Zoe Moffatt
Macedon Ranges council has delayed a special charge scheme for sealing Noonan Grove, Woodend but will implement a dust suppression trial during summer.
At their meeting on August 23, councillors noted the delay but voted to review and update the scheme policy for presentation of a draft policy by December 22.
This decision follows a 34 signature petition in January 2022 requesting the sealing of Noonan Grove and Christian Street, Woodend.
The council consulted with Noonan Grove residents about a special charge scheme which would allow council to recover the cost of infrastructure works from property owners who benefit from the works.
More than 66 per cent of Noonan Grove residents voted in favour of this option, however a greater catchment area survey was unsuccessful because it didn’t meet the 66 per cent threshold for the scheme.
Speaking at the meeting, councillor Jennifer Anderson said the council has many millions of dollars worth of roads and there will probably be higher priorities.
“Officers have… advised us that the levels of speed and traffic don’t really fulfil the criteria for the sealed road category,” she said.
“But dust is acknowledged as an issue, so they are going to look at something we may be able to do to suppress that dust. We can see whether that’s a cost effective solution first.”
Councillor Geoff Neil said he wanted to give the residents more of a say in the decision.
“In my mind we should also give the residents the opportunity to also have some say in their outcome because at the end of the day they’re going to be the ones paying for this,” he said.
“We will have a budgetary consideration but we’ll work on that when we get to it. There are quite a few hurdles in the path and we are only just starting to get on with the race.”
Officers will provide a report for council consideration by March 31, detailing options, recommendations and costing for managing unsealed roads within township boundaries.
