Ordinary Council Meeting
Late Items
2 March 2021
RECORD NUMBER: 2021/315
AUTHOR: Ian Greenham, Director Technical Services
EXECUTIVE Summary
Council exhibited the Future City framework last year and it was adopted at a Council meeting on 1 September 2020.
There were three strong themes:
1 Attract more people
2 Increase the number of people living and working in the City Centre
3 Make the City Centre more walkable - addressing the dominance of private vehicles in the City Centre, reducing reliance on the use of private vehicles as the primary mode of transport and making the City Centre more attractive, comfortable and safe to walk around.
The report to Council included three tranches. Tranche 1 included upgrades to Lords Place between Byng and Summer, Byng Street between McNamara Street and Lords Place and McNamara Street between Summer Street and Kite Street.
The 2020 report to Council included the overarching principals for the initiative and the concepts for the projects listed in this report.
This report maintains those principals and concepts and provides greater detail for construction.
Link To Delivery/OPerational Plan
The recommendation in this report relates to the Delivery/Operational Plan strategies:
· “9.1. Construct and maintain a road network meets the community’s transport and infrastructure needs”
· “9.2. Ensure that adequate car parking spaces are available to support growth”
· “9.1 Preserve - Construct and maintain a road network meets the community’s transport and infrastructure needs”
· “9.4. Develop a vibrant civic and commercial precinct as a centre for the community”
· “11.1. Capitalise on the character and lifestyle of Orange to remain a destination of choice”
· “12.1. Attract and grow strategic investment”
· “12.4. Partner with key stakeholders to enhance opportunities for local business to grow and prosper”
Financial Implications
Council has committed $5 million per year, for 2 years, to the Future City program.
Policy and Governance Implications
Nil
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1 That Council endorse the plans and consultation for McNamara Street – (Summer to Kite). 2 That Council endorse the plans and consultation for Lords Place – (Summer to Byng) and Byng Street – (Lords to McNamara). |
further considerations
The recommendation of this report has been assessed against Council’s other key risk categories and the following comments are provided:
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Service/Project Delivery |
The delivery of this project will rely on a whole of Council approach to ensure success. In the section above where the project is linked to the Delivery/Operational Plan multiple strategies have been identified. However the impact of the project has relevance to numerous objectives on the Community Strategic Plan. |
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Reputation |
While there are many benefits of progressing the project, a significant challenge during the delivery phase will be to, where possible, limit impacts on CBD businesses. Council is committed to working with businesses to limit this impact. |
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Environmental |
A key aspect of the project is to make the city more pedestrian (and alternative travel modes) friendly. This is considered a prerequisite for reducing car dependency, which in turn can help to reduce traffic, congestion and fossil fuel consumption. |
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People |
While the disruptions created by COVID-19 will be long-lasting, the finalisation of this strategy and the implementation is an opportunity to form part of the recovery. Demonstrating the benefits and limiting the impact of implementation on key stakeholders will be an important engagement project. Such is the scope of the project stakeholders are community-wide |
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SUPPORTING INFORMATION
McNamara Street – (Summer to Kite)
· Concrete all asphalt kerbs, maintain grades, match existing, remove and replace asphalt driveways with concrete;
· Remove redundant vehicle and pedestrian laybacks and replace with concrete kerb and gutter with footpath;
· Design on grade accessible parking at existing disabled parking location (northern end of the street);
· Concrete island and blister treatment at Kite Street intersection, associated line marking, garden beds, signage, etc;
· Mill and fill (50mm) McNamara Street (Summer Street travel lane to Kite Street travel lane)
· 15 strata vault tree cells, with an additional 5 trees in existing garden beds;
· Additional festoon lighting over the Council and Canobolas Hotel carpark and white way lighting to be added to the Western side of McNamara Street. Together with the blisters and refuge crossing in Kite Street this will encourage the use of McNamara Street through to Summer Street from the Quest Hotel as a safe well lit pedestrian friendly link;
· Install an additional loading bay requested through the community workshops and timed so that it doesn’t interrupt peak parking periods;
· Additional ‘pop-up shops’ and ‘parklets’ to be installed; and
· Repair / replace a number of damaged service pit lids in both the footpath and road pavement.
This project is well into procurement and delivery with the water main replaced, a variation issued for the extension of whiteway lighting and RFQ’s out for concrete works, parklets etc. Works will begin in March for a three month construction program aiming to progressively hand over sections in May for art installation.
Lords Place – (Summer to Byng) and Byng Street – (Lords to McNamara)
· One 3.25m wide travel lane in each direction, which supports the construction of marked pedestrian crossings (zebra pedestrian crossings are not permitted on multi-lane roads);
· Adjustment of the Lords Place / Byng Street roundabout to a one lane roundabout. These changes have been modelled and in this case where the existing and future traffic is not at saturation a one lane roundabout actually provides a better level of service – there is no major structural changes to the roundabout required with most of this achieved through linemarking and blisters on the approaches. Council has modified the Hill and March Street roundabout recently in the same manner and this is working very efficiently also improving safety at the intersection;
· Installation of a new pedestrian crossing on Lords Place;
· Upgrade of pedestrian crossing point adjacent the Theatre to a zebra crossing;
· 8 x Additional Accessible Parking spaces,
· 14 new trees to be installed – 6 to be removed, noting that there are issues with the existing trees from consistency of planting to stress from the drought and overshadowing of trees adjacent Robertson Park, see attached extract with photos and comments on why these trees are to be replaced;
· Inclusion of a channelized right-hand turn lane into the Overlander Hotel where a break in the median is required to facilitate existing overland storm flows;
· Relocation of the taxi rank to Summer Street (although despite original support from industry this may be revoked). One major consideration for this is that Coles and Kmart will service the shopping trolley bay at this location as their staff are not required to cross the street to do so. The taxi industry have expressed that they do not want to pick up passengers from directly outside a licensed premise although there is already well patronised taxi ranks on each leg of the corner at Hotel Orange and this has never been expressed as a concern in the past;
· Replacement and upgrade of footpaths / driveways;
· Adjustment of the Civic Theatre forecourt for compliant ramp gradients; and
· Mill and fill of existing road pavements.
This project is currently out for tender on Tender link, with any design changes being updated via addendums to the initial design documents. Tenders will close in March with an award in April and works programmed to commence in May for a 3 month construction program.
Community engagement
Council’s Engagement Officer has been in close consultation with both the wider community and those businesses and property owners directly affected by the proposed upgrades to McNamara Street between Summer and Kite Street, Lords Place between Summer and Byng Street, Byng Street between Lords Place and Peisley Street and those in Summer Street at the proposed new location of the taxi rank.
Community engagement on Future City commenced in 2018. A more focussed and tailored approach was undertaken through community forums and direct consultation in 2020 as more detail emerged, ensuring businesses and the wider community were brought along for the journey of each project and were given the opportunity to be involved with the design process.
Businesses on McNamara Street have all been heavily involved in the design process. The vast majority of businesses are thrilled with the design and scope of works for their street. All operators are excited to see their part of town transformed to not only improve on the Street aesthetically, but to also improve safety, lighting and infrastructure. Businesses noted at a forum held last year that they wanted to see improved footpaths, better road surfaces, a new loading zone, disabled parking, trees, and sufficient lighting.
When the idea of the street being a focus point for public art was proposed to the forum all attendees were on board with the idea as long as the murals were respectful to the area and sympathetic to the businesses. Council took this feedback on board as staff began to design the area in more depth, which is why the plan now presents itself in the way it does. A strong focus for the stakeholders in the street is getting work under way. In relation to the public art the artists have been shortlisted and the concepts are being developed which will again include engagement with the business and property owners.
Businesses on Lords Place have also supported the new street design. Businesses have been consulted one on one through Council’s Engagement Officer and have played a vital part in the design of the street that now includes a right hand turning lane into the Overlander Motel site and a new loading zone near Dr Ben Milne’s surgery, and of course 6 new disabled car parking spots which they all recognised a need for. Businesses are looking forward to seeing traffic flow calmed once the centre median is introduced which will in their belief reduce the issue of motorists using the roadway between Summer Street and Lords Place incorrectly, with operators witnessing regular near misses. Businesses also welcome the proposed new pedestrian crossing to allow for pedestrians to safely cross the road with ease.
Each business on the North side of Summer Street between the Royal Hotel and the new NDIS mobility service provider have been consulted about the proposal to move the taxi rank into Summer Street, directly in front of their business. There are mixed views.
There has been strong support for the relocation based on accessibility issues. However concerns were raised about the possibility of increased anti-social behaviour. One business wasn’t happy with the proposed move due to concerns around anti-social behaviour that already occurs at the bus stop, but did advise the business was relocating. There was concerns raised regarding staff safety at night by other businesses. One business owner recognised the benefits of the relocation but suggested care needed to be taken around were seating was located to discourage activities that could affect trade.
In short, 2 in support, 2 against, and 2 concerned but not against.
The Orange Taxi board Co-op was originally in support of the proposal following a meeting with Council staff in late 2020. That view changed to a status of apprehensive support due to concerns around not having enough space at the proposed new site. The Co-op have now expressed to Council staff that they wish to remain where they are but are aware that the design of the rank may change to allow for the planned pedestrian crossing.
Council’s communications team published a YourSay site asking for unrestricted community comment about the Future City Year One plans that include McNamara Street, Lords Place and Byng Street, along with the proposed relocation of the taxi rank into Summer Street.
It was a relatively short consultation given the one on one activities mentioned above. It is also noted that the plans are consistent with the principles of the Future City Planning and Design Framework, which was exhibited and adopted last year.
The 6 day consultation period saw 1300 site visits with a maximum of 493 visitors per day. 31 people left comments on the site about a number of key aspects of each project. Across the 38 responses, 22 main themes were mentioned. Out of those 22, the top 10 themes from the 38 submitted responses were (ranked from most popular/common):
1 Overall support for the entire proposal (inclusive of all projects) – mentioned theme in 12 responses
2 Support for McNamara Street – mentioned theme in 9 responses
3 The need for more parking facilities – mentioned theme in 7 responses
4 Concerns changing Byng St/Lords Pl roundabout to single lane – mentioned theme in 6 responses
5 Concerns around taxi rank repositioning – mentioned theme in 6 responses
6 Concerns for tree removal on Lords (assumed incorrectly that the trees are healthy) - mentioned theme in 5 responses
7 Concerns around narrowing streets – mentioned theme in 5 responses
8 Support for converting Byng St/Lords Pl roundabout to single lane – mentioned theme in 4 responses
9 Unrelated comments (“build dams and roads instead”) – mentioned theme in 4 responses
10 Introduce permeable paving along centre medians to make garden beds flush with roadway for better pedestrian flow – mentioned theme in 3 responses
Simultaneously to the YourSay site being live, the communications team issued 3 media releases and 4 news posts about each project which featured in local media and quoted local businesses. There was also posts on Facebook which promoted each project and asked ratepayers to have their say online. Facebook posts reached over 10,773 people and saw over 150 likes/support. The 1 paid post that went up on Facebook at the start of the consultation period reached 20,886 people and received 124 likes, 5 hearts, 1 laughing react, 1 wow react, 1 care react and 1 angry react.
1 Future Cities - Lords Place - Byng to Summer eastern side trees (002), D21/10500⇩
2 Future Cities - Location 02, D21/10502⇩
3 Future Cities - Location 03, D21/10503⇩
4 Future Cities - close up 2, D21/10504⇩
5 Future Cities - R00486- McNamara St Layout, D21/10505⇩
6 Future Cities - R00482 [C] Council, D21/10506⇩
Attachment 1 Future Cities - Lords Place - Byng to Summer eastern side trees (002)
