A 500-signature petition calling for the kiosk in The Levee to be removed will not be tabled by Maitland City Council.
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But council staff have written a report for councillors to consider at Tuesday’s meeting that addresses some of the concerns raised by the group that submitted the petition.
High Street building owner Linda McLean, who has been vocal about her opposition to several aspects of The Levee project, lodged the petition on behalf of the Maitland City Action Group in late June.
The petition called for the kiosk, which was erected on the edge of High Street earlier this year, to be removed because of its design, concerns for pedestrian safety and the competition it would create for existing businesses in The Levee.
However, the petition did not meet council’s policy framework and did not include details about the Maitland City Action Group or its membership, so it could not be tabled for councillors.
Despite this, the report addressed some of the issues raised in the petition.
It noted that extensive consultation had taken place before the design of The Levee was approved and the kiosk was erected to promote activity in the new shared pedestrian and vehicle zone.
The kiosk was also intended to encourage motorists in the shared zone to drive through the area at a slow speed.
“The kiosk structure has been included in the project design to not only encourage slower traffic speeds, but also to further activate the area and provide greater street appeal and, therefore, should not be removed,” the council report noted.
“To do so would compromise the core principles underpinning the design and functionality of the shared zone in terms of both traffic management and the activation of the precinct.”
The kiosk has been the subject of criticism from some corners of the community, particularly traders in The Levee who were involved in a public rally to speak out against the large wooden box in June.
Council has stood by its decision to place the kiosk in High Street and has ruled out its removal.
