Hornsby Shire Council Agenda and Summary of Recommendations

Page 1

AGENDA AND SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

Acknowledgement of Country

Statement by the Chairperson:

"Council recognises the Traditional Owners of the lands of Hornsby Shire, the Darug and GuriNgai peoples, and pays respect to their Ancestors and Elders past and present and to their Heritage. We acknowledge and uphold their intrinsic connections and continuing relationships to Country."

PRESENT

NATIONAL ANTHEM

OPENING PRAYER/S

Pastor Andrew Starr from Viva Vineyard Church, Hornsby will open the meeting in prayer.

Acknowledgement of RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

Statement by the Chairperson:

"We recognise our Shire's rich cultural and religious diversity and we acknowledge and pay respect to the beliefs of all members of our community, regardless of creed or faith."

Video and AUDIO RECORDING OF COUNCIL MEETING

Statement by the Chairperson:

"I advise all present that tonight's meeting is being video streamed live via Council’s website and also audio recorded for the purposes of providing a record of public comment at the meeting, supporting the democratic process, broadening knowledge and participation in community affairs, and demonstrating Council’s commitment to openness and accountability. The audio and video recordings of the non-confidential parts of the meeting will be made available on Council’s website once the Minutes have been finalised. All speakers are requested to ensure their comments are relevant to the issue at hand and to refrain from making personal comments or criticisms. No other persons are permitted to record the Meeting, unless specifically authorised by Council to do so."

APOLOGIES / LEAVE OF ABSENCE

political donations disclosure

Statement by the Chairperson:

“In accordance with Section 10.4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, any person or organisation who has made a relevant planning application or a submission in respect of a relevant planning application which is on tonight’s agenda, and who has made a reportable political donation or gift to a Councillor or employee of the Council, must make a Political Donations Disclosure Statement.

If a Councillor or employee has received a reportable political donation or gift from a person or organisation who has made a relevant planning application or a submission in respect of a relevant planning application which is on tonight’s agenda, they must declare a non-pecuniary conflict of interests to the meeting, disclose the nature of the interest and manage the conflict of interests in accordance with Council’s Code of Conduct.”

declarations of interest

Councillors are reminded of their Oath or Affirmation of Office made under section 233A of the Act and their obligations under the Council’s Code of Conduct to disclose and appropriately manage conflicts of interest.

Clause 4.16 and 4.17 of Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors requires that a councillor or a member of a Council committee who has a pecuniary interest in a matter which is before the Council or committee and who is present at a meeting of the Council or committee at which the matter is being considered must disclose the nature of the interest to the meeting as soon as practicable. The disclosure is also to be submitted in writing (on the form titled “Declaration of Interest”).

4.16 A councillor who has a pecuniary interest in any matter with which the council is concerned, and who is present at a meeting of the council or committee at which the matter is being considered, must disclose the nature of the interest to the meeting as soon as practicable.

4.17 The councillor must not be present at, or in sight of, the meeting of the council or committee:

a) at any time during which the matter is being considered or discussed by the council or committee, or

b) at any time during which the council or committee is voting on any question in relation to the matter.

Clause 5.10 and 5.11 of Council’s Code of Conduct for Councillors requires that a councillor or a member of a Council committee who has a non pecuniary interest in a matter which is before the Council or committee and who is present at a meeting of the Council or committee at which the matter is being considered must disclose the nature of the interest to the meeting as soon as practicable. The disclosure is also to be submitted in writing (on the form titled “Declaration of Interest”).

5.10 Significant non-pecuniary conflict of interests must be managed in one of two ways:

a) by not participating in consideration of, or decision making in relation to, the matter in which you have the significant non-pecuniary conflict of interest and the matter being allocated to another person for consideration or determination, or

b) if the significant non-pecuniary conflict of interest arises in relation to a matter under consideration at a council or committee meeting, by managing the conflict of interest as if you had a pecuniary interest in the matter by complying with clauses 4.16 and 4.17.

5.11 If you determine that you have a non-pecuniary conflict of interest in a matter that is not significant and does not require further action, when disclosing the interest you must also explain in writing why you consider that the non-pecuniary conflict of interest is not significant and does not require further action in the circumstances.

confirmation of minutes

THAT the Minutes of the General Meeting held on 12 February, 2025 be confirmed; a copy having been distributed to all Councillors.

Petitions

presentations

Rescission Motions

Mayoral Minutes

Page Number 1

Item 1 MM3/25 Striking the Balance: Tree Protection and Safety in The Bushland Shire

RECOMMENDATION

THAT:

1. The General Manager coordinate an informal Councillor briefing with Councillors to discuss the process, priority, timeframes and resources required to undertake a review of the effectiveness of Council’s tree controls and tree management approach to ensure a balance between community safety, protection of assets (such as homes and public facilities), and preserving the bushland character of our Shire.

2. The informal Councillor briefing is to include, but not be limited to, consideration of the following:

a) Opportunities to review planning controls to maintain Council’s strong tree and vegetation protections, whilst balancing this with residents’ reasonable expectations for their own developments and safety.

b) An integrated public awareness and education program focussed on the benefits of tree canopy and sound arboriculture management.

c) A costed, sustainable and ongoing public tree planting program covering both rural and urban areas to maximise canopy and biodiversity as outlined in Council’s Biodiversity and Urban Forest strategies.

d) Options for improving Council’s proactive management of public trees, particularly in high use areas such as those surrounding schools, parks and heavily used footpaths, and including opportunities to seek better outcomes from Ausgrid contractor’s pruning of public trees under powerlines.

e) Consultation methods to seeks community views and feedback to help inform any review.

3. The informal Councillor briefing be scheduled to be undertaken within the next 3 months with a further report to be presented to Council outlining the outcomes of the discussion at the workshop.

ITEMS PASSED BY EXCEPTION / CALL FOR SPEAKERS ON AGENDA ITEMS

Note:

Persons wishing to address Council on matters which are on the Agenda are permitted to speak, prior to the item being discussed, and their names will be recorded in the Minutes in respect of that particular item.

Persons wishing to address Council on non agenda matters, are permitted to speak after all items on the agenda in respect of which there is a speaker from the public have been finalised by Council. Their names will be recorded in the Minutes under the heading "Public Forum for Non Agenda Items".

GENERAL BUSINESS

· Items for which there is a Public Forum Speaker

· Public Forum for non agenda items

· Balance of General Business items

Office of the General Manager

Page Number 4

Item 2 GM9/25 Draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan - Adoption for Public Exhibition

RECOMMENDATION

THAT:

1. Council adopts for the purposes of public exhibition the draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan attached to General Manager’s Report No. GM9/25.

2. The public exhibition period be between 13 March and 21 April 2025 and community engagement initiatives listed in the consultation section of this report be noted.

3. A report summarising feedback received during the exhibition period be returned to Council for consideration by the June 2025 General Meeting.

Corporate Support Division

Page Number 12

Item 3 CS7/25 Investments and Borrowings For 2024/2025 - Status For The Period Ending 31 January 2025

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the contents of Director’s Report No. CS7/25 be received and noted.

Community and Environment Division

Page Number 15

Item 4 CE3/25 Community Event Grants Program

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council:

1. Receive and note Director’s Report No. CE3/25.

2. Determine the applications, quantum and period of funding it wishes to allocate under the Community Events Grants program.

Page Number 22

Item 5 CE2/25 Food Organics and Garden Organics Recycling Services

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council:

1. Note the information contained within and attached to the Director’s Report No. CE2/25, including the NSW Government’s FOGO Mandate requiring local councils to provide residents that have an existing residual (garbage) collection service, with a weekly food organics and garden organics collection and recycling service by 1 July 2030.

2. Nominate its preference to implement a new weekly food organics (FO) recycling service to commence 1 July 2027 by way of introducing a fourth collection bin for food only and maintaining the existing collection services to residential properties.

3. Note the Domestic Waste Management budget implications and the need to increase the Domestic Waste Management Charge (DWMC) to residential properties to fund the introduction of a new food organics collection and recycling service.

Planning and Compliance Division

Page Number 34

Item 6 PC5/25 Hornsby Town Centre – Draft Public Domain Plan, Development Contributions Plan and Development Control Plan Amendments

RECOMMENDATION

THAT:

1. Council endorse the draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines, draft Hornsby Town Centre Precinct Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2025 and draft amendments to Hornsby Development Control Plan 2024 attached to Director’s Report PC5/25 for public exhibition.

2. Following exhibition, a report on submissions be presented to Council for consideration.

3. Council write to Transport for NSW and Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to express concerns about the traffic generating changes to the proposed split bus interchange.

Page Number 47

Item 7 PC6/25 Design Excellence Panel - Appointment of Panel Members

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council endorse the appointment of Stephen Collier, Andrew Stanic, David Epstein, Karla Castellanos, Marc Deuschle, Matthew Taylor, Jared Phillips, Jim Koopman and Vishal Lakhia as members of the Hornsby Design Excellence Panel for a period up to 3 years.

Infrastructure and Major Projects Division

Nil

Confidential Items

Item 8 CS6/25 Proposed Disposal of Operational Land Being Former Road Widening Land at Asquith

This report should be dealt with in confidential session, under Section 10A (2) (c) of the Local Government Act, 1993. This report contains information that would, if disclosed, confer a commercial advantage on a person with whom the council is conducting (or proposes to conduct) business.

PUBLIC FORUM – NON AGENDA ITEMS

Questions with Notice

Mayor's Notes

Page Number 53

Item 9 MN2/25 Mayor's Notes 01 February 2025 to 28 February 2025

Notices of Motion

SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA

MATTERS OF URGENCY

General Manager's Report No. GM9/25

Office of the General Manager

Date of Meeting: 12/03/2025

2 DRAFT HORNSBY SHIRE 2035 COMMUNITY STRATEGIC PLAN - ADOPTION FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

· The Office of Local Government has mandated an Integrated Planning and Reporting (IP&R) Framework which seeks to align Council’s business planning with community aspirations and preferences. The framework requires that the community be presented with the key issues and challenges facing the Shire so that they can have input into how Council, other government agencies and the community will respond to those key issues and challenges.

· By 30 June in the year following local government elections, all councils are required to develop a 10-year Community Strategic Plan (CSP), a four-year Delivery Program and a one-year Operational Plan to identify the main priorities and aspirations for the future of the area and the resources required to move in the direction of that desired future.

· The draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan (Attachment 1) is called Your vision | Your future 2035 and is recommended for adoption by Council for the purposes of public exhibition.

· The CSP was prepared by Hornsby Shire Council in partnership with the local community. A Discussion Paper summarising the steps Council has taken in reviewing the Community Strategic Plan and developing Your vision | Your future 2035, and the changes made, has been prepared and is attached to this report (Attachment 2).

RECOMMENDATION

THAT:

1. Council adopts for the purposes of public exhibition the draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan attached to General Manager’s Report No. GM9/25.

2. The public exhibition period be between 13 March and 21 April 2025 and community engagement initiatives listed in the consultation section of this report be noted.

3. A report summarising feedback received during the exhibition period be returned to Council for consideration by the June 2025 General Meeting.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Report is to present to Council the draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan so that it can be publicly exhibited from Thursday 13 March to Monday 21 April 2025 prior to being reconsidered for endorsement by Council in June 2025.

BACKGROUND

By 30 June in the year following local government elections, all councils are required to develop a ten-year Community Strategic Plan (CSP), a four-year Delivery Program and a one-year Operational Plan, as well as a Resourcing Strategy aligned to the Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework mandated by the Office of Local Government. The framework requires that the community is engaged to identify the main priorities and aspirations for the future of the area and the key issues and challenges facing the Shire so they can have deliberative input into how Council, other government agencies and the community themselves will respond to those issues and challenges. The planning process should also consider the level of resources that will realistically be available to achieve the community’s aspirations and priorities.

The Community Strategic Plan is Hornsby Shire’s highest-level plan, a ten-year vision that is developed collaboratively with the community. As well as identifying the main priorities and aspirations for the future of Hornsby Shire, it sets the strategic direction for where the people of Hornsby Shire want to be in 2035. Every project led by Council is guided by the Community Strategic Plan, however working towards the vision for 2035 is the responsibility of many partners including state agencies, community groups and private enterprise.

The Delivery Program, Council’s response to the Community Strategic Plan and its commitment to the community for its term of office, will outline Council’s plans of action to address the community’s long-term goals and a four-year program of actions and capital projects which will be reviewed yearly against the annual budget. The one-year Operational Plan for 2025/26 will form part of the Delivery Program. The draft 2025-2029 Delivery Program including the 2025/26 Operational Plan will be presented to the General Meeting of Council on 9 April 2025 to adopt for public exhibition, prior to final adoption in June 2025. This approach will allow for Council to consider community feedback on the Community Strategic Plan prior to adopting its Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

DISCUSSION

Involving our community

Many people and organisations have contributed to shaping the future direction of Hornsby Shire. In all, over 25,000 stakeholders responding to over 40 engagement projects and across a wide range of demographics have given detailed and valued input to Council in recent years.

From late 2018 to 2021, extensive Shire-wide community engagement activities were held to consult, involve and collaborate with the community on many topics, including in the development of draft strategies. Over 15,000 people participated in engagement activities including telephone surveys, face to face and online meetings and workshops, pop-in sessions and online surveys and forums. Three years on, we were interested to know if the findings from the previous consultations are still relevant and whether our current community Vision and what’s important to people within Hornsby Shire has changed.

During 2022 to 2024, over 10,000 people participated in further community engagements which included:

· Community Satisfaction Survey 2023 - a ‘pulse’ survey was conducted on 300 residents and was designed to identify changes to the 2021 baseline data relating to community satisfaction with Council’s services and facilities.

· Liveability Census 2023 – a survey of 557 people identified “what really matters to local communities, their priorities and ideas for making their neighbourhood better for them”. The data is collated into four categories - community values, place experience, strength and priorities and community ideas.

· Social Plan 2024 survey – Vision statement

o A survey included 726 responses for the question: “Do you feel the existing Vision statement reflects the kind of place you would like Hornsby Shire to be?” Asked on a five-point scale from Strongly agree to Strongly disagree, 368 responders gave further feedback on what they thought should be changed, added or removed.

o Pop-ups and forums – 251 people attended forums and pop-ups and were asked to give feedback on the Vision to make Hornsby Shire a great place to live, work, study and visit now and in the future.

· In May 2024, 16 senior students from a high school within the Shire were asked through a focus group their thoughts on our existing Vision statement, their aspirations for the future of Hornsby Shire and their ideas on making Hornsby Shire a better place.

· Community Satisfaction Survey 2024 – a survey was conducted on 600 residents to understand community satisfaction with Council services and facilities and compare progress to the 2021 and 2023 community satisfaction surveys.

In addition, data was collected from another 15 local government area-wide projects for topics and themes relating to the Community Strategic Plan.

Findings from the community engagements

A detailed Discussion Paper – Hornsby Shire 2035 (draft) Community Strategic Plan - summarising findings from the community engagements, the steps Council has taken in reviewing the Community Strategic Plan and outlining the changes that have been made and why they have been made is attached (Attachment 2). The review of the Community Strategic Plan is not intended to comprehensively revise Your vision | Your future 2032 but rather to test and refine the focus and approach based on extensive ongoing consultation.

Community Vision

Guiding the Plan is the community vision, describing the kind of place the community wishes Hornsby Shire to be.

The Social Plan 2024 consultations and focus group with senior high school students provided valuable feedback on the Vision. Suggestions were made of language expression and restructure, ensuring that the geographic diversity of the Shire was reflected, with an overall theme of feedback being that the Vision could be shortened and simplified. More information on the top topics mentioned in feedback is in the attached Discussion Paper.

Shown below are the current and proposed community Visions:

Community Vision – Your vision | Your future 2032

Our Bushland Shire is on the Traditional Lands of the Darug and GuriNgai Peoples. It is a place for people, wildlife and natural environments to thrive in harmony. Our diverse community is welcoming, inclusive and resilient and we are leaders in caring for our future generations. We have a flourishing economy with local shopping and dining precincts. Community facilities and infrastructure are modern, accessible and connected. We have many different places for recreation locally. We walk and ride and enjoy exploring parks, bushland and waterways.

Draft Community Vision – Your vision | Your future 2035

Hornsby Shire is a place that inspires and sustains us. A place where we value our connections to each other and our environment and celebrate living in our unique urban, suburban, rural and river communities.

The revised draft vision explicitly seeks to capture what it feels like to live in the Shire – the connection to each other and the environment that we know the Hornsby Shire community values so highly. It moves beyond listing the types of “things” that would make up the Shire and instead imagines what having those things would do for the experience of living here – noting that there are also different experiences living in the diverse environments across the Hornsby Shire.

Community Priorities

Analysis done of feedback on the consultations during 2022-2024 relating to the Community Strategic Plan has revealed that the things that are most important to our community and their aspirations have largely stayed the same over the two-year period of the review.

The top 10 priorities are:

· Natural environment – bushland, trees, and waterways

· Population growth, housing diversity and supporting infrastructure

· Climate change, waste and environmental sustainability

· Transport – traffic, walking and cycling, roads, parking and public transport

· Community facilities and cultural events

· Diverse and inclusive communities

· Parks, open space, recreation and sports

· Resilience to shocks and stresses

· Youth, ageing, family services

· Economic development and vibrant town centres

The Draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan

The Community Strategic Plan represents the highest level of strategic planning undertaken by local councils. It embodies the Vision for the future of the Hornsby Shire community and sets the broad strategic direction for Council’s long term planning documents. The Community Strategic Plan should answer four key questions:

· Where are we now?

· Where do we want to be?

· How do we get there?

· How do we know we’ve arrived?

The Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan, Your vision | Your future 2035, identifies the community’s main priorities and aspirations for the next ten years. It is a community-driven plan that becomes the highest-level Council plan when endorsed.

The aspirations expressed by the community have been consistent over the years – to improve Hornsby Shire and secure a positive future for our coming generations. Understanding what matters most to our community will help to focus future planning. The values expressed by the community in the 2023 Australian Liveability Census (Place Score) (in no particular order) are to have:

· A natural environment that is protected, cared for and maintained, including trees, wildlife, waterways

· Well-maintained and good quality public open space, like street trees, footpaths, verges and parks

· Access to neighbourhood amenities such as cafes, shops, health and wellness services

· A sense of neighbourhood safety from crime, traffic, pollution

· A sense of personal safety for all ages, genders, day or night

· Locally owned and operated businesses that provide for daily needs

· Access to and safety of walking, jogging, cycling and public transport with signage, paths and lighting

· Landscaping and natural elements, like street trees, plantings, water features

· A sense of belonging in the community

· Connectivity to communal amenities and other neighbourhoods, employment centres and shops

· Sustainable urban design, like water sensitive, transport-oriented, sustainable building design and density

The draft 2035 CSP, Your vision | Your future 2035, is structured under four main themes and eight strategic directions.

THEMES

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

LIVEABLE

1. CONNECTED AND COHESIVE COMMUNITY

A caring community where the built environment and people combine to create a sense of belonging and support.

2. INCLUSIVE AND HEALTHY LIVING

Well-designed neighbourhoods with distinct local characters featuring great public spaces that support people’s health, wellbeing, and growth.

3. SAFE, INTEGRATED AND ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT

Our transport infrastructure and services will be connected and easy to use.

We will increase walking and cycling, and the use of public transport.

SUSTAINABLE

4. RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE

We will survive, adapt, and thrive in the face of shocks and stresses.

We will minimise our footprint and transition to net zero.

5. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Our unique environment is celebrated, protected, and enhanced.

PROSPEROUS

6. VIBRANT AND VIABLE PLACES

We have attractive and multi-use places that support economic development, innovation, and local living.

COLLABORATIVE

7. OPEN AND ENGAGED

We aspire to create an organisation that is trusted and respected by the community.

We are proactive in engaging with the community and our decision-making is inclusive, easy, and timely.

8. RESPONSIVE AND EFFECTIVE CIVIC LEADERSHIP

We lead by example and with integrity.

We have strong leadership engaging in effective partnerships which reflect the aspirations of the community as a whole.

We will leave a positive legacy for future generations through responsible stewardship.

Our services are customer focused.

The strategic directions link to the related 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Linking to the SDGs will help to realise global goals through local action. The draft Resilient Sydney Strategy 2025-2030 identifies the most impactful shocks and stresses facing Greater Sydney. The strategic directions also show links to these shocks and stresses.

Each strategic direction then sets out the community’s long-term goals (Where do we want to be?) with plans of action to achieve them (How are we going to get there?).

While Hornsby Shire Council takes a lead role in the implementation of the CSP, responsibility for achieving the long-term goals rests with all levels of government, businesses, industry groups, community organisations and the community itself. In delivering the plans of action, Council acts as either provider, leader, collaborator, capacity builder or advocate (Council’s role). Other agencies that will be key partners in delivery are listed (Our Partners), however, the list is not comprehensive and new partners are encouraged.

The IP&R framework requires Councils to track and report on progress in implementing the CSP using a series of community indicators. Each strategic direction has a set of community indicators that will be measured in 2028 prior the end of this Council term to show progress on meeting the community’s priorities. Community indicators are based on available data sets.

Council has a range of documents that provide more detail on the delivery of each strategic direction (Council’s supporting Strategies and Plans). These documents have been developed with input from the community and endorsed by Council. They contain recommended actions which will be prioritised and implemented as funding becomes available.

CONSULTATION

Hornsby Shire’s Community Engagement Plan was initially adopted by Council in July 2021 and implemented for the development of the draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan, Your vision | Your future 2035. An updated Community Engagement Strategy was adopted by Council in December 2024.

Pages 23-26 of Your vision | Your future 2035 outlines the consultations undertaken in the preparation of the draft 2035 Community Strategic Plan. More information is available in the attached Discussion Paper on pages 3-10. Outcomes from all these consultations have informed the development of the draft 2035 CSP, setting the strategic directions, the long-term goals, and the plans of action to achieve them (pages 32-55).

A Councillor workshop was held on 31 January 2025 to share with the new Council the key challenges, top priorities and aspirations expressed by our community. The Councillors validated that the items raised by the community are consistent with the broad outcomes they are hearing from their constituents.

The formal exhibition period for the draft 2035 CSP, Your vision | Your future 2035, is scheduled from Thursday 13 March to Monday 21 April 2025 on the Your Say Hornsby website. Other communication channels proposed for exhibition are the community engagement newsletter including targeted emails to stakeholders, Our Council quarterly newsletter distributed to all residents, monthly e-newsletter, print advertisements and social media. There will also be pop-ups in the Hornsby Mall and at a Food Truck Friday event at Cherrybrook. A survey will be available on Council’s Your Say Hornsby website to confirm with the community that the draft 2035 CSP resonates with them. The survey will also be promoted through outdoor advertising commencing in March.

Comments received and feedback from the survey during the formal exhibition period will be considered and reported to Council prior to endorsement of the final 2035 CSP in June 2025.

BUDGET

Budget implications will be considered in the preparation of the draft 2025-2029 Delivery Program including the 2025/26 Operational Plan which will be presented to the General Meeting of Council on 9 April 2025 to adopt for public exhibition, prior to final adoption in June 2025.

POLICY

The Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan describes community aspirations.

CONCLUSION

The Community Strategic Plan identifies the main priorities and aspirations for the future of Hornsby Shire and sets the strategic direction for where the people of Hornsby Shire want to be in 2035. Public exhibition of this document provides an opportunity for the community to give feedback on any aspect of the CSP. That feedback will be considered by Council prior to final adoption of the suite of integrated planning and reporting documents in June 2025.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

The officer responsible for the preparation of this Report is the Manager Strategy and Place - Julie Ryland - who can be contacted on 9847 6773.

Steven Head

General Manager

Office of the General Manager

Attachments:

1.	Draft Hornsby Shire 2035 Community Strategic Plan (Attachment 1)
2.	Discussion Paper - Hornsby Shire 2035 (draft) Community Strategic Plan (Attachment 2)

File Reference: F2023/00306

Document Number: D09061895

Director's Report No. CS7/25

Corporate Support Division

Date of Meeting: 12/03/2025

3 INVESTMENTS AND BORROWINGS FOR 2024/2025 - STATUS FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 31 JANUARY 2025

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

· This Report provides details of Council’s investment performance for the period ending 31 January 2025 as well as the extent of its borrowings at the end of the same period.

· Council invests funds that are not, for the time being, required for any other purpose. The investments must be made in accordance with relevant legislative requirements and Council’s policies and the Chief Financial Officer must report monthly to Council on the details of funds invested.

· All of Council’s investments have been made in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act, the Local Government (General) Regulation and Council's Investment of Surplus Funds Policy and Investment Strategy.

· In respect of Council’s cash and term deposit investments, the portfolio achieved an annualised return for January 2025 of 5.59% which includes a positive yield of 13.29% from TCorp Managed Funds. On a financial year to date basis the portfolio achieved an annualised return of 5.23% which includes a positive yield of 8.97% from TCorp Managed Funds.

RECOMMENDATION

THAT the contents of Director’s Report No. CS7/25 be received and noted.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Report is to advise Council of funds invested in accordance with Section 625 of the Local Government Act; to provide details as required by Clause 212(1) of the Local Government (General) Regulation and Council's Investment of Surplus Funds Policy; and to advise on the extent of Council’s current borrowings.

BACKGROUND

Legislation requires that a report be submitted for Council’s consideration each month detailing Council's investments and borrowings and highlighting the monthly and year to date performance of the investments. Initial investments and reallocation of funds are made, where appropriate, after consultation with Council's financial investment adviser and fund managers.

DISCUSSION

Council invests funds which are not, for the time being, required for any other purpose. Such investment must be in accordance with relevant legislative requirements and Council Policies, and the Chief Financial Officer must report monthly to Council on the details of the funds invested.

Council’s investment performance for the month ending 31 January 2025 is detailed in the attached document. In summary, the portfolio achieved an annualised return for January 2025 of 5.59%. On a financial year to date basis the portfolio achieved an annualised return of 5.23% which includes a positive yield of 8.97% from TCorp Managed Funds.

The Borrowings Schedule as at 31 January 2025 is attached for Council’s information, noting that Council became debt free on 1 July 2023 with no loans entered into since. The Borrowings Schedule also discloses future lease repayments for various items of plant and equipment.

BUDGET

Budgeted investment income for the year is $10,045,266 with an average budgeted monthly income of $837,106. Net investment income for the month ended 31 January 2025 was $1,350,925, which includes an unrealised gain of $263,168 from TCorp Managed Funds.

Budgeted investment income year to date at 31 January 2025 is $5,859,742. Total investment income year to date at 31 January 2025 is $8,377,997 which includes a year-to-date unrealised net gain of $1,232,156 from TCorp Managed Funds.

Approximately 45.42% of the investment income received by Council relates to externally restricted funds (e.g., Stronger Communities Grant funding and Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 development contribution funds) and is required to be allocated to those funds. All investments have been made in accordance with the Local Government Act, the Local Government (General) Regulation and Council's Investment of Surplus Funds Policy and Investment Strategy.

The returns from TCorp Managed Funds can experience market volatility due to external economic conditions. It is noted that this product has a 7-year investment horizon and will, therefore, reflect marked to market valuations monthly. Advice provided by Council’s independent investment advisor, Prudential Investment Services, is to hold this investment for the 7-year timeframe originally planned. This is due to the anticipated net positive performance returns that will be gained over the long term for this investment.

CONCLUSION

The investment of Council funds and the extent of its borrowings as of 31 January 2025 is detailed in the documents attached to this Report. Council’s consideration of the Report and its attachments ensures that the relevant legislative requirements and Council protocols have been met in respect of those investments and borrowings.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

The officer responsible for the preparation of this Report is the Chief Financial Officer – Duncan Chell who can be contacted on 9847 6822.

Duncan Chell

Chief Financial Officer

Corporate Support Division

Glen Magus

Director - Corporate Support

Corporate Support Division

Attachments:

1.	HSC Investments Summary Report January 2025
2.	HSC Borrowings Summary Report January 2025

File Reference: F2004/06987-02

Document Number: D09067132

Director's Report No. CE3/25

Community and Environment Division

Date of Meeting: 12/03/2025

4 COMMUNITY EVENT GRANTS PROGRAM

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

· Council operates a Community Event Grants Program that provides funding to community-driven, event-based initiatives with a view to events being sustainably delivered by the community over time.

· A total funding pool of $60,000 is available for the 2025 calendar year, divided into the Community Event Partnership theme area (with a total of $42,000) and the Place Activation theme area (with a total of $18,000).

· Expressions of interest were sought from community groups between 14 October 2024 and 10 November 2024, and at the close of the EOI period, 11 applications seeking a total of $69,000 had been received.

· Two funding applications requesting $6,000 were received in the Place Activation theme area; and nine funding applications totalling $63,000 were received in the Community Event Partnership theme area.

· At its December 2024 meeting Council also resolved to conduct a comprehensive review of its Events Program including the Community Events Grants Program. As the comprehensive review has only just commenced, for this grant round Council may wish to consider funding applications on a single year rather than a multi-year basis. This would enable Council to support meritorious Community events, whilst preserving future years’ budget allocations to implement any revised grant program following the review.

· Council will need to consider the relative merits of each application in determining which applications it wishes to support, as well as the quantum and period of any support.

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council:

1. Receive and note Director’s Report No. CE3/25.

2. Determine the applications, quantum and period of funding it wishes to allocate under the Community Events Grants program.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Report is to provide Council with the information required to consider expressions of interest from community groups for funding under Council’s Community Event Grants Program and to award merit-based funding support under the Program.

BACKGROUND

Council’s Community Event Grants Program is designed to provide funding to community driven, event-based initiatives with the view to events being sustainably delivered by the community over time.

The objectives of the program are to:

· Encourage community-based organisations to develop and run sustainable events which meet and enhance community activities in the LGA, and preference be given to events that involve residents.

· Promote the active participation of residents in community initiatives, and the development of their capacity, skills, knowledge, and opportunities.

· Provide assistance to the community to develop initiatives and services, which are consistent with Council objectives and programs, but not directly operated by Council.

· Place Activation grants are designed to support one-off, smaller scale events up to $3,000 per application, with priority given but not limited to ward boundaries.

· Partnership grants are designed to support multi-year, larger scale events up to $7,000 per application, with priority given but not limited to ward boundaries, and are designed for the event to be self-sustaining following the funding period.

Expressions of interest were sought from community groups between 14 October 2024 and 10 November 2024, and officers provided Councillors with an overview of the applications at an Informal Briefing on 27 November 2024.

At the December 2024 Council Meeting, Council resolved to conduct a comprehensive review if its Community Events program including the Community Events Grant Program.

DISCUSSION

At the close of the EOI period, 11 applications seeking a total of $69,000 had been received, exceeding Council’s available budget of $60,000.

Applications received are summarised below:

Penno High Winter Carnival (Pennant Hills High School P&C)

· Seeking $3,000 for 2025

· Event to be held at Pennant Hills High and is a community engagement event and fundraiser with rides, market stalls, food trucks, family games and fireworks

· Local residents invited to hold market stalls and provide entertainment such as local bands and school band.

· Event is open to the wider community but targeting local residents and students/families – estimating 8,000 – 10,000 attendees

· Existing event that has been run since 2022

· Event has not previously received Council funding under the community event grants program

Barker College Parent’s Association Spring Fair

· Seeking $3,000 in 2025

· Fundraising event to be held at Barker College and includes market stalls, games and rides, entertainment

· Event is open to the wider community but targeting local residents and students/families – 8,000 - 10,000 attendees

· Existing event that has run biannually for 10+ years

· Event has not previously received Council funding under the community event grants program

Berowra Woodchop (Berowra Apex)

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028

· Held at Warrina Street Oval, Berowra and includes market stalls, axe competition, community event featuring fairground rides, food stalls, live music by local school bands

· Existing event that has been running for 30 years

· Event has received $7,000 p.a. under the community event grants program in 2023 and 2024. Prior to 2023, the event has received other financial and in-kind support from Council

Bobbo Cycle Classic (Bobbin Head Cycle Classic)

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028

· Popular cycling event owned by five rotary clubs and raising funds for Lifeline and other charities such as Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter and Hornsby Connect

· Estimating 2,500 participants

· Existing event that has been running for over 15 years

· Event received $3,000 under the community event grants program in 2024

Brooklyn Spring Fair and Markets (Hawkesbury River Childcare Centre)

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028

· Fundraising event held at Brooklyn Oval providing an opportunity for local artisans to promote and sell their wares, local children to perform and enjoy a day out

· Estimated attendance 1,000 – 2,000

· Existing event that has been running for over 20 years

· Event received $3,000 under the community event grants program in 2024. Prior to 2024 the event has received in-kind support from Council

Carols By Candlelight at Fagan Park (The Social Factory Community)

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028

· Free community event to bring together neighbours and community across Hornsby Shire

· Estimating 600 people attending

· All profits would be donated to local community charities

· Event has run since 2023

· Event has not previously received Council funding under the community event grants program

Hornsby Relay for Life (Cancer Council NSW)

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028

· Long-standing community fundraising event for the Cancer Council held at Rofe Park

· Event includes 24 hour relay, with entertainment, food, active involvement from local schools, Scouts and Guide groups, and other significant stakeholders in local community

· Existing event that has been running for over 20 years

· Event received $7,000 p.a. under the community event grants program in 2023 and 2024 Prior to 2023 the event has received in-kind support from Council

Wideview Public School Fete

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025 and 2027

· School fete with rides, food vendors, stalls, amusement, and live entertainment by school students

· Estimated 3,000 attendees

· Open to wider community but targeting local residents, school students and families

· Existing event that has been running biannually since 2011

· Event has not previously received Council funding under the community event grants program

Harmony In Tea: Blending Cultures, Sharing Stories (Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Community College)

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028

· Community gathering focused around mindfulness, well-being and mental health, meditation and self-care, gardening and sustainability, tea practices

· To be held at Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Community College or if grant-funding is received potentially to be held at Hornsby Mall

· Focusing on CALD and disability community, partnering with local businesses and groups

· Fundraising event including raffle and silent auction, with proceeds being shared across local charities

· New event in 2025

· Event has not previously received Council funding under the community event grants program

Project Green Revive: From Privet to Native Pride (Normanhurst Boys P&C) – Ward B

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028

· Not specifically event based, however includes community gardening initiatives between local school students, parents, Bowden Brae retirement home and Normanhurst Boys High School on a quarterly basis

· Gardening/landscaping work would connect residents from the aged care facility and school community – fostering intergenerational connections, strengthening community bonds. ‘Buddy gardening’ program pairing aged-care residents with Environment Club students

· New activity in 2025

· Has not previously received Council funding under the community event grants program

Inala Fair (Inala Disability Services) – Ward C

· Seeking $7,000 per annum for 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028

· Fair for local community held at Inala premises in Cherrybrook. The Fair has been running for over 60 years and enables people to learn about Inala and help raise money for supporting individuals living with disability

· Estimated 3,000 attendees

· Event has been running annually for over 60 years

· Event received $7,000 p.a. under the community event grants program in 2023 and 2024

As noted in the background section of this report, post the close of Expressions of Interest Council resolved to conduct a comprehensive review of its Community Events program including relevantly this Community Events Grant Program. The comprehensive review has only recently commenced and will take some time to reach a conclusion

It is noted that the majority of applicants have sought multi-year funding under the Community Event Partnership section of the grants program. Should Council elect to make multi-year funding commitments in this grant round, it would constrain Council’s available grants budget in subsequent years that could be applied to any revised program arising from the comprehensive review.

Notwithstanding the multi-year requests that have been received from community groups, to preserve its capacity to resource a revised grants program once the comprehensive review has been concluded, Council may wish to consider applications on a single year basis only at this time.

BUDGET

Applications seeking $69,000 in funding have been received against an available budget of $60,000. Council will need to consider the relative merits of each application in determining which events its wishes to support and to what quantum.

A total of $60,000 ($18,000 Place Activation, $42,000 Community Event Partnerships) is available for distribution from an initial Community Event Grants budget allocation of $60,000.

POLICY

This Report has been prepared in accordance with Council’s Community Grants and Sponsorship Policy.

CONCLUSION

Public expressions of interest for community groups seeking funding support to deliver events were sought between 14October 2024 and 10 November 2024 and at the close of the EOI period a total of 11 community applications seeking a total of $69,000 in funding support had been received.

Council has an available budget of $60,000 for the Community Event Grants program meaning that Council will need to consider the relative merits of each application in determining which applications it wishes to support, as well as the quantum and period of any support.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

The officer responsible for the preparation of this Report is Manager, Library & Community Services – Cheryl Etheridge – who can be contacted on 9847 6801.

Cheryl Etheridge

Manager - Library and Community Services

Community and Environment Division

Stephen Fedorow

Director - Community and Environment

Community and Environment Division

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

File Reference: F2010/00630

Document Number: D09076993

Director's Report No. CE2/25

Community and Environment Division

Date of Meeting: 12/03/2025

5 FOOD ORGANICS AND GARDEN ORGANICS RECYCLING SERVICES

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

· The NSW Government has mandated that local councils provide all households that have an existing residual (garbage) waste collection service, with a food organics and garden organics collection and recycling service by 1 July 2030. Food organics must be collected on a weekly basis.

· There are two main options for Council to consider for establishing a new food organics collection and recycling service, these include:

o FOGO - a combined food organics and garden organics (FOGO) collection service, where the existing fortnightly green bin is repurposed to a weekly mixed food and garden waste collection service; or

o FO & GO - introducing a new food organics (FO) collection service with a fourth FO bin collected weekly and maintaining the existing fortnightly garden organics (GO) collection service.

· The recommended approach is for Council to provide a new weekly food organics (FO) collection and recycling service, and to maintain residents existing collection services of weekly residual (garbage) waste, fortnightly garden organics and fortnightly recycling collections.

· This approach protects the current garden waste recycling service that has very low contamination levels, cheaper composting costs and which produces quality end-products that have proven and reliable markets.

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council:

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to provide Council with information on the NSW Government’s FOGO Recycling Bill requirement to provide all households that have an existing residual (garbage) waste collection service, with weekly food organics and garden organics collection and recycling services by 1 July 2030.

This report details the available FOGO service delivery options and makes recommendations on a preferred services model for Council’s consideration.

BACKGROUND

Legislative Context

The NSW Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment (FOGO Recycling) Bill 2024 (refer Attachment 1 – FOGO Mandate) was passed by the NSW Parliament on 20 February 2025 and has established mandates for the source-separated collection and recycling of food organics and garden organics material from households, and businesses (food only).

By 1 July 2030, all NSW local councils will be required to separately collect and transport food and garden organic waste from all households that currently receive a residual (garbage) waste collection service.

The legislation allows councils to provide either a combined food organics and garden organics (FOGO) collection bin, or a separate food organics (FO) collection bin, and a separate garden organics (GO) collection bin.

The food organics collection bin must be collected from each household once a week, and the garden organics collection bin must be collected at the intervals the local council considers appropriate. The mixing of separated food organics with residual (garbage) waste is prohibited, unless there is a reasonable excuse, such as a resident’s organics bin is grossly contaminated with non-organic material at the time of collection.

The legislation provides for the imposition of financial penalties for local councils that do not comply with the FOGO Household Mandate by 1 July 2030.

The legislation also requires relevant business premises including supermarkets, institutions and hospitality businesses to have a source-separated FO collection service in place. The business mandates will have a staggered introduction to 1 July 2030, based on the businesses’ weekly residual bin volumes. Businesses generating the greatest amount of waste will commence from 1 July 2026.

Why target food waste

Food and garden organics sent to landfill generate methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which can be avoided if these organics are diverted from landfill into beneficial recycling. Landfills generate around 2-3% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and diverting organics from landfill supports council’s climate change mitigation and resource recovery strategies.

With significant pressures on the limited available landfill capacity servicing Sydney councils that is expected to be fully utilised by around 2030, diverting food and garden organic waste will assist to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and prolong landfill operational life.

Around 24-26% of red bin waste is food organic material (Refer Attachment 2 – Hornsby Bin Composition Audit Report 2024) that is suitable under NSW EPA guidelines for FOGO bin input, and subsequent recycling into compost or other beneficial organic products.

Hornsby’s Current Household Collection Services and Waste Profile

Hornsby residents currently receive weekly red bin residual (garbage) waste collections, fortnightly yellow bin recycling collections, and fortnightly green bin garden organics collections, along with scheduled and booked on call bulky waste collection services.

Hornsby residents currently generate approximately:

· 30,000 tonnes/pa of residual waste that is sent to landfill

· 20,000 tonnes/pa of garden organics that is composted

· 10,000 tonnes/pa of mixed recycling that is recovered

· 5,000 - 7,500 tonnes/pa of bulky waste that is processed through a resource recovery transfer station, with residual waste sent to landfill.

These waste stream tonnage figures vary from year-to-year depending on the waste generation levels of residents, which is influenced by population growth, economic factors and climate conditions or events.

Noting the above waste streams, around 48% of all Hornsby residents’ waste is recovered for beneficial recycling, with 52% still being sent to landfill. Implementing a food waste recycling service, is the next available action for council to increase its resource recovery rate and divert waste from landfill.

Technical Reports

Council Officers have engaged the services of specialist waste consultants to develop a number of supporting technical reports to assist plan for a transition to FOGO services. These technical reports, where relevant, have been attached to the Director’s Report No. CE2/25 as supplementary information.

discussion

Expected organics recovery outcomes

Through the existing green bin service, council currently diverts around 20,000 tonnes/pa of garden organics from landfill into open windrow composting which produces quality composts and soil blends that have well established and reliable end markets.

With 24-26% food waste in the red garbage bin (29,500 tonnes collected in 2023-24) that is suitable for FO/FOGO input, there is approximately 7,080 tonnes/pa of total available food waste for FO/FOGO diversion.

Extensive research by the NSW EPA and Northern Sydney Region of Councils (NSROC), has demonstrated that Single Unit Dwellings (SUDs) or houses only recover 50%, and Multi Unit Dwellings (MUDs) or units and apartments only recover 10-20% of the total available food organics from the red bin and divert it to a FO/FOGO system.

This equates to an expected approximate 3,030 tonnes/pa of food waste recovered through a Hornsby FO/FOGO service, with 2,690 tonnes/pa from SUDs and 340 tonnes/pa from MUDs. The existing 20,000 tonnes/pa of garden organics represents around 85% of the total organics anticipated for resource recovery, compared to 3,030 tonnes/pa of food organic at only 15%.

The anticipated recovery of approximately 3,030 tonnes/pa of food waste would increase Hornsby residents’ resource recovery rate by 5% from 48% to 53%. Over time, with ongoing community engagement and education, the quantity of food waste may increase towards 5,000 tonnes/pa or a 54-55% resource recovery rate.

FO/FOGO service delivery options

There are two food organics (FO) and garden organics (GO) collection options for Council to consider including:

· FO service - a new food organics (FO) fourth bin recycling service in addition to current collection services (which would retain Council’s current GO service, with <1% low contamination), or

· FOGO service - a combined food organics and garden organics (FOGO) collection service, with either weekly or fortnightly residual (garbage) waste collection.

Option cost estimates

Council officers have modelled costs for both FO and FOGO service options using current market intelligence. These pre-tender cost estimates cover collection and processing service costs and expenses for the supply and delivery of wheelie bins, kitchen food caddies and bio-liner bags.

The pretender cost estimates can be found at confidential Attachment 3 – FO/FOGO Pre-Tender Cost Estimates, as they are considered commercial-in-confidence to protect council interests. It is noted that actual implementation costs will not be known until council tenders for these services.

To fund the new FO service operational and capital expenses residents’ Domestic Waste Management Charge (DWMC) would need to be increased by approximately $95 pa per property or $1.80 per week. This represents a 12% increase for single unit dwellings (houses) and units/apartments up to 5 stories; and 14% for high rise units/apartments 6 stories and above, based on 2024-25 fees and charges.

To fund the new FOGO service operational and capital expenses residents’ Domestic Waste Management Charge (DWMC) would need to be increased by approximately $111 pa per property or $2.15 per week. This represents a 14% increase for single unit dwellings (houses) and units/apartments up to 5 stories, and 16% for high rise units/apartments 6 stories and above, based on 2024-25 fees and charges.

Based on the operational cost estimates, a FO service would be 18% cheaper than a FOGO service.

Non-cost considerations

It is prudent to consider other factors in the decision-making process for a preferred organics collection and recycling service including:

· The level of contamination within organic input materials

· The quality of organic end-products

· The highest order beneficial resource reuse value (e.g. agricultural production markets yielding higher food production quantities are considered a higher order beneficial reuse than say mine site rehabilitation or landfill daily cover material product use); and

· The long-term viability and reliability of available end-markets.

Contamination and end-product quality issues

Contamination in organics collection bins is a major problem for the composting industry that receives FOGO material. Non-organic contaminates such as light weight plastic bags, films or general food packaging, glass bottles or jars, paper fibre based packaging and other materials (some containing chemicals such as PFAS or other forever chemicals), are very difficult to remove and extremely problematic. The organic composts and soil blends produced, must meet regulatory testing for both physical and chemical contaminants before approval is granted for the material to be applied to land through various end-markets. The NSW EPA regulate the use and application of organic products to land to ensure no physical or chemical contaminates pollute the environment. The NSW EPA is currently examining the issue of PFAS and other similar forever chemicals in FOGO derived composts and their application to land, with possible future regulations being a risk to council FOGO services.

NSW councils trialling or implementing FOGO services have experienced contamination levels of between 3-15% by weight, with the main contaminants identified as light plastic film, other plastics, glass, paper fibre packaging and other materials. These contaminants, particularly light weight plastics and glass, have a major impact on the high volume of physical contaminates that are observable within the organic end-products that must be on-sold into viable markets. As contamination increases in the organic input material, so does the quantity of lost product, which can be between 5-15% by weight, when contaminated organic material is screened and removed from the end-product.

Hornsby’s existing garden organics, collected fortnightly in the green bin, has a very low contamination rate of less than one percent (0.4% in 2024), making it an extremely high-quality input for open windrow composting because it doesn’t contaminate the organic end-product. Adding food waste, which is known to significantly increase contamination rates, to clean garden organics in a mixed FOGO system will deteriorate the quality of both the organic input material sent for composting and the subsequent composts and soil-based end-products.

The composting industry, including the Australian Organics Recycling Association (AORA), has expressed its serious concern regarding increased levels of contamination from plastics, glass, PFAS and other materials, that are being experienced within FOGO collection systems which is impacting the quality of organic end-products.

AORA is seeking a 2% limit by weight of contamination within FOGO waste streams and anticipate reducing this limit overtime to improve FOGO inputs for composting. These contamination limits will be extremely challenging for local councils to meet, and it is unlikely they will be achievable, even with ongoing comprehensive community education. In addition, the Australian Standard AS4454 – Composts, Soil Conditioners and Mulches that the composting industry comply with, is currently being reviewed and this review will consider tighter specifications for the quality of both organic inputs to composting facilities and the resulting organic end-products to be applied to land.

Adding food waste to the green bin will also increase the processing costs of the garden organics. Garden organics can be composted for $110-$170 per tonne, whereas organics containing food waste are processed for $180-$240 per tonne. By adding food waste, which only represents 15% of the organics in FOGO, to garden organics representing 85% of the organics in FOGO, the 85% quantity of garden organics is subsequently processed at higher $180-$240 per tonne processing charges.

It is typical for organics composters, to impose sliding acceptance charges on councils, with the higher the level of contamination, the higher the acceptance charge. These higher charges for more contaminated input materials, cover the additional costs associated with processes to remove the contamination and or due to the resulting lower grade compost products attracting lower sales prices within end-markets.

A FO service will still contain contamination from containerised and packaged food waste, that will result in plastics, glass and other materials being present in the food only waste stream. However, as this contamination will be limited to the 15% food only organics, it is more manageable and will affect a significantly lower quantity of end product. By limiting the impact of contamination to a separate food only collection, the cost impacts resulting from the contamination can be minimised, reducing council’s risks.

Ongoing community engagement and education will be critical to ensure contamination within Hornsby’s collected organic materials is minimised and remain within acceptable levels.

Weekly versus fortnightly garbage collections

Some councils have introduced fortnightly 240 litre bin residual (garbage) waste collections when transitioning to FOGO and while this approach may save money on garbage collections, it is not recommended for Hornsby as 35% of residents’ 140 litre red bins are already 100% full to overflowing on collection day, with a further 28% of bins 75-100% full on collection day (Refer Attachment 4 – Garbage Bin Fullness Study).

Adopting fortnightly 240 litre garbage collections also reduce residents’ current garbage capacity by 40 litres per fortnight and is highly likely to increase contamination levels in the green, yellow and FO bin services with garbage overflow. Fortnightly garbage collection risks council not meeting the community’s waste collection needs and requirements, which may lead to high levels of community dissatisfaction with council’s waste collection services.

Recommended service model

It is recommended that Council adopt a new food organics (FO) collection and recycling service, while maintaining the existing kerbside collection services of weekly residual (garbage) waste, and fortnightly garden organics and fortnightly recycling collections.

Adopting a FO collection and processing service has 18% cheaper operational costs than a FOGO service and keeping food organics that contains higher levels of contamination, out of Hornsby’s clean garden waste is highly preferable.

Further, a FO service allows garden waste to be processed at cheaper facility gate charges and ensures our less than 1% contaminated garden waste continues to produce high-quality organic composts and soil-blends for agriculture application, the landscape supply industry and the domestic compost bagged market, which are considered higher order beneficial reuses, compared to lower grade mine site rehabilitation or landfill day cover material application.

Service commencement options

While the NSW Government’s legislative FOGO Mandate requires local councils to implement a FO or FOGO service from 1 July 2030, Council can elect to commence a FO or FOGO service between 2027 to 2030.

It is noted that a lead time of 18-24 months is required for tender development, procurement processes, collection truck delivery and fit out, and important community engagement and education activities prior to services commencement. This means if Council resolves a preferred service delivery model in the first half of 2025, the earliest the service can commence is 1 July 2027.

However, as there are known organics processing facility capacity shortfalls within the organics processing industry between 2028-2032, it is recommended that Council adopt a FO service commencement of 1 July 2027 to avoid a situation where it is unable to secure a FO processing contractor between 2028-32 when most Sydney councils are tendering for similar services in a constrained marketplace.

Procurement processes

Council officers would develop separate Food Organics (FO) Collection Services, and Food Organics (FO) Processing Services tenders to be released in late 2025 to allow adequate timeframes for establishing suitable outsources waste service contracts for a commencement on 1 July 2027.

Food organics (FO) service roll-out

Subject to Council endorsement, it is anticipated that this new food organics recycling service would be rolled out to both Single Unit Dwellings or SUDs (Houses) and Multi Unit Dwellings or MUDs (Units and Apartments) at the same time in May-June 2027, for a service commencement on 1 July 2027.

Houses would receive either a 60 or 120 litre FO wheelie bin to deposit food waste into for weekly collection using a side loader collection truck. Whereas units and apartment will receive an allocation of 120 litre FO wheelie bins for shared use within the complex, to be collected by rear loader trucks under a bin wheel out and wheel back system. It is noted that a MUDs (Units and Apartments) Bin Access and Storage Study has been undertaken with detailed onsite assessments at 430 complexes, to identify where FO bins will be stored and accessible by residents. A FO Bin Deployment Plan would be developed from this important information.

All dwellings, being houses and units/apartments, would receive a food waste kitchen caddy to allow for food waste separation in the kitchen where the food is generated. It will also be important for Council to provide its residents with certified compostable kitchen caddy biodegradable liner bags on an ongoing basis to ensure that plastic based biodegradable liner bags are not utilised by residents, creating an avoidable source of plastics contamination in the FO/FOGO waste stream.

An initial one-year’s supply of certified biobags will be delivered to all dwellings, along with a kitchen food caddy, and an education package during the service rollout program. Residents, including new property owners and renters, along with any residents needing top up biobags will be able to readily access additional biobag supplies from council libraries, customer centres, the waste depot/Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre, and via a mailout system through the Waste Hotline.

Communications, community engagement and education

A comprehensive Food Organics Recycling Service - Community Engagement and Education Strategy would be developed in the second half of 2025 covering a broad suite of community engagement and education activities. This Strategy will detail several phases for the broad range of community engagement and education activities from 12 months prior to services commencement, 4-2 months before service rollout, first three years and ongoing timeframes.

A workshop would be held with Councillors to inform and guide the development of a comprehensive engagement strategy. It is noted that once finalised, the implementation of this Strategy will require additional resources detailed below.

Internal council resourcing

To facilitate a smooth services preparation, commencement and maintenance approach for a new organics recycling service, the following additional temporary resources will be required for customer service, contamination management and community engagement and education:

· Two additional Waste Hotline Customer Service Officers for approximately 9-12 months, starting 3 months prior to services commencement.

· Two Waste Field Officers to undertake FO contamination bin inspections, bin tagging and resident education activities at both SUDs and MUDs for an initial three-year period, then subject to a needs review.

· One Waste Project Officer to assist with community engagement and education activities development and implementation for a two-year period.

· The above internal resourcing costs would be accommodated from within the domestic waste management budget.

Waste management requirements for new developments

The introduction of a new food waste recycling service will necessitate a review of Council’s waste management requirements for new developments and the waste management section in the Development Control Plan.

With food waste being separated for recycling, waste infrastructure within new residential buildings will need to be designed and developed to accommodate council providing these services. Of particular importance will be the need to specify various waste management requirements for the different typologies of multi-unit developments where additional bin storage, chute systems, collection points and truck access/parking will need to be addressed. Mixed use and commercial developments will also need to consider waste management infrastructure requirements to enable the private sector to service food waste collections from businesses.

Council’s existing Waste Minimisation and Management Guide is currently being reviewed and a new contemporary Waste Management Requirements for New Developments document is being developed, along with a revised waste management section for the Development Control Plan.

It is anticipated that final drafts will be ready for Council’s consideration in the second half of 2025.

BUDGET

The mandated introduction of a new FO or FOGO service will impose additional costs on Council that will need to be recovered through increases to resident’s Domestic Waste Management Charge (DWMC).

Initial cost modelling indicates that:

· Under a FO delivery model, the DWMC would need to increase by approximately $95 p.a. per property or $1.80 per week representing a 12% increase for single unit dwellings (houses) and units/apartments up to 5 stories; and 14% for high rise units/apartments 6 stories and above, based on 2024-25 fees and charges.

· Under a FOGO delivery model, the DWMC would need to be increased by approximately $111 pa per property or $2.15 per week representing a 14% increase for single unit dwellings (houses) and units/apartments up to 5 stories, and 16% for high rise units/apartments 6 stories and above, based on 2024-25 fees and charges.

To avoid a single, large increase in the DWMC to residents, a graduated increase approach over a number of years would be implemented, commencing from 2025-26 financial year.

POLICY

All councils across New South Wales are required to comply with the NSW Government’s Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment (FOGO Recycling) Bill 2024, that will require local councils to separately collect and transport FOGO waste from households that receive a residual waste collection service from 1 July 2030. Significant regulatory penalties apply for councils that do not comply with the FOGO Mandate.

Diverting food organics from landfill into beneficial recycling is supported by Council’s Waste Matters Strategy 2020 and Climate Wise Hornsby Plan 2021.

CONCLUSION

Council is required to comply with the NSW Government’s FOGO Mandate by 1 July 2030, by implementing either a FOGO service where the green garden organics bin is repurposed to a weekly mixed food and garden organics collection service, or a FO service where a new fourth food organics collection service is introduced, while maintaining the existing collection services to residents.

It is recommended that Council resolve to implement a FO collection and recycling service as it represents better value for money (modelled to be 18% cheaper than a FOGO service), and importantly will protect the quality of garden organics produced high-quality compost that has well established and reliable end-markets.

By keeping the 3,030 tonnes/pa of food waste, that is expected to have a contamination rate of 3-10%, separate from the 20,000 tonnes/pa of clean garden waste which has 0.4% contamination, council will de-risk this new organics recycling service.

It will be important to implement effective communication strategies to ensure Council’s reasons for adopting a FO collection and recycling service approach is well understood and accepted by the community.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

Chris Horsey

Manager - Waste Management

Community and Environment Division

Stephen Fedorow

Director - Community and Environment

Community and Environment Division

The officer responsible for the preparation of this Report is the Manager, Waste Management – Chris Horsey - who can be contacted on 9847 4816

Attachments:

1.	FOGO Mandate - NSW Protection of the Environment Legislation Amendment (FOGO Recycling) Bill 2024
2.	Hornsby Bin Composition Audit Report 2024
3.	FO/FOGO Options Pre-Tender Cost Estimates - This attachment should be dealt with in confidential session, under Section 10A (2) (d) of the Local Government Act, 1993. This report contains commercial information of a confidential nature that would, if disclosed (i) prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied it; or (ii) confer a commercial advantage on a competitor of the council; or (iii) reveal a trade secret.
4.	Hornsby Garbage Bin Fullness Study

File Reference: F2022/00302

Document Number: D09063886

Director's Report No. PC5/25

Planning and Compliance Division

Date of Meeting: 12/03/2025

6 HORNSBY TOWN CENTRE – DRAFT PUBLIC DOMAIN PLAN, DEVELOPMENT CONTRIBUTIONS PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT CONTROL PLAN AMENDMENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

· In November 2023, Council adopted the Hornsby Town Centre (HTC) Masterplan, establishing a vision for a revitalised Hornsby Town Centre that provides new homes, employment opportunities and supporting community infrastructure.

· In December 2023, the NSW Government announced it would undertake State-led rezoning for the HTC as part of its Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program. The rezoning was finalised in November 2024.

· The attached draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines, draft Hornsby Town Centre Precinct Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2025 and draft amendments to the Hornsby Development Control Plan 2024 have been prepared to support the Hornsby TOD rezoning. The drafts are consistent with Council’s Masterplan vision and support the delivery of high-quality urban design and public domain outcomes in the Centre.

· The vision for a split bus interchange as outlined in Council’s adopted Masterplan has been incorporated. However, State Government TOD rezoning documents are inconsistent with this vision, showing instead the existing interchange at Station Street would be intensified.

· It is recommended draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines, draft Development Contributions Plan and draft Development Control Plan amendments be exhibited for public comment. It is also recommended that Council write to Transport for NSW and Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to express concerns about the traffic generating changes to the bus interchange proposal.

RECOMMENDATION

THAT:

2. Following exhibition, a report on submissions be presented to Council for consideration.

3. Council write to Transport for NSW and Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure to express concerns about the traffic generating changes to the proposed split bus interchange.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to present draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines, draft Development Contributions Plan and draft Development Control Plan amendments to Council for endorsement for public exhibition.

BACKGROUND

At its meeting on 10 November 2023, Council adopted the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan. The Masterplan facilitates opportunities for long-term future housing provision in accordance with the priorities and actions from the North District Plan, Council’s Local Strategic Planning Statement, Local Housing Strategy and Employment Lands Study.

At the meeting, Council also resolved that supporting documentation, including development controls, local contributions plan, and a public domain plan be prepared and reported to Council at a future meeting.

On 15 December 2023, the NSW Government announced its Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program. As part of the program, it identified the Hornsby Town Centre as one of eight ‘accelerated precincts’ for State-led rezoning to assist delivery of the Federal Government’s National Housing Accord 2022.

The NSW Government placed its proposed rezoning and supporting reports on public exhibition from 9 July to 23 August 2024. At its meeting on 14 August 2024, Council considered and endorsed a submission raising concerns about the funding and delivery of supporting infrastructure, increased potential capacity focused on NSW Government land, reduced employment opportunities and reduced affordable housing commitments. The submission was forwarded to the State Government on 19 August 2024.

DISCUSSION

On 27 November 2024, the NSW Government finalised the TOD rezoning. This included amendments to the Hornsby Local Environmental Plan 2013 (Hornsby LEP) and publication of supporting planning documents, including the Hornsby Precinct State-led Rezoning Urban Design Framework and Hornsby Precinct Design Guide.

Council’s submission and the finalised TOD

A summary of concerns and recommendations raised in Council’s submission to the draft Hornsby TOD exhibition is provided below, with a summary of related changes in the final Hornsby TOD rezoning.

State infrastructure provision

Council’s submission raised concerns regarding the noncommittal to the delivery of State infrastructure to support future development. The exhibited documents stated that future investigations by TfNSW were required regarding infrastructure such as the Jersey Street Park and split bus interchange, notwithstanding the consultation between TfNSW and Council in the preparation of the Masterplan. The submission recommended firm commitments be made by the NSW Government regarding the funding and delivery of infrastructure including acquisition of land for Hornsby Square and funding of improvements to State roads.

The finalised Hornsby TOD rezoning has identified the Hornsby Square site for State Acquisition. Supporting reports also identify the need for TfNSW to deliver road infrastructure improvements. Potential funding for these projects will be the NSW Government’s Housing Productivity Contribution fund. However, funding and programming of these works will ultimately be determined by the NSW Government.

The finalised TOD documentation includes concept designs for an intensified bus interchange at Station Street with a turning circle at the north end of Cenotaph Park. It also identifies that the current Jersey Street commuter car park will be increased to 350 spaces. These outcomes were not considered in Council’s Masterplan, traffic modelling or the exhibited Hornsby TOD documentation. It is likely that such an outcome would have significant impacts on the surrounding road network, specifically Peats Ferry Road, Coronation Street, Jersey Street and Station Street. Accordingly, a meeting should be requested with TfNSW to discuss the issue during the exhibition period.

Local infrastructure provision

Council’s submission raised concerns regarding the significant cost of local infrastructure required to support the future development within the Town Centre. The TOD exhibition suggested a development contribution of between four and five per cent of the cost of works of development would fund the delivery of the infrastructure. Council’s modelling suggested that five per cent was required, with four per cent representing a significant cost risk. This modelling included purchase of land for Hornsby Square.

The finalised TOD rezoning includes a development contribution cap of four per cent for residential development in the Town Centre. As noted above, the Hornsby Square land acquisition is now to be undertaken by State government, lowering the costs for local infrastructure to the point where a four per cent contribution may be suitable. The draft Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan, discussed further in this report, assumes the four per cent rate for residential development.

Affordable housing scheme

Council’s submission raised concerns regarding the suggested rate of between five and ten per cent of residential development to be provided as affordable housing. Council’s Masterplan recommended a rate of five per cent for residential development on private land and ten per cent on public land.

The finalised TOD rezoning identifies a range of rates between three and ten per cent throughout the Town Centre in the Hornsby Precinct Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme. The highest rates of ten per cent apply to NSW Government and Council owned land in the Western Heritage Precinct. The Westfield rate is five per cent, Central Heart Precinct is four per cent and the balance of the Centre requires three per cent. Affordable housing contributions would be made to Council, with units (or equivalent monetary value) dedicated in perpetuity.

Amalgamation and incentive provisions

Council’s submission raised concerns that a State-led rezoning would remove the need for landowners to partner with each other to achieve appropriate development outcomes and deliver community benefits. The submission recommended incentive provisions be incorporated in the final plan to require sites to be consolidated and infrastructure delivered with development.

The finalised TOD rezoning includes key site mapping that requires the amalgamation of sites and the delivery of supporting infrastructure. The sites and examples of the required infrastructure include:

· Two sites in the Central Heart Precinct that would deliver a library and park.

· Westfield Hornsby, which would deliver open space and community facility/library space.

· Hornsby Station and the surrounding corridor, which would deliver open space and a new pedestrian overpass.

Changes to height and floor space controls

Council’s submission raised concerns the TOD exhibition documents proposed significant height increases and lower employment land requirements on NSW Government lands, compared to Council’s adopted Masterplan. The submission recommended the NSW Government instead commit to the delivery of employment lands in the Centre.

The finalise TOD rezoning results in several significant changes to the exhibited version including:

· Westfield Hornsby: Council’s Masterplan proposed towers up to 36 storeys. These have been amended to 37 to 50 storeys (Burdett Street) and 40 to 49 storeys (corner of Florence Street and George Street). Employment floor space ratios have been reduced from 2:1 to 1.3:1.

· Rail Corridor: Council’s Masterplan proposed towers up to 36 storeys south of Burdett Street. These have been increased to 40 storeys.

· Central Heart: Heights have been increased from 36 storeys to permit towers up to 40 storeys.

· Jersey Street Car Park: Council’s Masterplan did not propose changes to this site, maintaining a maximum height of four storeys. This has been increased to 12 storeys, along with commuter car parking as discussed above.

· Western Heritage Precinct: Council’s Masterplan did not recommend increases in height south of Coronation Street given previous reviews of the height controls in the precinct. Height controls have been increased to allow a further three stories (generally 15 to 28 storeys).

Urban Design Framework and Planning Controls

The State-led TOD rezoning process included preparation of an Urban Design Framework, which supports the aspirations of Council’s Masterplan (with some amendments as described above). The Urban Design Framework informed changes to the Hornsby LEP to implement planning controls such as heights and FSRs. It also informed the preparation of a Hornsby Precinct Design Guide which provides high level design guidance.

The diagram below shows the relationship between Council’s Masterplan, State Government’s TOD Urban Design Framework, Design Guide and the Hornsby LEP. It also shows the additional supporting documents prepared as part of the assessment framework and subject of this report, being Development Control Plan amendments, Public Domain Guidelines and Development Contributions Plan.

Importantly, development applications with the Hornsby TOD precinct lodged before November 2027 and with a value over $60 million will be assessed by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) as State Significant Development. Approved applications will be required to commence within two years of approval, in line with DPHI’s Accelerated State Significant Development framework. Applications would be assessed under relevant controls, including the Hornsby LEP, Hornsby Precinct Design Guide, Hornsby Development Control Plan 2024 (Hornsby DCP) and other relevant legislation. Council will be able to provide input to DPHI to assist the assessment, but would not be a decision making authority.

Applications with a value under $60 million or lodged after November 2027, would be assessed by Council officers, in accordance with existing assessment and determination processes.

The three supporting documents which have been prepared by Council are attached to this report and outlined below.

1. Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guideline

Draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines (attached) have been prepared to provide clear guidance for developers and public agencies on how the public domain should be delivered. They will also inform Council’s design and maintenance of the public domain as the detail design for projects commence.

The preparation of the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan was supported by several technical studies that considered how a revitalised town centre could be supported by the natural and built environment. A draft Landscape and Public Domain Plan, exhibited alongside the draft Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan, identified opportunities for green streets, public spaces, walkable environments and improve connectivity across the Hornsby Town Centre. It provides concept designs for public spaces such as Hornsby Square, Jersey Street Park and Cenotaph Park and potential improvements to streets to support active transport and higher amenity places. These elements were well received during community consultation and carried into the finalised Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan.

The draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines build upon the draft Landscape and Public Domain Plan and include:

· Refined and detailed concept designs for public domain places, including Hornsby Square, Cenotaph Park, Jersey Street Park and Burdett Street Park.

· Plans and sections for arterial, local and shared streets, including consideration of landscaping and water sensitive urban design features.

· Material palettes that provide guidance on planting species, pavements street furniture, green walls, wayfinding and play elements.

The concepts in the draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines have been costed to inform the preparation of a local contributions plan (discussed below).

The draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines incorporate the vision for a split bus interchange and associated traffic improvements on Station Street and surrounding streets, as outlined in Council’s adopted Masterplan. However, the Hornsby Precinct State-led Rezoning Urban Design Framework and Planning Controls finalised by the State Government is inconsistent with the split bus interchange detailed in the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan and draft Hornsby TOD rezoning documentation.

Instead of an interchange split between Jersey Street and George Street, the Framework shows that the existing interchange at Station Street would be intensified. It also shows significantly more commuter car parking on Jersey Street. If delivered, these changes would likely result in additional unplanned traffic and potentially require road designs that are different than those shown in the draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines. The State Government Design Guide for Hornsby Town Centre, which contains controls with statutory weight for consideration, indicates that either an intensified or split bus interchange could be delivered.

No supporting traffic analysis has been provided to demonstrate the changes can be accommodated within the road network. Given this uncertainty in the planning controls and the significant traffic generating changes to the transport interchange and commuter carpark, it is recommended that Council write to Transport for NSW and DPHI expressing concerns about these changes. Accordingly, a meeting should be requested with these agencies to discuss the issue during the exhibition period. ‘

2. Hornsby Town Centre Development Contribution Plan

Development contribution plans allow for local governments to levy development to provide a contribution towards the provision of infrastructure. Infrastructure listed in development contribution plans is required to have a nexus with the demand generated by new development. Examples of infrastructure funded by such plans include local roads, parks and community facilities.

Section 7.12 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 allows councils to impose a levy based on a percentage of the proposed cost of carrying out development. Such a contribution can only be authorised under a development contributions plan towards infrastructure identified in such a plan.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 generally limits the maximum levy at 1% of the cost of development, where that cost exceeds $200,000. This is the maximum levy authorised under Council’s current Hornsby Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan, which was adopted by Council at its 11 December 2019 meeting.

Amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 were made as part of the Hornsby TOD rezoning and allow development contributions up to 4 per cent of the cost of works for new development in the Hornsby Town Centre.

The maximum levies in the Hornsby Town Centre are as follows:

Development

Contribution Rate

(a) With a proposed cost of development up to and including $200,000

Nil

(b) Mixed use development involving development for the purposes of residential accommodation and more than $200,000

(i) a component that is residential development

(ii) another component

(i) if the development is for the purposes of residential accommodation

(ii) otherwise

To give effect to these provisions, a draft Hornsby Town Centre Precinct Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2025 (attached) has been prepared to identify the application area, contribution rates and capital works schedule that contributions will be allocated towards.

The works schedule is in line with the projects and cost estimates published in the NSW Government’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan, prepared to support the Hornsby TOD rezoning. Costs associated with the works have been informed by quantity surveyors engaged during the development of the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan and the Hornsby TOD rezoning process.

The key infrastructure priorities of the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan are divided into the following categories:

· Community facilities, including a new multi-purpose community facility and regional library.

· Traffic and transport improvements, including upgrades to streets and intersections.

· Open space and recreation, such as the embellishment of Hornsby Square.

· Streetscape upgrades, including street tree plantings and other embellishments.

The full works schedule is provided in Appendix A of the draft Contributions Plan.

3. Hornsby Town Centre Development Control Plan

The Hornsby Precinct Design Guide published by the State Government provides design guidance for new development in the Hornsby Town Centre and is given statutory weight by Clause 8.2 of the Hornsby LEP. The design guide states that it is to be read in conjunction with Hornsby DCP. Draft amendments to the Hornsby DCP have therefore been prepared to update maps and built form controls to reflect the principles of the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan be consistent with the Hornsby Precinct Design Guide.

The draft Hornsby DCP amendments would replace the existing Hornsby DCP 2024 Part 4, Section 4.5 Hornsby Town Centre and include minor changes to Part 1 of the Hornsby DCP.

The following changes are proposed:

· Reorganisation of content to promote high quality development outcomes.

· Updates to Desired future character statements.

· New and updated controls to align with the Hornsby Precinct Design Guide.

· New and updated controls to align with draft Hornsby Public Domain Guide.

· New and updated controls related to sustainability and water management.

· Minor updates to Part 1 planning controls relating to car parking.

An outline of each of the changes is provided below.

3.1 Reorganisation of planning controls

Planning controls within Section 4.5 Hornsby Town Centre are proposed to be reorganised to increase ease of use for applications and assessments. It places strategic and precinct level planning matters first, then built form controls and then public domain and interface controls. This change does not in itself, result in new or additional controls, rather sets a framework for new and amended controls that relate to the delivery of the Hornsby Town Centre vision.

3.2 Updates to Desired future character statements

The existing desired future character statements are proposed to be replaced with those that reflect the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan. The statements set Council’s vision for the development of the Centre and its precincts. New maps and a concept drawing from the Masterplan have been incorporated to support the character statements.

Where appropriate, changes resulting from the Hornsby TOD rezoning have been incorporated. These changes relate to the potential height and design of tower elements. As noted above, the Hornsby Precinct Design Guide allows for two potential outcomes for a redesigned bus terminal arrangement in the Hornsby Town Centre. The proposed desired future character statements support Council’s vision of a split bus interchange arrangement, as described in the adopted Masterplan.

3.3 Alignment with Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan and Hornsby Precinct Design Guide

The proposed planning controls seek to deliver high quality pedestrian scale development at the ground level, with towers set back from podiums. Positive design elements, such as high-quality materials, finishes and green roofs and walls are required. Similarly, amenity provisions relating to privacy and security, solar access and wind mitigation have been incorporated.

The proposed planning controls have been designed to reflect the intent of the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan as well as accompany and support the Hornsby Precinct Design Guide and Hornsby TOD rezoning controls.

3.4 Public Domain Updates

As discussed above, the draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guideline includes potential design treatments for streetscapes and open space in the Hornsby Town Centre. This includes both plans and sections that build upon the Landscape and Public Domain plan exhibited with draft Masterplan.

Amendments to sections of the Hornsby DCP relating to Traffic Management and Public Domain in the Hornsby Town Centre are proposed to incorporate updated mapping, design drawings and public domain pallets from the draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guideline and Hornsby Precinct Design Guide to ensure consistency across the documents. Planning controls have been prepared to support the delivery of high amenity streets and public open spaces. Examples include guidelines for pedestrian and cycleways, street trees and materials for the public domain.

3.5 Water Management and Sustainability

Water Management and Sustainability controls are proposed in the Hornsby Town Centre, reflecting the opportunities and constraints offered by higher density development and sustainability objectives. The controls seek to improve stormwater quality and reduce the consumption of water, electricity and minimise the production of carbon emissions. Practical examples have been provided of measures that could be incorporated into new developments that would provide improved conservation outcomes, such as recycling water and stormwater and targeted climate control systems.

3.6 Minor updates to Hornsby DCP Part 1 parking controls

Hornsby DCP Part 1 Section 1.3.2.1 Transport and Parking is proposed to be updated to reflect the maximum car parking, car share and accessible car parking rates and supporting map extracted in the Hornsby Precinct Design Guide. The car parking rates are consistent with those included in Council’s exhibited and adopted Masterplan.

The car parking rates are proposed to be included in the Hornsby DCP for ease of reference, with all car parking requirements in the Shire accessible in a single location. As they are identified in the Hornsby Precinct Design Guide, in the case of any inconsistency, the Design Guide would override any conflicting car parking rates in the Hornsby DCP.

The rates included in Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan and the guide are extracted below. Tier 1 rates generally apply within 200m of Hornsby Station, with Tier 2 rates applying to the balance of the centre.

Land Use	Car Parking Rates (maximum rates unless range specified)
	Tier 1	Tier 2
Multi-unit residential
	Allocated resident parking, to be provided on-site, within the range of:
0-1 Bedroom	0.4 space per dwelling	0.75 space per dwelling
2 Bedrooms	0.8 space per dwelling	1 space per dwelling
3 or more Bedrooms	1.1 spaces per dwelling	1.5 spaces per dwelling
Visitors	Plus 1 parking space for every 10 dwellings for visitors to be provided within a public parking facility through cash-in-lieu contributions.
Commercial Premises (excluding Retail)
	Tenant parking, to be provided on-site, within the range of:
	1 per 100 m² GFA	1 per 70 m² GFA
	1 per 400 m² GFA to be provided within a public parking facility through cash-in-lieu contributions.
	1 loading bay per 400 m²GFA to be provided on-site.
Retail
	Tenant parking, to be provided on-site, within the range of:
	1 per 150 m² GFA	1 per 67 m² GFA
	1 per 100 m² GFA to be provided within a public parking facility through cash-in-lieu contributions.
	1 loading bay per 400 m²GFA to be provided on-site.
For all other uses within the Hornsby Town Centre refer to Table 1C.2.1(c)

It is recommended the draft Public Domain Plan Guideline, Contributions Plan and Hornsby DCP amendments be placed on public exhibition. It is also recommended that Council write to Transport for NSW and DPHI to discuss the uncertainty in the planning controls arising from the significant traffic generating changes to the transport interchange and commuter carpark.

CONSULTATION

The Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan was exhibited for a period of two months and was supported by a range of communication methods including a project website, letters, physical and digital advertising and drop-in sessions with Council officers at Hornsby Library. A total of 496 submissions were received, which were considered during the finalisation of the Masterplan. The Hornsby TOD rezoning was exhibited for 45 days, with the NSW Government undertaking similar engagement methods and receiving 337 submissions.

Feedback from these consultations has been incorporated into the finalised Masterplan, TOD rezoning and supporting reports. The draft Public Domain Guidelines, draft Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2025 and draft Hornsby DCP amendments have been prepared to be consistent with the adopted and finalised framework.

Council’s Hornsby Community Engagement Plan states that draft DCPs should be exhibited to the community for a minimum period of 28 days. Given the extensive consultation already undertaken, and the consistency of the drafts with the intent of the Hornsby Town Centre Masterplan, this standard period of consultation is appropriate.

The draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines, draft Hornsby Town Centre Precinct Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2025 and draft Hornsby DCP amendments are recommended to be placed on public exhibition for a period of at least 28 days. The community would be informed about the consultation through Council’s ‘Your Say Hornsby Website.’ Emails/letters would be sent to those who lodged submissions on Council’s Masterplan.

BUDGET

There are no budgetary implications associated with this report. Costs associated with the preparation of the draft Public Domain Guidelines, draft Development Contributions Plan and draft Hornsby DCP amendments are covered by the Strategic Land Use Planning operational budget.

POLICY

Following exhibition of draft Public Domain Guidelines, draft Development Contributions Plan and draft Hornsby DCP amendments, a report on submissions would be presented to Council for consideration.

Subject to Council endorsement, Hornsby DCP amendments and reports would come into force once published on Council’s website. The amendments would apply to development applications received after the date of publication.

Subject to Council endorsement, the draft Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2025 would amend the Hornsby 7.11 Development Contributions Plan 2020-2030 and Hornsby 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2019-2029 to exclude their application to the Hornsby Town Centre. Development applications not yet determined would be subject to the development contribution rate outlined in the finalised contribution plan.

At its meeting in June 2024, Council considered General Manager’s Report No. GM32/24 and noted that an Implementation Plan was being developed to guide the realisation of Council’s vision for the Hornsby Town Centre. Consistent with the Implementation Plan, work is underway across a number of interrelated areas including Governance, Funding and Resource Coordination, Planning (matters the subject of this report), Property, Infrastructure and Economic Development/Place Management. These matters will be reported separately to Council as they progress.

CONCLUSION

This report seeks Council endorsement to publicly exhibit draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines, draft Development Contributions Plan and draft Hornsby DCP amendments. It is recommended that these documents be exhibited on Council’s website for at least 28 days. Following exhibition, a report on submissions will be presented to Council.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

The officer responsible for the preparation of this Report is the Manager of Strategic Land Use Planning – Katherine Vickery - who can be contacted on 9847 6744.

Katherine Vickery

Manager - Strategic Landuse Planning

Planning and Compliance Division

James Farrington

Director - Planning and Compliance

Planning and Compliance Division

Attachments:

1.	Draft Hornsby Town Centre Public Domain Guidelines
2.	Draft HTC Section 7.12 Contributions Plan
3.	Draft HDCP Part 1 - Hornsby Town Centre
4.	Draft HDCP Part 4 - Hornsby Town Centre

File Reference: F2018/00321-004

Document Number: D09068961

Director's Report No. PC6/25

Planning and Compliance Division

Date of Meeting: 12/03/2025

7 DESIGN EXCELLENCE PANEL - APPOINTMENT OF PANEL MEMBERS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

· In June 2019, Council resolved to establish the Hornsby Design Excellence Panel to provide independent urban design advice to assist deliver quality-built form and public domain outcomes for major developments.

· At its meeting on 8 April 2020, Council endorsed 9 members to participate on the Design Excellence Panel. The term of appointment of current members expires on 9 March 2025.

· An expression of interest process has been undertaken to appoint new Panel members.

· It is recommended that Council endorse the re-appointment of 6 current Panel members and 3 new members for a period up to 3 years.

RECOMMENDATION

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s endorsement of expert members of the Hornsby Design Excellence Panel.

BACKGROUND

In response to representations from the community concerning the built form and character of residential unit developments in Hornsby Shire, at its meeting on 8 November 2017, Council resolved to undertake a review of built form outcomes and planning controls including the introduction of further landscaping requirements.

At its meeting on 10 October 2018, Council considered Group Manager’s Report No. PL26/18 regarding a Design Excellence Review of Planning Controls and presenting draft Development Control Plan (DCP) amendments. Council resolved to exhibit the draft DCP amendment for community comment and (in part) that:

4. Council endorse in principle the establishment of a formal Design Excellence Advisory Panel, with a further report being presented to Council concerning the appointment, constitution, fee structure and yearly budget allocation for the Panel.

At its meeting on 12 June 2019, Council resolved to establish a Hornsby Design Excellence Panel and undertake an expression of interest (EOI) process to appoint appropriately qualified and experienced consultants to participate on the Panel. Council also adopted Terms of Reference for the Panel.

At its meeting on 8 April 2020, Council endorsed 9 members to participate on the Design Excellence Panel for an initial two-year term. The members of the Panel comprised 3 architects, 3 urban designers, 1 landscape architect, 1 landscape / heritage architect and 1 heritage architect.

At its meeting on 9 March 2022, Council resolved to extend the term of appointment of the current members of the Panel for a period up to 3 years. The term of appointment of current members expires on 9 March 2025.

DISCUSSION

The role of the Design Excellence Panel is to provide independent, expert, and impartial design advice on the design quality of development within the Shire in accordance with the requirements of the Hornsby Local Environmental Plan, Hornsby Development Control Plan and Apartment Design Guidelines. The Panel reviews the following types of development:

· Development comprising a residential flat building or mixed-use development.

· Townhouse development.

· Any development for which, in the opinion of the Manager Development Assessments, is required to achieve design excellence.

· Any strategic planning matters for which design excellence is relevant.

A pool of Panel members is selected by Council and each member must be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of urban design values and have extensive experience in architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and/or heritage. The Panel is convened on an as required basis and the quorum for the Panel comprises 3 members from the pool of members. The proponent’s architect and/or urban design consultant is required to present to the Panel to outline the proposal and respond to any questions.

In accordance with the Panel Terms of Reference, the role of the Panel is advisory only. The recommendations or comments provided in response to a proposal by the Panel are used to inform the development assessment process.

The existing members for the Hornsby Design Excellence Panel were selected based on their extensive experience across a range expertise in architecture, urban design, heritage, and landscape design. All of the current members have experience on other design excellence panels at a range of government levels and in NSW Land and Environment Court matters. A number of Panel members have also received design awards in Architecture.

The Design Excellence Panel is currently comprised of the following experts:

Stephen Collier - Architect	Jon Johannsen - Urban Designer	Mark Deuschle - Landscape Architect
Andrew Stanic - Architect	Brett Newbold - Urban Designer	Matthew Taylor - Landscape Architect
David Epstein - Architect	Karla Castellanos - Urban Designer	Ron Edgar - Heritage Architect

The term of appointment of for current Panel members will expire on 9 March 2025. Three of the current panel members are retiring and have not sought reappointment to the panel.

An Expressions of interest was commenced in November 2024 to seek new membership on Council’s Design Excellence Panel. Council advertised through the Australian Institute of Architects, Urban Development Institute of Australia and UDIA NSW Property Industry. In response, 23 submissions from architects, landscape architects, urban designers, and heritage architects were received.

Six of the current experts have re-applied. These members have a sound understanding of Council’s planning controls and expectations for design excellence. Further, they have demonstrated experiencing in improving the design quality of developments in Hornsby Shire. Accordingly, it would be appropriate to reappoint the experts to the Panel.

A short-listing process has been undertaken by the Director Planning and Compliance, Manager Assessments and Major Development Manager to appoint 3 new panels members. Consultation has also been undertaken with existing Panel members and officers from other Councils with Design Excellence Panels.

A summary of the recommended experts and their background is provided below.

1. Stephen Collier	• Award winning architect with 30 years’ experience in Australia and internationally. • Current member of the Northern Beaches (Chair) and Lane Cove Design Excellence Panels.
2. Andrew Stanic	• 35 years’ experience as an architect. • Current member of the Parramatta DEAP from 2011 till 2027. • Previous member Parramatta SEPP 65 Panel from 2004 till 2011.
3. David Epstein	• Architect and urban designer with over 30 years’ experience in both public and private sectors. • Panel Member on Bayside, Northern Beaches, Randwick, Ryde and George River Council Design Excellence Panels.
4. Karla Castellanos	• 25 years’ experience in urban design. • Member of North Sydney Local Planning Panel (Local Area Representative). • Current member of Burwood Council DRP (July 2022 - Present). • Current member & Alternate Chair; Wollongong Council Design Review Panel Member & Chair (2016 - 2020, 2022 - Present). • Previous member Canada Bay Local Planning Panel (2018 - 2021).
5. Marc Deuschle	• Landscape architect with over 25 years’ experience. • Current member of the Government Architect NSW, State Design review Panel. • Current member Wollongong City, Camden, Shellharbour City Design Excellence Panels.
6. Matthew Taylor	• Landscape architect and heritage expert with over 45 years’ experience. • Current member of Sutherland, Bayside, Campbelltown, The Hills, Ryde and Liverpool Design Review Panels.
7. Jared Phillips	· Urban design and landscape architecture with 15 years’ experience · Current member The Hills and Sutherland Shire Council Design Advisory Panel. · Current member Sydney South State Planning Panel.
8. Jim Koopman	· Architect and urban designer with 45 years’ experience · Current member Northern Beaches Council Design and Sustainability Panel. · Current member Bayside Council Design Review Panel.
9. Vishal Lakhia	· Registered architect and urban designer with over 17 years’ experience. · Current member North Sydney Design Excellence Panel (Chair) · Current member and Chairperson - Inner West Architectural Excellence Panel. · Inner West Design Review Panel (for residential flat buildings only) - Convener. · Current member Liverpool, Burwood, Randwick, Waverley Design Excellence Panels. · Urban Design & Architectural Design Expert Witness for Class 1 Appeals in the Land and Environment Court of NSW.

It is recommended that Council appoint panel members of the Hornsby Shire Council Design Excellence Panel for a 3-year term.

BUDGET

The cost of operating the Design Excellence Panel is covered by applicant’s and charged in accordance with Council’s adopted fees and charges. There are no changes proposed that would impact on the Planning and Compliance Division operating budget.

POLICY

There are no policy implications.

CONCLUSION

To meet the requirements of Clause 6.8 Design excellence of the Hornsby Local Environmental Plan 2013, in order to achieve the highest standard of architectural and urban design, it is recommended that Council appoint Stephen Collier, Andrew Stanic, David Epstein, Karla Castellanos, Marc Deuschle, Matthew Taylor, Jared Phillips, Jim Koopman and Vishal Lakhia as panel members of the Hornsby Design Excellence Panel for a 3-year term.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER

The officer responsible for the preparation of this Report is the Manager, Development Assessments - Rod Pickles.

James Farrington

Director - Planning and Compliance

Planning and Compliance Division

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

File Reference: F2014/00312-002

Document Number: D09070230