Council to decide Fingal cafe's fate
A LONG running dispute between the Tweed Shire Council and the Sheoak Shack at Fingal Head will resurface again next week when the council will consider the future of the cafe.
The issue has been before the council twice (July 17 and August 21) and the decision has been deferred to give more time for negotiations between council officers and the owner of the Sheoak Shack, Andrea McKay.
According to the report, since the last time the decision was made to defer a decision the Sheoak Shack owner had ceased using the outdoor dining area, removed a sign, and ceased live music on Sundays.
The planning officer's recommendation at next Thursday's council meeting was to refuse the development application.
"The proposed modifications are considered not to be in the public interest, with regard to the precedent the proposal would set if parking requirements were removed," the report stated.
The dispute arouse with the council demanding that more car parks were allocated for the business while proponents wanted the car park requirement removed because of a public carpark nearby.
At the last council meeting about 100 people were at the council meeting in support of the Sheoak Shack
