought back to Council within three months of acquiring the land to formally adopt the suitable land classification and (7) delegate authority to the General Manager to negotiate the terms of acquisitions and compensation and to execute all documents necessary to give effect to this resolution
• amend resolution 198/25 to be that changes to FOGO waste collection zones adopted as part of the FY25/26 Revenue Policy affecting properties that were changed from Rural to Village be rescinded until the 2030 EPA mandate or until all exemptions are known, (2) provide a rates credit to the 108 properties, (3) collect 108 Green Bins from the affected rural properties, and (4) maintain the current Rural to Urban waste collection zone boundary changes as adopted in the FY25/26 Revenue Policy
• in accordance with section 361 of the Local Government Act 1993, the draft Code of Meeting Practice in the business papers be placed on public exhibition for a period of 28 days, (2) a period of 42 days is provided for the Public to make submissions on the draft Code of Meeting Practice and following the period of 42 days, that this be reported back to Council for adoption, (3) the Mayor writes to the Minister for Local Government and the Officer of Local Government seeking clarification on Council briefing process to hold open and livestreaming briefings and limited AVL access, (4) Council ask LGNSW to provide urgent advice in relation to the legality of about the implementation of the new Code of Meeting Practice, and (5) briefings be livestreamed on Council’s website effective immediately

NOTICES OF MOTION

• seek funding for lighting in private laneway in Woodlark Street following consultation with the owner
• include a Lismore Lake Precinct Water Licence as a zero-cost line item in Council's budget following the next Quarterly Budget Review adjustments, (2) monitor to identify grant funding opportunities to acquire enough water to fill and maintain the lake, and (3) advise the State Member for Lismore and the Federal Member for Page that funding is being sought to purchase water licence capacity at the Lismore Lake Precinct
• immediately rescind the following policies, procedures, guidelines and handbook: 1.4.4, 1.4.17, 5.2.30, 8.11.1, Public Art Procedure, Self-Help Programme Policy and Social Impact Assessment Guidelines, and review and return to Council for further consideration policies: 1.2.25, 8.2.1, 8.10.1
• prepare a report looking at the pros and cons of establishing a Crime Prevention Action Committee to be reported back to Council for further consideration at the March meeting