Plans to rezone land bought with environment levy

The rezoning intentions for 53 Fisher Road, Thorneside and 61 McMillan Road, Alexandra Hills, were unveiled in Redland City Council's City Plan 2015, on display until November 27.

About 80 residents gathered in Thorneside to voice their anger about the rezonings, which they said was "like double dipping" and a preliminary step to selling off the sites. Another meeting will be held in Birkdale this week to discuss the issue.

The environment levy is $87.20 a year and is currently only used for maintaining and rehabilitating the city's 7779 blocks of land that cost ratepayers $11 million annually.

The money goes to a special fund, comprising a $6.9million Environmental Charge Acquisition Reserve for buying land and an Environment Charge Maintenance Reserve which has a $1.7million balance and is for maintainence.

Birkdale resident Margaret Hardy said residents felt ripped off because their levy was used to buy the Fisher Road land, before later subdividing a portion to recoup costs.

"Our money - our land," she said. "Council is pleading that maintaining parks is costing $11million a year but it raises $9million from the environment levy, which they have reduced from over $100." 

Fisher Road resident Susan Latch said the council land was part of a koala corridor and developing the site would adversely affect the dwindling Thorneside koala population.

She said the prospect of a nearby street, Penny Lane, being turned into an access road was also dauting and posed safety hazards.

Thorneside councillor Paul Bishop said residents believed selling off land bought with the environmental levy was a council backflip to get extra revenue.

"The money was set aside in a special kitty for the council to buy land to mitigate against the impact of development," he said.

"It wasn't established so environmental lands could be sold to make money later." 

However, Redland City Council said the intention was always to on-sell both blocks.

A council spokesman said both sites were initially bought so council could rezone them and impose more restrictive development conditions to protect existing trees.

Council bought the McMillan Road site in 2010, when there was a proposal to develop the land into 11 residential lots that would have resulted in the substantial clearing of the site.

The Fisher Road site was bought in 1998, after a 14-lot subdivision was approved which would have required extensive clearing and then filling of the site.

The council spokesman said there would be no net loss of conservation land under the city plan and more suitable sites would be acquired after any sales.

"Very few council properties are proposed to be rezoned for housing and in most cases the proposed zone change to conservation, recreation and open space or community facilities reflects the existing land use with the land to be retained for community use," council said.

Since council started acquiring its land portfolio 80 years ago, land requirements have changed and a review of all holdings was needed but no land would be rezoned without community consideration, the spokesman said.