Shade In Cooran Streetscape

Frank Wilkie46:56

Councillors please speak? Councillors put the report speak. All please in favour? Speak? Put the report all in favour. That's carried unanimously. Thank you, Trent. Thank you, Pauline. Thank you, Trent. Next item is shade in the Cooran streetscape.

Amelia Lorentson53:17

I will speak to the motion in April 2023 some of it some of the councils were approached by the proprietors of a general store located at 12 King Street Cooran they requested that Noosa replace the umbrellas that have been removed by the Council from the community tables near 12 King Street we were informed at the time by the ex-CEO that the matter fell under operational jurisdiction with the CEO being responsible for the-to-day operations. At that time and at many other times a lot of the Councillors around this table expressed or made clear their opinions as to what they would like to see happen. It seems from the report that Council has taken a different stance and my understanding is that the general store were informed that the management and liability of any temporary shave rested with the business owners and not the store was then advised to apply for an outdoor dining area as a result a request is made to have this matter decided by Council the motion in front of us acknowledges a few things firstly that the tables adjacent to 12 King Street have always been a crucial community meeting space and that no business should assume ownership or exclusivity the motion in front of us acknowledges that the tables were erected by the Council in 2010 for community use not private use the motion us acknowledges that it is Council's responsibility not the proprietors to replace manage and assume liability for the shade umbrellas and finally the motion in front of us acknowledges that active community involvement in decisions impacting the Cooran community is critical to building strong communities and trust within Council by way of background I'm going to read an email that was recently sent by a resident um it won't be long um he says that of the past Councillors who had the seating installed initially we were aware of the issues at the store and that this area is a place where people congregate even today years later the store is more than a shop providing banking, postal and other services at the time there was an informal arrangement made that Council provide the seating and the store provide the shade over tables during opening times which is usually during daylight hours the arrangement worked well for at least 35 years I understand the issue of liability for Council and would suggest that the tables remain as public seating and Council provide shade over the tables and keep this asset in public control the recommendation before you that I seek support is that Council provide freestanding shade umbrellas in the streetscape as a short-term solution to undertake community consultation the regarding public use of the space and the subsequent design and construction of a long-term shelter noting that the four options that were canvassed in the report had not been subject to community engagement and three consider the budget allocation for supply and installation of the trees mature trees in King Street Cooran in consultation again with all the local businesses and the community and note that Council has already committed to additional shade shelter at the Cooran and that Council also proposes a budget bid for a Cooran recreational precinct plan which can look at the possibility of a shade structure at places such as the skate park again, I reiterate that active community involvement in decisions directly impacting the Cooran community is critical. The motion in front of us recognises and seeks input from the Cooran local business and the community and ask that you support the motion in front of you. Questions? Councillor Joe, then Brian.

How many are we looking at? Previously in the streetscape design, there actually were two trees located on King Street, which are since there used to be an eucalyptus spider carpet, so, and you can see them actually on the history of the area of photography, so there's at least two, but I think that if we went to the community, because, you know, we've got a much broader active retail precinct in Cooran than we had when the streetscape was upgraded, so with businesses at different ends of the town, so I think the question would be, you know, looking at whether there'd be other locations, but, you know, the point is that $30,000 will get you a lot of trees as a comparison, though it's a more longer-term solution, so two minimum for two minimum shade in that locality.

Technical my technical response would be that in accordance with the Council direction is that this location in the streetscape has been traditionally provided with public furniture without shade that's no longer a best practice in terms of Council moving forward when councils work towards putting in Cooran. Since that date there's always been a shelter which is Cooran such as the shelter in Pioneer Park. If the owner of those other premises, the top end of town or the bottom end of town wanted shade you know adjacent to their premises they would need to work for a private solution because Council has never committed to public in that location and to me that's the distinguishment between this case and those other retail premises. So if they had an outdoor dining permit they could put their own tables or shade out. You know as outlined in the report there's various options you know building of an awning as well you know which you know is used elsewhere and our town plan requires provision of awnings when they actually rebuild the premises if they ever redevelop them or application for an outdoor dining permit which would give them exclusive use for tables and shade in their premises.