LAKE Macquarie City Council has set a four-year time frame for a traffic bypass in Morisset.
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And the proposed Morisset revitalisation, featuring a library and town square, is at least five years away.
The projects and their timing are included in the draft Lake Macquarie City Local Strategic Planning Statement.
The document is a strategic plan that will guide the evolution of the city over the next 20 years.
It is now on exhibition.
Locals will be relieved to learn that a bypass is on the council agenda - especially considering the predicted population growth for the district.
But at least one councillor believes the bypass should be a short-term priority (one year), rather than a medium-term one (four years).
Cr Kevin Baker raised his concerns about the timing of a bypass at a recent council meeting.
"To start looking at this in four years' time ... is wrong. We should be looking at it in the short term," he said.
Council said it would work with Transport for NSW to determine the location for such a road.
The draft statement notes a bypass will "improve amenity in Morisset, reduce congestion along Dora Street, and prepare for future growth".
A Morisset bypass is also on the state government's radar.
In 2016, the government released the Hunter Regional Plan 2036.
It confirmed plans to grow Morisset while agreeing to explore methods of improving traffic flows through the CBD.
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The Morisset Regional Centre Revitalisation Project, meanwhile, has been listed by the council as a long-term action, to be achieved over five-plus years.
Council said it would advocate, and seek funding for the project to "improve the amenity and liveability of Morisset through the delivery of new facilities including a library, community centre and town square".
The draft Lake Macquarie City Local Strategic Planning Statement earmarks four "areas of change" to undergo "urban intensification".
They are the North West Catalyst Area of Speers Point, Edgeworth and Cardiff; the North East Growth Area from Charlestown to Belmont; the South East Growth Area between Caves Beach and North Wallarah; and the South West Growth Area of Cooranbong, Morisset and Wyee.
The South West Growth Area's position near the Central Coast, M1 Pacific Motorway and Northern Rail Line makes it "a sensible location for growth and affordable and diverse housing development with easy access to nearby population and employment areas and main transport infrastructure", the draft statement says.
"Significant new urban release areas south of Morisset rail station, at North Cooranbong and at Wyee have a mix of housing types and community services and infrastructure to support local community needs."
The draft statement notes Trinity Point as a "significant tourism asset" and drawcard.
It talks of the eventual decommissioning of Eraring Power Station and the possibility of repurposing the site as a renewable energy generator, and the prospect of Wangi Power Station being "adaptively re-used" to take advantage of its infrastructure and location.
Medium-density housing will become more common in many suburbs identified for urban intensification.
The Morisset CBD is slated for more intensive multi-storey commercial, mixed use and residential development close to the train station.
There is potential for the expansion of commercial and residential development to the south of Morisset train station, while the industrial area is also set to expand.
In Cooranbong, the vibrancy of the local centre will be enhanced by more intensive development for the growing population. Housing choice will also be boosted by the development of "of a range of housing types", the document says.
And in Wyee, additional residential areas are expected to be developed, offering a range of housing types, particularly near the local centre and railway station.
Mayor Kay Fraser urged locals to read and comment on the draft statement.
She said the document was an "ambitious plan to help transform Lake Macquarie City into one of the most productive, adaptable, sustainable and liveable places" in Australia.
"We already have a strong foundation - we are a progressive city, well known for our innovation, investment opportunities, outdoor adventures, liveability, and of course our natural beauty," Cr Fraser said.
"This draft plan will continue to guide our city's progress."
The draft Lake Macquarie City Local Strategic Planning Statement is available online by visiting shape.lakemac.com.au/shaping-the-future.
Hard copies can be viewed at Lake Mac Libraries.
Consultation on the draft plan closes on Friday, November 29.
