Smiths Beach residents have called for a rethink on key projects including user-pays parking, a town square and improved traffic management after these were sidelined by Bass Coast Shire councillors.

Councillors at the April meeting adopted the final Smiths Beach Town Plan, following community consultation between July 22 and October 15 last year, with council receiving 107 survey responses, 59 written submissions and one verbal submission.

The Smiths Beach Association (SBA) has been lobbying for a masterplan since 2006 and vice-president Phil Dressing said they were disappointed many of SBA’s key projects were dropped in the final plan.

“The committee had developed nine priority projects and after the council meeting there was disbelief when we realised all nine projects were rejected or given little consideration,” Mr Dressing said.

He said they would like the plan to now include a special charge scheme to bitumen dirt roads.

“But where is the social justice if the residents of Smiths pay for a street scheme and visitors parks in streets? In the same vein, there should also be user pays. Beaches in Melbourne have user-pays, why are we so scared?”

He said a town square on the vacant block opposite the Smiths Beach shops “should have been a town planning requirement in the 50s”.

Mr Dressing said the plan should include long-term traffic management, especially for the dangerous intersection with Back Beach and Smiths Beach roads.

“We were pushing for a central traffic island for pedestrians and bike riders to rest after crossing one lane on Back Beach Road,” he said.  “But we learnt of the limitations of the town plan, because it is a Regional Roads Victoria road, and council has no say over the intersection, despite the committee pushing very hard.”

Mr Dressing said SBA celebrated when the shire allocated $160,000 to develop a master plan, but “somehow it was then changed to a town plan with little explanation and limited benefit for any parties”.

Game changer projects

In the Town Plan the shire has created four “game changer” projects, which received support and criticism.

The key project was a trail to link beaches, especially YCW to Smiths Beach.

Shire officers said 22 submitters were positive about the trail while 72 highlighted issues, including the trail was unnecessary, impacts on the environment, nearby resident safety concerns and some suggested a fence separating the trail from St Bede’s land (which runs between YCW and Smiths Beach) “will be unsightly and/or disrupt wildlife”.

“The path was proposed as an innovative response to parking pressures at Smiths Beach to allow the use of YCW beach car park as overflow parking,” officers explained.

“Car parking is one of the biggest challenges for Smiths Beach. The plan is responding to this by identifying YCW car park for long-term car parking and reimagining Smiths Beach car park for short-term and drop off parking during peak season.”

Officers concluded the concerns raised were “not insurmountable” and could be resolved with further technical work and community collaboration.

Mr Dressing said SBA supported the coastal pathways as well as connection to other parts of the island, such as a path from Beachcomber to Gap Road.

The draft Smiths Beach Town Plan is a “once in a generation plan” to deal with the growing problems facing the small hamlet, such as overcrowding in the holiday season. One of the ideas is to create a trail connecting YCW beach to Smiths Beach to ease parking congestion.

The shire’s other key projects that were adopted by councillors were to complete the YCW Activity Area Master Plan, and enhance the town centre.

A plan to reimagine Smiths Beach car park saw 25 residents write submissions of concern, with officers recommending the project be scaled back to include the upgrade of the existing facility and renewal of a forecourt area that allows for community gatherings.

The Town Plan also acknowledges the need to work with Lifesaving Victoria for additional patrols around Phillip Island, to take pressure off the popular surf spot at Smiths Beach

Also, special events and a regular community market have been added to the Town Plan.

Councillor response

Cr Clare Le Serve said the Smiths Beach Town Plan had been on “council’s books for a long time”.

She said given opposition to some projects, especially the coastal trail, she “would hate to jeopardise the process we’ve gone through so far”.

“It’s the start of the design process (for the trail) but I certainly would not want to hold back the plan we’ve worked so hard to put to the community,” Cr Le Serve said.

Cr Rochelle Halstead said she had received a “significant” number of emails regarding opposition to the coastal pathway.

“I’m satisfied this is just a starting point. There will be more opportunity for the community to be engaged in the design process,” Cr Halstead said, adding it was a “tough” decision given the land in front of St Bede’s belonged to the private school.

Cr David Rooks said it was critical to protect the environment from the growing popularity of Smiths Beach, including reducing car congestion.