Council-under-administration is pushing ahead with its plan to remove Pippi Point, Davistown, from its off leash areas for dogs as part of its Dogs in Open Space Action Plan.
Council says the area is environmentally sensitive and continues to recommend Memorial Oval, Davistown as a potential alternative.
But first, Pippi Point will be one of 22 off leash areas that will undergo a Review of Environmental Factors (REF) to determine in the first instance if Off Leash Activity is recommended.
The other contentious site is Terrigal Haven and council has backed away from plans to move the off leash area to Wamberal.
Instead, it has recommended fencing the Terrigal Haven Off Leash area but it too needs a review of environmental factors.
The REF is the latest step in a slow process and has come about after Council became aware of a land and environment court decision from 2020 that needed examination.
The court found that Northern Beaches Council had breached a section of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 by allowing both an off-leash trial and dogs on-leash at Station Beach at Palm Beach in 2019.
The Northern Beaches Council had not examined and taken into account all matters affecting or likely to affect the environment by reason of that activity, the court found.
Central Coast Council says this sets a precedent that impacts Council both broadly and specifically and impacts Illoura Reserve, where Pippi Point is in Davistown, and potentially other sites.
The report to the July 23 meeting wants Administrator Rik Hart, to endorse staff progressing the
REFs for 22 dog sites that have a change to the current use, proposed change to the location of the current use, or a proposed inclusion of additional infrastructure to support the intended use.
The REFs area needed to ensure that Council has all relevant approvals to use the sites.
Only after the REFs are done will the final report come back to council for adoption.
By then, Council will no longer be under administration.
Elections for 15 councillors across five wards are being held on September 14.
The draft plan is here:
