Council to consider Goulburn CBD ideas

Thirteen recommendations will go to Tuesday night's council meeting following extensive public consultation on a plan to beautify the city centre.

General manager Warwick Bennett is recommending that the speed limit in Auburn Street be reduced from 60km/h to 40km/h.

"The majority of written feedback stated that you can't do more than 40km/h anyway," he wrote in his report.

Responses in an online survey, which drew 150 respondents, ranged from "it's a stupid idea" to "it's slow enough as it is" to "sensible" and "fantastic idea." Many said it was impossible to reach above 40km/h now.

The three-month consultation, which ended on March 8, also attracted six written submissions, raising issues such as heritage, parking, trolley bays, tree planting and the closure of Market Street/ Auburn Street intersection to create a pedestrian friendly area.

The latter was initially floated last November but councillors scrapped the idea in February after community backlash. It was withdrawn from the public consultation and councillors decided to seek input at another time.

"Although management believe this project would enhance the pedestrian friendliness of the CBD and would receive widespread community support, it is considered not to be politically acceptable," Mr Bennett wrote.

But he said it was interesting to note that before this aspect was dropped, "40pc of the feedback supported the initiative." 

The council is moving closer to seizing back control of Auburn Street following what Mayor Bob Kirk said was a positive recent meeting with the Roads and Maritime Service, which controls the thoroughfare. If agreed, the council would not need RMS endorsement for changes to Auburn Street. In turn, the RMS would take over control of Sloane Street, frequently used by heavy vehicles.

The move feeds into another recommendation on Tuesday night.

Mr Bennett is also recommending to Tuesday's meeting that councillors approve in principle the removal of the median strip between Montague and Clifford Streets. This would allow permanent planting and landscaping but the RMS must firstly agree, at least until the road swap is endorsed.

The GM acknowledged that opinion was split 50/50 on the removal but argued the landscaping would enhance the CBD's appearance. He used Wagga Wagga as an example of a city where it had worked well.

In an effort to encourage Auburn Street building owners to upgrade facades, Mr Bennett also suggests that the council allocate $30,000 annually in its budget over the next four years. The process would be based on the current heritage grant funding model, with owners paying for half the cost of repainting and the council matching this amount.

Mr Bennett argued the initiative was a priority.

"It's disappointing that property owners do not have the pride in the city to undertake this work without financial incentives, but that is the reality we face," he stated.

Councillors will also consider whether to remove the taxi rank in Clinton Street between Auburn and Sloane Streets and to reduce the maximum capacity of all cab ranks in the CBD to two car lengths.

In addition, Mr Bennett recommends that the bus stop outside the courthouse be removed and the regional services that use it be directed to the Cartwight Place drop-off and pick-up. This would free up the area for 45-degree parking spaces.

An initial idea to introduce parallel parking in some parts of the CBD has been scrapped. However, the area on Clinton Street between Auburn and Sloane Streets will be investigated for parallel parking and reported back to councillors.

Meantime, the hunt for more parking area continues. Councillors authorised the general manager last November to negotiate the lease and/or purchase of land off Blackshaw Road and Sloane Street, as well as next to the Cartwright Place carpark.

Despite a letter to the owners in recent weeks, a response has not been received.

CBD parking is top of Graham Dally's mind. In a submission he called for more detailed information on its availability.

As a member of the CBD parking committee he said he had repeatedly pointed out that the claim Goulburn had an excess of spaces was "wrong, flawed and without valid foundation."

"We have no concrete data to make a claim that we have too little, enough or an excess of parking spaces. How can council justify perpetuating this false claim?" he asked in his letter.

Tuesday's meeting starts at 6pm in the council chambers and will be live-streamed on the council website. 

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