Bunbury council accepts resident petitions against Bunbury Farmers Market development application

The petitions from Glen Iris residents were received by the council during the community advertising period for the Bunbury Farmers Market development application in May 2021.

Cr McCleary originally put the two petitions before council in early June, one hand-signed and the other a computer-generated petition containing 548 signatures.

The Farmers Market development application includes the widening of Vittoria Road to construct a separate left hand only turn into the Market as well as delivery truck rear access to the Market via Jubilee Road.

To oppose the application, Glen Iris residents held a protest 'Say No to the BFM' on May 1, where over 50 residents marched to the Farmers Market where they were met by Bunbury Farmers Market owner Kevin Opferkuch.

The residents' reasons to oppose the Market's proposal include excessive noise from trucks on residential roads, congestion and the potential decrease in property values.

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Shortly after the protest, a consultant from the Bunbury Farmers Market informed the Bunbury council of the Markets intention to have the proposal placed on hold.

As the online petition via Change.org contains names of people who are not City of Bunbury electors, the Council decided that these people's submission will not count.

The second petition has the names of people who do not meet the requirements under the local law and therefore their objection will not be included.

The motion to accept the petitions was moved by Councilor Michelle Steck and seconded by Councilor Betty McCleary.

Glen Iris Residential Group spokesperson John Kowal spoke at the council meeting and acknowledged the lack of compliance in the second petition.

"We understand that the petitions may not be technically compliant but we wanted to put in perspective the amount of work and effort the community went into to compile these petitions," Mr Kowal said.

"Obviously from the amount of signatures, a significant amount of residents owners and occupiers signed the petition. It took some time and a considerable amount of effort to go door-to-door to compile the petition."

Mr Kowal also took the opportunity to put forward a fourth, executive recommendation in that if the Bunbury Farmers Market proposal was taken off hold, that the owners and occupiers of residential properties in the affected Glen Iris areas be notified.

"We understand and appreciate that it is up to the Farmers Market to put their application on hold. But our concern is that it can be taken off hold at any time."

"Subsequently because the advertising period has closed, we believe there is no requirement for the development application to go back out for public advertising again before it is returned to council," Mr Kowal said.

The officers recommendation to add the amendment and note the petitions was carried unanimously.

If the Farmers Market development application is taken off hold and put before the Bunbury Council, the petitions will be treated as submissions and their objections considered.