Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Leslie (Les) Skate honoured for community service.

Dedicated life

By Kath Gannaway


31st January 2012 02:00:30 AM
 
 A MAN who has served the Coldstream community for more than 60 years has been awarded Yarra Ranges Council's Australia Day Mayor's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Leslie (Les) Skate was among nine Yarra Ranges individuals and members of the Millgrove Residents Action Group honoured for their community service at a ceremony at Burrinja in Upwey on Australia Day.
 
Comment:  Congratulation Les, you deserve this award. Congrats to the others as well.
 

Coldstream Tip Going Private

Scales tipped 

By Kath Gannaway


31st January 2012 02:00:30 AM


YARRA Ranges Council will no longer have control over tip fees following a decision to privatise it's Coldstream and Wesburn waste transfer stations.

Mayor Graham Warren used his casting vote to tip the scales on a decision to lease both sites to Knox Transfer Stations Pty Ltd.

The lease will give the company a free-hand for the management and operation of the sites for 10 years, with a further five- year option.

Read the full story here

Councillor fears cost to dump rubbish will rise under contractor

COUNCIL-OPERATED rubbish tips at Coldstream and Wesburn are to be run by a private contractor in a bid to improve services and efficiency.

But one councillor has raised concerns that costs to drop off rubbish may rise as a result of the change.

The Yarra Ranges Council last year undertook a tendering process for the management and operation of its recovery and waste transfer stations.


Monday, January 30, 2012

Yarra Ranges Rate Payers Inc. - Up And Running For 2012 Election.

"Yarra Ranges Rate Payers Inc is committed to making Yarra Ranges Council accountable. The attached press release shows how residents and ratepayers of Yarra Ranges have been charged rate increases at over three times the rate of CPI from 2008. When this Council was elected." - Yarra Ranges Rate Payers Inc.

For more information regarding Yarra Ranges Rate Payers Inc email: yrratepayers@gmail.com


Yarra Ranges Rate Payers Press Release
"YRR has released the following table of YR Council Income, Rates and Expenses for the period 2008 to 2011(YRC Annual Reports). Over this three year period household rates increase by a massive 24.7%. Compared to the Melbourne CPI for the three years of 8.4%. (ABS) Expenditure has risen an incredible 40.7% or almost 45 million dollars.
Yarra Ranges Council expenditure is out of control. They are following the dogma promoted by Municipal Association of Victoria with no regard to the financial stress they creating for Yarra Ranges Residents and Ratepayers.


Comment:  Take from Jim Childs' site for your info.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Plan overturned

Published In    Mail

Plan overturned



By Kath Gannaway


17th January 2012 02:00:28 AM

The Independent Panel Report on Amendment C97 supports higher density development to meet future housing needs.

AN INDEPENDENT Panel, appointed by the Minister for Planning, has demolished Yarra Ranges Council's proposed Planning Scheme Amendment C97.

In a report released last week, the three-person panel chaired by John Keaney, effectively sent the council back to the drawing board, saying Amendment C97 failed the elementary test of any planning scheme amendment - strong strategic justification.

The proposed amendment represents the most significant change to Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme since it was introduced in 2000, and would implement the 2009 Housing Strategy and the 2002 Neighbourhood Character Study, as well as streamlining controls over minimum block sizes.

More than 150 written submissions were made to the panel and 30 people, including representatives of Yarra Ranges Council, planning consultants environment and community groups, and residents were heard at the seven-day panel hearing late last year.

On the housing strategy, they stated that the draft 2007 draft strategy was more robust than the adopted 2009 version, which they said, had “been seriously eroded” and was beset with problems.

Ironically, the panel accuses Yarra Ranges Council of an unbalanced response to “exhaustive community consultation” on the 2007 Housing Strategy, which resulted in 18 proposed consolidation areas across the shire being reduced to 10 including Healesville, Yarra Glen and Yarra Junction in the Yarra Valley.

Coldstream, where many residents have railed against dual-occupancy over the past two years, is one of the areas the council dropped from its consolidation plans, but which the Panel says has potential for development and would benefit from population growth.

A development overlay prohibiting subdivision below 1000 square metres was, the panel said, “ … a recipe for no change at all” and a lost opportunity.

They said while community consultation was part of the assessment matrix, it should not be the determining factor.

“ … it needs to be balanced against the admirable social and physical objectives that the original strategy purported to achieve,” and “should not be viewed only through the narrow prism of local opposition,” the report states.

In Healesville, the panel inspected, in particular, the Smith Street area, which has been changed from a consolidation zone to an incremental change zone. Other areas including along Farnham, Don and Mt Riddell roads had reverted from a 'neighbourhood precinct' in 2007 back to low density residential zone (LDRZ) without any explanation.

A development overlay applicable to incremental change areas in Yarra Junction, Healesville and parts of Woori Yallock, Wandin North and Seville would establish a mandatory subdivision minimum of 500 square metres.

The panel described the LDRZ as a de facto minimal change area with state planning restrictions dictating a 4000-square metre minimum subdivision, rendering vast areas of the shire as unable, or unlikely, to be more intensively redeveloped.

The panel was also critical of the State Government Department of Planning and Community Development which gave the go-ahead for public exhibition, saying their authorisation of the housing strategy component of C97 brought into serious question the rigours of its analysis.

The panel gave two options for Amendment C97. Option one, that council revisit the strategic basis of its housing, character and settlement strategies, keep the existing Municipal Strategy Statement and maintain the existing residential zones. Discretionary provisions for minimum lot sizes would stay and use overlays to protect vegetation.

Option two would retain some of the policy parts of C97, but none of the MSS changes identified as they are linked to vital strategies which the panel suggests should be deleted or substantially changed.

Yarra Ranges Council did not respond to questions on Amendment C97 in time for the Mail's deadline.

Friday, January 06, 2012

Taken from JIM CHILD's SITE re C97

C97 Panel Scathing of Council - 2009 Housing Strategy out the door!

The C97 Planning Amendment Panel has handed down a report scathing of the Yarra Ranges Council.

"The Panel concludes that Amendment C97 fails the elementary test of any planning scheme amendment which is a strong strategic justification."

"The 2009 Housing Strategy has been strongly influenced by community consultation that has distracted Council from applying sound and logical planning principles to its assessment."

"The diversification of housing stock is the key to increasing housing choice but this must be provided in a variety of locations and not just be limited to the ‘consolidation areas’ as is the outcome of the 2009 Housing Strategy.
As repeatedly noted in the submissions, people want to be able ‘to age in place’ and remain living in their local communities. This is a central tenet of
Council’s Ageing Policy and it is not assisted at all by the likely outcomes of Amendment C97."

"The Panel considers that the 2009 adopted Housing Strategy is a compromised version of the original that will not deliver on many of its key objectives.
It seems to the Panel that while the implementation of the 2009 Housing Strategy has been strongly influenced by some elements of community consultation, it has not taken into account the interview survey results of a representative sample of residents who expressed the need for a range of housing options in their local area. As a result, the 2009 Strategy appears to lack balance and has been distracted from applying sound and logical planning principles to its assessment." - From the Panel Report.

“We will be preparing a report for Council to consider their preferred way forward.

In developing the housing strategy significant research and consultation was undertaken and the 2009 strategy was once again tested to ensure that it would enable Yarra Ranges to meet or exceed the expected housing targets.

The Yarra Ranges community and Council values the role of consultation in local democracy. Consultation is an important part of planning scheme amendments, as they can and will have significant impacts upon the area into the future. It is also a legitimate and accepted element of local government practice.” said Andrew Paxton, Director Planning Building Health Yarra Ranges Council.

It appears to me that Council for some reason known only to the present Councillors has failed the basic consultation process. And also has failed to to make the hard decisions in the face of minority opposition. This whole Housing Strategy/C97 saga has cost 'US' the ratepayer a fortune and it is likely to cost us even more. - Time for a change! 



Comment:
For those who do not know Jim, here are some facts about him.  His site is well worth a visit as well.  

http://jimchild.blogspot.com


Jim Child is passionate about the Yarra Ranges, in particular the O’Shannassy Ward where he has worked, lived and been in business for the past forty years. Jim was born and bred in the Shire of Yarra Ranges, a fifth generation resident of the Shire of Yarra Ranges, is the great great grandson of one of the shires’ earliest settlers Matthew Child, who along with Jabez Richardson and Isaac Jeeves made their homes on Running (Olinda) Creek (Kalorama) in 1855. A past councillor and Shire President of the Shire of Upper Yarra (now O’Shannassy Ward), candidate for the O’Shannassy Ward and the previous owner of a successful business in the O’Shannassy Ward. Author: Jim Child.

Storm-damaged strawberry farms caught in netting row

STRAWBERRY growers in the Yarra Valley who lost much of their crop to the Christmas Day storms that swept across the state want to be able to erect hail nets more easily in order to prevent damage.

But a bureaucratic blame game has erupted over who is responsible for planning laws surrounding the nets.

As Sam Violi, owner of Golden Vale strawberry farm in Coldstream, tells it: ''Most of the plants have been destroyed by the hail. We've had to get rid of 250,000 plants - nearly a third of our crop.''
 
  However, Yarra Ranges mayor Graham Warren said the council supported the use of netting to protect crops, and had received fewer than 20 applications in the past four years for protective netting. ''None were refused,'' he said.
Greens MP Greg Barber said Mr Walsh was mistaken to blame the council for their approach to hail netting.

''Actually, it's the state government's stupid rule,'' said Mr Barber. He said the Agriculture Minister should get ''on to his mate the Minister for Planning to get something done about it''

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/stormdamaged-strawberry-farms-caught-in-netting-row-20120105-1pmyp.html#ixzz1icQugXdU

Mr Rieschieck said the nets, which have previously saved his crop, had indeed been a bureaucratic nightmare to get the council to approve. ''We had to get engineers drawing up plans for them before we put them up,'' he said. ''And then it took about 3½ years to sort out the permit.''

Comment:  BLAME GAME.
Let's hope for some common sense on this matter between the Shire and the State Governments.

Thursday, January 05, 2012

C97

YARRA RANGES PLANNING SCHEME
AMENDMENT C97
Report of a Panel Pursuant to Sections 153 and 155 of the Act


Comment: Back to the drawing board me thinks

Yarra Valley netting restriction furore

AGRICULTURE Minister Peter Walsh has slammed the Yarra Ranges Council over ‘stupid’ hail net restrictions. 

Mr Walsh toured the Yarra Valley today with Member for Evelyn Christine Fyffe to inspect recent storm damage.
He said it was upsetting to see tonnes of fruit destroyed by marble-sized hail stones on Christmas Day. 

“But what makes it more disappointing is that the damage could have been minimized except for stupid Yarra Ranges Council policies restricting use of protective hail nets.”
Mr Walsh said council policy limits growers in green wedge zones to a maximum of 60 per cent coverage.

Yarra Ranges Council Mayor, Cr Graham Warren said the council supported growers using netting to protect crops.
“In the last four years Council has received less than 20 applications for hail netting and none were refused,” he said. 

Berry and cherry grower Mark Chapman from Chappies in Silvan said netting was important for protecting crops from hail, rain, sun and most importantly fruit bats.
He said they were not allowed to scare the bats without a council permit.
Bats can chew through vast amounts of fruit at night before farmers realise, making scaring them impractical Mr Chapman said.
“We’d rather not build structures but the demand for quality too from the customers requires that if we don’t have high quality we can’t sell the fruit,” he said.
Mr Chapman said their netting went ahead after they applied for a permit several years ago, despite a neighbour’s complaint. 

Ref:


C97 and Coldstream

Ref: http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/Shared/ats.nsf/%28attachmentopen%29/33B04F8AA5991E01CA25797A000B4B94/$File/Yarra+Ranges+C97+Panel+Report.pdf?OpenElement

In part from the report

(v) Coldstream
Other inconsistencies relating to the application of the original ‘consolidation’
categories that were raised in submissions and that are of concern to the Panel were
explored in the hearings.
Based on its inspections, it appeared to the Panel that Coldstream clearly has
potential for some growth, especially flanking its two underutilised shopping areas.
All of Coldstream has been included in the least change area in Amendment C97. The
Panel believes that Coldstream has at least some potential for growth and it was
acknowledged in the 2007 strategy that a small part of it was suitable for
‘consolidation’. Even the identification of such a small area seems another lost
opportunity given that there are a number of well located sites in the town. For
instance, land on Murrac Street is close to a bus stop on Maroondah Hwy and is
across the road from parkland and a small shopping centre (including about a half a
dozen vacant shops). Amendment C97 provides little opportunity in Coldstream
other than for the detached housing that presently exists. It was apparent to the
Panel that there is little or no diversity in Coldstream with single storey dwellings on
‘quarter acre’ size blocks dominating. The 2007 Housing Strategy identified some
‘consolidation’ areas in Coldstream but Amendment C97 includes all of the town in
a Residential 3 Zone with DDO5 that will prohibit subdivision below 1000m2. This is
recipe for no change at all.
The Panel appreciates that there were some contrasting viewpoints from submitters
about whether Coldstream could sustain further development or not. Mrs Bouma
felt that the town was developed to its capacity in accordance with its original
subdivision. It was highlighted by others (Ms Clarke) that many of the town’s
services were dwindling due to a lack of patronage and could in fact benefit from
further population growth. Ms Clarke also cited Coldstream as an example where
she, as a long time resident, was not able to ‘downsize’ within the town and
therefore had to move.
Overall, it seemed to the Panel that Coldstream had many of the suburban
settlement and built form attributes of Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park, albeit in
more of a ‘village’ setting. To effectively limit any further development in this town
to more of the same seems to the Panel to be a lost opportunity.




Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Yarra Valley strawberry crops destroyed by hail and heat

HAIL and heat have conspired to wreck strawberry crops in the Yarra Valley. 
 
Several farmers at Coldstream are counting their losses after the Christmas Day storm and recent hot weather killed their fragile plants.

Read the rest here  from the Herald Sun

2011 Weather Summary for Coldstream


NAME: Coldstream Estate   CITY: Coldstream STATE: Victoria


ELEV: 300 LAT: -37:43:31 LONG: 0145:22:36

                            TEMPERATURE ( °C), RAIN (mm), WIND SPEED (kmh)

                                                                                                                 AVG
                 MEAN                                                                                   WIND                                         DOM
MTH       TEMP    HIGH     TIME        LOW        TIME      RAIN       SPEED       HIGH       TIME      DIR
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
01        20.4    40.0    16:40        06.0      05:59      98.4       02.6        44.4      08:30     SSE
02        18.4    39.9    15:01        06.2      06:44     229.4       02.2        48.1      08:57     SSE
03        16.4    33.0    14:36        03.8      07:46      61.0       02.2        35.1      08:05     SSE
04        13.4    26.7    15:36        04.3      06:52      89.2       01.6        31.4      08:19      SE
05        09.4    20.9    13:41       -01.3      07:07     109.2       01.1        31.4      08:36      SE
06        08.4    17.5    14:03       -01.7      05:09      67.2       02.1        53.6      02:37      E
07        08.6    17.1    14:09       -02.2      03:07      72.2       02.8        35.1      08:27      NE
08        10.3    21.7    11:37       -00.3      01:42      41.2       02.1        42.5      08:59     NNE
09        11.5    26.9    15:24        00.1      04:52     107.0       03.1        44.4      07:01     NNE
10        13.8    28.6    15:03        00.3      07:15      77.6       02.4        44.4      08:59     NNE
11        17.4    33.4    15:52        05.2      03:32     149.4       01.8        46.3      08:55     NNE
12        17.8    36.8    14:33        03.3      06:22      86.2       03.3        38.9      07:56      NE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          13.8     40.0                     -2.2                    1188.0        2.3        20.8                      NE



 Comment: Thanks again Robert

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Coldstream Weather for Dec 2011 from Robert.


Hi Mario,
Attached are the Coldstream Estate weather statistics for both December and a summarised version of the total 2011 year.

2011 has been the wettest year since I started recording in 1980.

Comparing the rainfall to that of Lilydale, 2011 has been the wettest since 1934.

 
Averages\Extremes for the month of December 2011

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average temperature     = 17.8°C
Average humidity        = 69%
Average dewpoint        = 11.5°C
Average barometer       = 1013.2 hPa
Average windspeed       = 3.3 km/h
Average gustspeed       = 6.1 km/h
Average direction       = 146° ( SE)
Rainfall for month      = 86.2 mm
Rainfall for year       = 1188.0 mm
Maximum rain per minute = 1.8 mm on day 25 at time 17:28
Maximum temperature     = 36.8°C on day 24 at time 14:33
Minimum temperature     = 3.3°C on day 04 at time 06:22
Maximum humidity        = 97% on day 26 at time 09:12
Minimum humidity        = 25% on day 08 at time 17:41
Maximum dewpoint        = 20.3°C on day 24 at time 18:36
Minimum dewpoint        = 2.1°C on day 04 at time 6:20
Maximum pressure        = 1025.6 hPa on day 01 at time 21:59
Minimum pressure        = 999.2 hPa on day 25 at time 18:19
Maximum windspeed       = 18.5 kmh from 338°(NNW) on day 18 at time 13:21
Maximum gust speed      = 38.9 km/h from 00°( N ) on day 18 at time 13:20
Maximum heat index      = 37.7°C on day 24 at time 14:30
Avg daily max temp :25.4°C
Avg daily min temp :11.2°C
Total windrun = 2402.8km
-----------------------------------
Daily rain totals
-----------------------------------
  18.6 mm  on day 10
  22.0 mm  on day 18
  00.6 mm  on day 19
  03.2 mm  on day 24
  41.4 mm  on day 25
  00.4 mm  on day 26


Robert Bethell

Comment:  Robert, thanks for your monthly updates.