Residents dispute road sealing cost

WOODLANDS Avenue residents in Emerald have disputed claims by neighbouring property owners that it would cost households up to $15,000 to have their road sealed.
The Mail reported last week that a coalition of Woodlands Avenue residents were fighting a council plan to seal their road because of proposed costs the individual landowners.
Other residents of the road have now come out in support of the plan saying the move is well overdue.
Woodlands Avenue resident John Penn said that the road would cost a maximum of $12,000 per household and that the average cost would only be $8,000.
He said the Shire of Cardinia had included a hardship clause in the road scheme, giving residents who have difficulty producing the money seven years to pay their share.
Mr Penn said the council had pledged $500,000 towards the sealing of the road and that it was the only way forward for the shire and the ratepayers.
He said it was a waste of ratepayers’ money for the council to be continually patching up the street.
Mr Penn said residents were still to vote on the scheme and that no decision had been finalised.
“In the 30 years I have lived in the street, no council has offered to invest into the infrastructure of the street. It can’t get any fairer than what they are doing,” Mr Penn said.