Decision details

Moved by Councillor Scott, seconded by Councillor Miller –

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note: 

(i)          cities around the world are finding new and innovative ways to increase green space and urban canopy:

(a)        the Dutch city of Utrecht has upgraded 316 bus stops with roof top gardens. These gardens capture fine dust and rainwater and provide extra space for urban bee populations. Importantly it improves air quality and adds to the city's urban canopy;

(b)        British bus stops in the City of Stockwell, Clapham Common, Crystal Palace and Brixton have introduced edible bus stops that feature edible plants on the footpath and shelter itself; and

(c)         Dublin city has 4,547 bus stops in total and over 1,200 have thus far been converted to urban garden stops. Once all stops are complete the City of Dublin will have added two football sized fields of urban canopy; and

Note – the above motion was not carried. The resolution below was carried.

It is resolved that:

(A)       Council note:

(i)          on the 19 November 2018, Council approved a Notice of Motion for Living Sydney 2050. The Notice of Motion, moved by Councillor Miller, requested the Chief Executive Officer to:

(a)        investigate best practice approaches to improving the City’s urban ecology as part of the Sustainable Sydney 2050 consultation and use that to update the overarching strategic approach and relevant city plans;

(b)        look at whether that could include prioritising outcomes and exploring levers for achieving them, such as the review of forthcoming Local Environment Plans, development control plans, tender documents, major projects, demonstration projects, new programs (such as a Living Infrastructure Partnership), via our grants or planning controls, community engagement, new targets, regulatory barriers and advocacy priorities; and

(c)         provide an indicative timeline for when this review might take place via CEO update;

(ii)         feedback from Sustainable Sydney 2050 community consultation indicates that parks, open space, trees and general greening are high priorities for the community. Once that consultation, data collection and strategy development is complete, the information will be analysed and used to assist with the Greening Sydney Plan review soon to commence;

(iii)        the Greening Sydney Plan review brief includes improving greening in the public domain and investigating innovative ways to help cool the city and make it more liveable in the face of climate change; and

(iv)       cities around the world are finding new and innovative ways to increase green space and urban canopy:

(a)        the Dutch city of Utrecht has upgraded 316 bus stops with roof top gardens. These gardens capture fine dust and rainwater and provide extra space for urban bee populations. Importantly it improves air quality and adds to the city's urban canopy;

(b)        British bus stops in the City of Stockwell, Clapham Common, Crystal Palace and Brixton have introduced edible bus stops that feature edible plants on the footpath and shelter itself; and

(c)         Dublin city has 4,547 bus stops with plans for 1200 of those with shelters to be converted to urban garden stops resulting in an urban canopy equalling the size of two football fields; and

(B)       the Chief Executive Officer continue to investigate innovative opportunities for the urban greening of the public domain, such a green roofs on bus shelters, as part of the review of the City’s Greening Sydney Plan.

Carried unanimously.

S129266