LAKE Macquarie council has adopted an ambitious framework to help preserve the city's environment.
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The council endorsed its Environmental Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan 2020-2027 at a standing committee meeting this week.
A draft had been exhibited over a three-month period earlier this year.
Key issues raised by the community included native vegetation, water use efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, effects of climate change and other hazards.
The strategy outlines a series of targets, many of which are aligned to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
One of the main targets set in the strategy is for the council to maintain at least 57.5 per cent native vegetation in the city.
The premise of the target has shifted from an annual clearing rate, to a longer-term native vegetation retention target.
The clearing rate would now equate to 68.1ha per year - a 65 per cent increase from the current target of 41.25ha per year if met.
The new target allows for the clearing of approximately 545ha across 2019-2027, equivalent to levels of clearing currently being experienced.
Other targets include a 5 per cent increase in conservation status areas compared to a 2007 baseline, and a 20 per cent increase in lake and waterway health compared to 2007.
Not all councillors supported the strategy and the motion to endorse it only passed seven votes to four.
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Cr Jason Pauling said the environmental targets were "excellent", but others were "social engineering" and not aligned to the purpose of local government.
Fellow Liberal Cr Kevin Baker said there was little detail about how some of the targets would be achieved.
"There's quite a lot of things here that look good on face value, but they don't really translate," he said.
Labor's Barney Langford said "if taking sustainable actions to preserve our environment, to preserve the social fabric our communities is social engineering - then sorry, I'm a social engineer".
Cr Adams Shultz (ALP) said he initially had concerns about how the strategy might impact the council's target of achieving 60 per cent infill housing development.
"This strategy, it puts a target [on] reduction from 58 to 57.5 per cent of vegetation, and my questions to staff were around whether this would impede urban infill and does it complement the housing strategy," he said.
"And it does. It helps us ensure we minimise urban sprawl wherever possible.
"At the moment, public transport use in Lake Macquarie is very low at around 2 or 3 per cent. The existing train line on the western side of the lake is underutilised.
"However there is, within 400 metres, up to 100 acres of land that could be developed in the future should we wish to go down that path, and within 800 metres of the existing nine train stations there is a further 400 acres.
"In order to move people in to and out of Newcastle CBD, which is where the majority of jobs are in our region, it's important we increase the number of people using public transport, especially jumping on trains."
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