Tuesday night's Council meeting made decisions about the Rainbow Festival, support for community events and a number of planning matters.
Rainbow Festival to go ahead
The Orange Rainbow Festival will go ahead as planned later this month following a decision at last night's (5 March 2024) meeting.
The meeting discussed a motion from Cr Kevin Duffy to cancel Council involvement in organising the event.
The debate drew a packed public gallery and more than 200 people packed the Civic Theatre foyer to watch a livestream of the Council meeting. 26 registered to speak during the routine community forum at the start of the meeting.
Following debate, the Council rejected the motion by 9 votes to 3.
The Rainbow Festival will be held over the weekend of March 22-24.
Planning matters
Last night's Council meeting gave planning approval for:
- A $15 million proposal to two construct two residential buildings and a barn on a site in Stairs Road, near the Pinnacle. The proposal involves a two storey dwelling with seven bedrooms (all with ensuites), and an indoor pool and outdoor pool. The 2nd three storey dwelling would include five bedrooms and balconies along two sides. Also proposed is the construction of a large barn with ground floor, mezzanine, attic and a basement water tank.
- A $3.8 million proposal to demolish the existing house on a site in Autumn Street and construct 7 units.
The meeting voted to provide a letter of support for a proposed $9.1 million development at the Orange Christian School.
The proposal includes the demolition of a number of existing buildings and the construction of a new senior school building. The new building would include two above-ground storeys and a basement level. The senior school building will contain two visual art studios, seven general learning rooms, three seminar rooms, a senior common room, offices, amenities, plant and stores.
The school proposal will now be considered by the Western Region Planning Panel.
Last night's meeting approved the nest stage of a proposed change to the Orange Local Environmental Plan (Amendment 37). The change would allow a developer to create a new housing subdivision in the Shiralee area and the creation of a new public park to be given to Council.
Council supports community events
Last night's meeting decided:
- to sponsor the Glow Roller Disco for an amount of $2,000 for the Glow Roller Discos to be held on 17 February 2024 and 16 March 2024.
- to sponsor Orange FOOD Week for an amount of $10,000 for the 2024 festival to be held 5 April 2024 to 14 April 2024.
- to sponsor Wangarang Industries Ltd for an amount of $5,000 for the Wangarang Charity Golf Day.
Under its small grants program, the meeting also decided to:
- donate $2500 to the Lions Club of Orange to purchase a diathermal kit which allows doctors to undertake very complicated surgery on the ear nose and throat of premature babies as part of their Give Me Change for Kids Program.
- donate $2500 to the Orange Photography Club to host the Westen Districts Association of Camera Clubs interclub challenge.
- donate $1500 to Regional Development Australia Central West for the TEN4TEN program.
- donate $300 to CWA of NSW Western Group to help cover costs of running the CWA School's Public Speaking Competition.
- donate $2500 to the Fairbank Charity Ball to assist with holding the ball to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctors Service (Central West).
- donate $2500 to the Orange Male Voice Choir to assist with the payment of the honorariums for their Music Director and Accompanist for their professional services.
- donate $3500 to Mr Perfect Incorporated to assist with monthly BBQs to encourage men to make connections with other men, and offer an alternative to isolation and loneliness.
