Lismore City Councillors return to work today as the first Council meeting takes place since early December 2025.

Mayor Steve Krieg was hoping for the 2026 year to start at the renovated Municipal building on Molesworth Street; however, works have not been completed in time, so the meeting will take place in the Goonellabah office.

Apart from the Lismore Greyhound track wanting to be gifted to Lismore City Council by Greyhound Racing NSW (Former Greyhound track could be repurposed, as Council considers its future), other items being discussed and voted on are the Clunes Village Masterplan, the concrete pathway at The Channon Public School and future land use of buyback properties.

The Clunes Masterplan has been in play since an initial briefing in November 2024. There was a second briefing in June 2025, and a third in December, and in between was a community consultation from 18 August to 15 September last year.

The community feedback showed concerns about overdevelopment, environmental protection & biodiversity, roads, traffic & safety, community infrastructure & amenities, sewerage infrastructure & costs, village character & identity, transparency during the consultation process, affordable & diverse housing, developer contributions and the importance of planning for flood, bushfire & emergency access.

In response, council staff have made changes to the draft policy that 'Provides clearer growth pathways, strengthened environmental protections, enhanced village safety and amenity, and deliver greater certainty around implementation. The changes directly address community feedback by focusing on the scale and pacing of growth, environmental priorities, and infrastructure clarity.' 

The Channon Public School concrete pathway was approved 10/1 during the December meeting. However, there has been significant local noise from The Channon Public School P&C and residents, who state that the new path will make walking to and from school more dangerous for students, not safer.

A rescission motion has been submitted by Councillor (Cr) Knight-Smith, Waters and Guise.

One of the questions posed by residents in the Lismore LGA over the last 2 years concerns the use of the land left by the relocated or demolished Resilient Homes Program houses.

Mayor Krieg wants to write to the relevant ministers and agencies to request a meeting to discuss restrictions on certain buyback land.

The ultimate goal is for council to be gifted 39, 41, 43 and 45 Elliot Road, South Lismore (between the Shell service station and Lickiss Fabrications), so it can be used for commercial or industrial purposes. The business paper says, 'providing a model as to how effective building design can be integrated to ensure highest and best use of the land'.

The houses on Alexandra Parade, opposite the North Lismore War Memorial and down towards the rail bridge, and behind on Slater Street, are planned to provide additional parking spaces for major events at the Lismore Showgrounds. Perfect for Gemfest, the debut of Primex in May and the Lismore Show in October.

The first Lismore City Council meeting for 2026 starts at 9am with Public Access, followed by the meeting proper from 10am.

The Lismore App will have a full report on Wednesday morning.