A councillor is pushing for improved safety plans for trees and roadside vegetation before the next fire season, so residents have a way to get out.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Cr Harvey Benton has issued a notice of motion ahead of Tuesday's Wangaratta Council meeting, asking that council officers work with representatives from the Department Of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, CFA and Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee.
"This plan should consider appropriate turn around points for large vehicles, and treatment of trees and other vegetation on the roadsides," he said.
Carboor-Everton Road was an example where the public needed to have safe access, as it is the main exit out of the Carboor valley.
It took 150 firefighters to get the blaze under control.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"(Carboor-Everton Road) has been identified that safety improvement works including large vehicle turn around points and tree treatment would improve safe access during emergencies," Cr Benton said.
"It is acknowledged that a balance between conservation and safety is required, it is also understood that several agencies have some responsibility for legislation covering emergencies and native vegetation removal.
"It is vitally important this work is carried out, and that agencies agree on a sensible plan in time for preparations for the 2020-21 fire season."
Councillors will consider the motion at the meeting, to be held at the Wangaratta Council chambers on Tuesday from 6pm.
The council will also consider creating a low density and rural residential strategy, to look at expanding housing to meet demand in the future.
The threat of more bushfires in the future has influenced these plans.
"The planning horizon adopted for the strategy is 30 years. This has regard to the requirements of state policy to plan for land supply to accommodate at least 15 years of demand and the need to ensure that a strategic and long-term approach to planning for housing in the study zones is applied," the council agenda stated.
"Bushfire planning was given the highest consideration and formed the starting point from which key investigations and directions were formulated."
Rezoning of land could occur in Wangaratta, Milawa, Oxley and Moyhu.
"The strategy identifies relevant environmental constraints like bushfire and flooding and seeks to adopt first principles to avoid these hazards in order to create more resilient communities," the agenda stated.
If passed by councillors, the draft strategy would go out for community consultation for one month.
