At next Tuesday's Council meeting Councillors will consider an approached by NRMA to Eurobodalla Council with a view to installing an electric vehicle charging station (station) within the Batemans Bay Visitor Information Centre (VIC) carpark and to be subsequently relocated to Mackay Park as part of that precinct’s development. This apparently follows Council’s Notice of Motion 17/005 on 11 April 2017 to investigate the potential to establish an electric vehicle charging station in the Eurobodalla.
In the Eurobodalla there are two slower Tesla ‘destination’ charging facilities at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club and The Bower, and a four-bay Tesla ‘Supercharger station’ in Narooma. These existing facilities will only charge Teslas and no other types of electric vehicles. It is the opinion of staff presenting their report that the provision of such facilities by private business provides them a point of difference in promoting the area and its business, and having a station at the VIC and then Mackay Park assists with the further provision of electrical charging facilities and the position of the station at Mackay Park will be determined as part of the overall development. The NRMA licence at Batemans Bay is proposed for a period of five years with a further term of five years for a station to be located within the carpark at Batemans Bay VIC which allows for relocation of the station to Mackay Park when that precinct is developed. The VIC is within Council operational land and Mackay Park is Crown Land with Council as Crown Land Manager. A new Plan of Management is being developed for the Mackay Park precinct which is to include electric vehicle charging stations as a permissible use within that reserve. Under the Local Government Act 1993, Council will need to give public notice of the future licence for the station at Mackay Park and consider any submissions received. Council will consider the granting of a licence to NRMA for the charging station for a term of five years with a further term of five years is a positive outcome for Council and the community.
