On our website there is a notice for a community BBQ on 16th September being held by the North Arm Cove Ratepayers Association, abbreviated to NACRPA.
So who is NACRPA, how is it different to NACCAi, and who do these two associations represent?
NACCAi and NACRPA are two separate groups, each with its own constitution, objectives and websites.
NACCAi
NACCAi, the North Arm Cove Community Association Inc, and its predecessors, have looked after and represented the interests of the North Arm Cove village landowners and residents for 56 years, since August 1967. North Arm Cove village residents and landowners who are over 18 years of age can be members of NACCAi.
NACCAi’s mission is to “sustain and improve the North Arm Cove community, environment and neighbourhood”.
In doing this NACCAi:
- consults with the community to identify and communicate key issues
- participates in the development of community resource improvements
- raises issues of community concern with MidCoast Council, governments and other bodies
- encourages participation in community activities and local projects
- and manages the North Arm Cove community website – northarmcove.nsw.au
Over the years NACCAi and the North Arm Cove community have achieved many things working together, such as the community centre, tennis court, dinghy and kayak ramps and racks, picnic facilities, Yallarwah Park exercise track, and improvements to roads and drainage.
In the past three years alone, NACCAi has obtained over $150,000 in grants for upgrading the community centre, the Yallarwah Park exercise track, garden group facilities and communications.
The association holds meetings four times per year, and village residents and landowners are welcome to attend, even if they are not members of the association.
NACRPA
NACRPA, the North Arm Cove Ratepayers Association Incorporated, was formed in November 2020.
According to its current constitution, which was registered with the Dept of Fair Trading on 25 November 2020, NACRPA “has been formed to drive a non-discriminatory agenda for all ratepayers within North Arm Cove “paper subdivision”, NSW 2324.”
To be eligible for membership of NACRPA, a person must be “an owner of land in North Arm Cove paper subdivision, postcode 2324, and current ratepayer to Mid Coast Council (maximum of 2 owners/ratepayers per property)”. Under the current constitution, people who live in the North Arm Cove village and do not own land in the paper subdivision are not eligible to be members of NACRPA.
The term “paper subdivision” refers to the non-urban land surrounding the North Arm Cove village, basically from the village to Gooreengi Rd, Bulga Creek, and the Karuah Nature Reserve.
NACRPA has its own website – northarmcove.org.au.
According to its website, the NACRPA vision is to “Rezone North Arm Cove” with “sustainable, smart, solutions to development at North Arm Cove”:
- “The North Arm Cove Rate Payers Association has been formed to drive an non-discriminatory agenda for all rate payers within North Arm Cove's “Paper Subdivision” non-urban zoning and the urban zoning "Village", NSW 2324.
- We are a legally binding community group with an elected committee, whose aim is to progress development of the whole North Arm Cove peninsula in a considered, sustainable way.
- ​​The Association will allow all members to be involved in the decision making that will contribute to the development and growth of the North Arm Cove Community.”
The NACRPA website includes a link to download the NACRPA constitution – it should be noted that this constitution is not the current and registered NACRPA constitution. However a NACRPA officer has advised that the association is applying to have this revised constitution registered.
NACRPA is opposed to MidCoast Council’s current plans to rezone the paper subdivision area from its existing Rural Landscape zone to Environmental Management or Environmental Conservation zones.
MidCoast Council believes that the paper subdivision area is not suitable for residential development. The existing zoning, and the proposed zoning, do not permit construction of a dwelling on the existing allotments.
NACRPA was formed to lobby for the paper subdivision to be rezoned to permit residential development. As its website states, NACRPA is all about “our belief in the great potential for development in the unique Paper-Subdivision region of North Arm Cove”.
The North Arm Cove village does not need rezoning – the current zoning permits housing construction, shops, water and sewerage services, and all the facilities that are normally needed by village communities.
Unfortunately the NACRPA website is rather confusing, it appears that NACRPA looks after North Arm Cove village ratepayers as well as ratepayers in the paper subdivision, but it does not. Under its current constitution, village ratepayers are not eligible to be members of NACRPA.
To summarise, NACCAi represents the interests of North Arm Cove village landowners and residents to sustain and improve the North Arm Cove community, environment and neighbourhood, whilst NACRPA represents the interests of paper subdivision rate payers to get the paper subdivision rezoned to permit housing construction.
