Councillors have approved a car wash for a hinterland town despite a recommendation by planning staff that the application be refused.
Noosa Council voted five-two to approve the application for a material change of use for the car wash in Cooroy at last week’s general meeting, with Mayor Frank Wilkie and Deputy Mayor Brian Stockwell resistant.
The Kings Group’s proposal for a car wash and food and drink outlet on a former motel site at 34 Elm Street had attracted 520 submissions, of which 498 were in support, 19 against and three impartial.
A report by the council’s planning coordinator Nadine Gorton had recommended the car wash application be refused because of inconsistencies with zonings and the character of Cooroy.
The land is zoned District Centre, for commercial use, but the car wash was deemed to be an industrial use and therefore not suitable for the site.
Unresolved traffic matters, including concerns about queuing and the ability of Diamond Lane to handle increased traffic, were also added as reasons the staff recommended refusing the application when it came before yesterday’s meeting.
The motion to approve was moved by Councillor Amelia Lorentson, who told her colleagues that “despite presenting a zoning conflict and non-compliance with the planning scheme, the proposed car wash warrants approval if it can be demonstrated that the public interest is better served by approving the application”.
Cr Lorentson said the car wash would meet community needs, would support the local economy, and by recycling water and harvesting rainwater offered significant environmental benefits, “making it a valuable addition to the Cooroy business district area” and giving Cooroy and other hinterland residents “a much-needed car wash”.
She said the location of the site between two service stations made it a “practical choice” even though the District Centre use did not align with a car wash.
“In conclusion, I urge councillors to approve the car wash development because it serves a greater public interest than strict adherence to the planning scheme,” she said.
Cr Lorentson’s motion laid out several reasons for supporting the application, and Cr Wilkie moved amendments to tweak the wording for the “accuracy” of the statements.
During discussion, Cr Wilkie pointed out that Elm Street was not the only possible location for a car wash as there was industrial land for sale in Cooroy.
The car wash application came before the council’s Planning and Environment Committee meeting on August 6 but was referred to the general committee meeting on August 12 due to its significance.
The general committee deferred the matter to the August 15 ordinary meeting to allow the applicant’s traffic consultant to discuss issues with council staff, but the meeting heard the consultants had been too busy.
Cr Lorentson said the applicant’s traffic consultants had written to all councillors advising there would be adequate room for queuing on site, and the operator was willing to have an on-site manager.
Cr Wilkie unsuccessfully moved a motion to defer the car wash matter to allow the traffic discussions to take place, saying councillors should do their “due diligence” and make a decision with “eyes wide open”.
“We’ve also not tested the consultant’s claim that there won’t be queuing. Staff say there is concerns about queuing. If there is queuing, that’s going to have an impact on the amenity of that particular neighbourhood,” he said.
Cr Wilkie also said a 19m long by 7.5m long concrete wall would have an impact on the amenity of residents to the east of the carwash.
Cr Stockwell successfully moved a motion to include a condition for increased articulation of the car wash, such as an awning, “green wall” or timber battening.
But he later joined Cr Wilkie in voting against Cr Lorentson’s motion to approve the car wash.
Councillor Tom Wegener, a Cooroy resident, described car washes as “happy” places where people went in with dirty cars and came out with clean ones, and predicted the Cooroy car wash would be well-used by local residents on tank water.
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