Processes for the Application and Implementation of Work Zones
Decision Maker: Council
Decision status: Recommendations Determined
Decisions:
By Councillor Scott
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
public
spaces should be primarily for the use of the public good, with the needs of
the community weighted seriously alongside the requirements of construction and
other commercial projects;
(ii)
there
has been significant controversy and community opposition to the approval of
some work zones in the City in recent years, including on Bulwarra
Road in Ultimo, Baptist Street in Redfern and work zones surrounding the
stadium development in Paddington;
(iii)
where a
traffic matter, such as a work zone, is delegated by Roads and Maritime
Services (RMS) to be dealt with by the City, the City of Sydney Local Pedestrian,
Cycling and Traffic Calming Committee (LPCTCC) advises the City as to the
action that should be taken;
(iv)
the
voting members of the LPCTCC are RMS, local NSW Police, the local State Member
of Parliament or their nominee, and the Chairperson of the Committee from the
City of Sydney;
(v)
advice
provided by the LPCTCC is enacted by the Chief Executive Officer under
delegation from Council;
(vi)
there
is currently no mechanism by which Council can review advice provided by LPCTCC
or provide direction to the Chief Executive Officer as to these traffic
matters;
(vii)
in
April 2018, the motion Delegations to Staff on Traffic Matters (S129266) was
passed by Council, which called on the Chief Executive Officer to conduct a
review and provide a report on potential changes needed to the City's policies
with regards to:
(a)
the
wording and applicability of Works Zone-related consent conditions placed on
future development approvals; and
(b)
the
City's Work Zone application processes and conditions; and
(viii)
communities
continue to raise concerns regarding the allocation of work zones; and
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
provide
a report to Councillors as detailed in the motion Delegations to Staff on
Traffic Matters (S129266) of April 2018, as soon as practically possible; and
(ii)
investigate
options as part of this report, which include:
(a) options for a decision of the LPCTCC to be reviewed by Council prior to implementation;
(b) options to better balance the public interest, including pedestrian safety, with private and commercial needs; and
(c) options to extend the community notification periods to include consultation before the implementation of a decision, longer notice periods before the start of works, and a review of resident and other concerns following the end of the works zone.
Note – at the meeting of Council, the content
of the original Notice of Motion was varied by Councillor Scott. Subsequently,
it was:
Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by
Councillor Scully –
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
under
NSW Government Legislation, the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is the body
responsible for the control of traffic on all roads in New South Wales;
(ii)
the RMS
has delegated to local councils limited aspects of traffic control on regional
and local roads within their own local government area, but not for state
roads;
(iii)
the
authority to control traffic lies with the RMS and the delegation does not
remove the RMS’ ability to directly exercise those delegated functions;
(iv) the Local Pedestrian Cycling and Traffic
Calming Committee (LPCTCC) is established by state legislation as an advisory
and technical review committee that has no decision-making powers;
(v)
the
state guidelines require Council to seek the advice of its LPCTCC if it
proposes to regulate traffic;
(vi) in April 2018, the motion Delegations to
Staff on Traffic Matters (S129266) was passed by Council, which called on the Chief
Executive Officer to conduct a review and provide a report on potential changes
needed to the City’s policies with regards to:
(a) the wording and applicability of Works Zone-related
consent conditions placed on future development approvals; and
(b) the City’s Work
Zone application processes and conditions; and
(vii) City of Sydney staff are undertaking the
review referred to in (vi);
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
provide
a report to Councillors as detailed in the motion Delegations to Staff on
Traffic Matters (S129266) of April 2018, as soon as practically possible; and
(ii)
investigate
options as part of this report, which include:
(a) options for a decision of the LPCTCC to be reviewed by
Council prior to implementation;
(b) options to better balance the public interest, including
pedestrian safety, with private and
commercial needs;
(c) options
to extend the community notification periods to include consultation before the implementation
of a decision, loner notice periods before the start of works, and a review of
resident and other concerns following the end of the works zone; and
(C)
the Lord Mayor be
requested to lobby the NSW state government to take into account pedestrian and
cycling activity and safety, in addition to traffic data, when assessing
applications for work zones via the LPCTCC, via the RMS.
Variation. At the request of Councillor
Thalis, and by consent, the motion was varied such that it read as follows:
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
under
NSW Government Legislation, the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) is the body
responsible for the control of traffic on all roads in New South Wales;
(ii)
the RMS
has delegated to local councils limited aspects of traffic control on regional
and local roads within their own local government area, but not for state
roads;
(iii)
the
authority to control traffic lies with the RMS and the delegation does not
remove the RMS’ ability to directly exercise those delegated functions;
(iv) the Local Pedestrian Cycling and Traffic
Calming Committee (LPCTCC) is established by state legislation as an advisory
and technical review committee that has no decision-making powers;
(v)
the
state guidelines require Council to seek the advice of its LPCTCC if it
proposes to regulate traffic;
(vi) in April 2018, the motion Delegations to
Staff on Traffic Matters (S129266) was passed by Council, which called on the
CEO to conduct a review and provide a report on potential changes needed to the
City’s policies with regards to:
(a) the wording and applicability of Works Zone-related
consent conditions placed on future development approvals; and
(b) the City’s Work
Zone application processes and conditions;
(vii) City of Sydney staff are undertaking the
review referred to in (vi); and
(viii) City of Sydney staff have increased the
notification period before a Works Zone is installed from 7 to 14 days;
(B)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
provide
a report to Councillors as detailed in the motion Delegations to Staff on
Traffic Matters (S129266) of April 2018, as soon as practically possible; and
(ii)
investigate
options as part of this report, which include:
(a) options to better balance the public interest, including
pedestrian safety, with private and
commercial needs; and
(b) a review of resident and other concerns following the end of
the works zone; and
(C) the Lord Mayor be requested to lobby the NSW
state government to take into account pedestrian and cycling activity and
safety, in addition to traffic data, when assessing applications for work zones
via the LPCTCC, via the RMS.
The motion, as varied by consent, was carried
unanimously.
S129266
Report author: Rebekah Celestin
Publication date: 11/02/2019
Date of decision: 11/02/2019
Decided at meeting: 11/02/2019 - Council
Accompanying Documents: