Friday, July 30, 2010
Melbourne's urban boundary extends - Local News - News - Wyndham Leader
Melbourne's urban boundary extends - Local News - News - Wyndham Leader
MELBOURNE got bigger today after it was announced 24,500 hectares of developable land would be squeezed into the boundary.
MELBOURNE got bigger today after it was announced 24,500 hectares of developable land would be squeezed into the boundary.
Yarra Ranges Left Out At This Stage!
Amendment VC68
Amendment VC68 expands Melbourne's Urban Growth Boundary, and puts in place Public Acquisition Overlays for the proposed 15,000 hectare native grasslands reserve, the Regional Rail Link and the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor. It implements new planning scheme provisions that address the objectives of Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities.
The Minister for Planning has approved Amendment VC68 and is now seeking parliamentary ratification. The amendment will not become operational until it has been ratified by parliament and subsequently gazetted.
To read the full story click on the TITLE above.
Amendment VC68 expands Melbourne's Urban Growth Boundary, and puts in place Public Acquisition Overlays for the proposed 15,000 hectare native grasslands reserve, the Regional Rail Link and the Outer Metropolitan Ring / E6 Transport Corridor. It implements new planning scheme provisions that address the objectives of Delivering Melbourne's newest sustainable communities.
The Minister for Planning has approved Amendment VC68 and is now seeking parliamentary ratification. The amendment will not become operational until it has been ratified by parliament and subsequently gazetted.
To read the full story click on the TITLE above.
comment:
I can not understand why the Yarra Ranges has been completely overlooked in this amendment.
Where will our children build their houses?
Will the Yarra Ranges become an area where the population age average just gets higher?
Will the Yarra Ranges become an area for retirees as the average age increases?
Will we have enough young people to support our smaller schools?
As you all know by now I support the expansion of the UGB around Coldstream.
MORE TO COME SOON!
Friday, July 23, 2010
on the nose
from Cr Samantha Dunn
report from the roundtable – 13 jul
Over many years the compost facility has cast a shocking odour over the long suffering residents of Coldstream and Lilydale.
I seconded the motion to refuse the application. Council had no choice but to refuse the application as the EPA has objected to the current application.
Green waste composting is a really good thing to do as long as you get it right, but on this site it's anything but right. Since its operation the facility operators have made no genuine attempt to reduce the impact on the community.
The EPA reports that it has no confidence in the applicant's proposal. The EPA goes on to say that for the last three and a half years this site has continually been at the top of the list of community complaints and the EPA have received more than 2,500 reports of odour from the company's operations during that time.
The EPA was very clear in its determination that the proposal did not use best practice technology and didn't have adequate buffers to prevent off site odour impact.
It is not supportable, council didn't support it and refused the application unanimously, which I suspect would have happened regardless of the EPA's objection.
by Samantha Dunn
Thursday, July 22, 2010
An email sent regarding Dual Occs
This e mail was sent to me. It is added like all others.
Regards
Mario Galteri
I have looked at objectors to 3 applications recently in Coldstream. These applications being 18 Cheviot Ave; 586 Maroondah Hwy; 10 Witham Dve.
I decided to look at the Shire of Yarra Ranges Online mapping system and look at the aerial photographs of the area and see whether these objectors were objecting for reasons other than because the proposed developments were inappropriate for Coldstream, or whether it was simply ‘sour grapes’ due to the positioning of their respective houses or covenants. I have only included those that have objected to all 3 developments, even if their property is nowhere near where the development was proposed (in most cases).
I will let your readers and residents of Coldstream to come to their own conclusion as to why these people may have objected to these developments.
The propery owners who objected to 2 of the proposals are mostly very similar, but I’ve only highlighted those that objected to all 3. The aerial photographs are freely available on the Shire website, so readers can go do their own research if they are interested.
The following map shows the covenants in Coldstream and was published on the Coldstream blog a while ago
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Farmers want fire levy scrapped
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is appealing for the State Government to cease the fire services levy on property insurance.
It has made a submission to the Government's green paper on Fire Services and the Non-Insured, which calls for a levy on building assets and vehicle registrations.
VFF president Andrew Broad says the insurance levy has led to large numbers of landholders going uninsured and Government should fund fire services through other means.
"We believe there should be a charge on properties," he said
"The Government should continue to contribute their 25 per cent of the funding for emergency services and also a charge on registered vehicles."
"This will become a lot fairer way of the community servicing the needs of our emergency services in Victoria."
Mountain Views Mail | Star News Group Local community news
Mountain Views Mail | Star News Group Local community news
IT’S the stench that’s stuck.
Coldstream and Lilydale residents who are sick and tired of the compost smell wafting over their towns are breathing a fresh sigh of relief after an application for new works on the Coldstream Compost site was blocked by the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
A bad reputation and objections from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) saw an application by Australia Native Landscape (ANL) refused at Monday night’s council meeting.
The application included plans to amend its site layout and construct in-ground compost aeration facilities, a green waste storage building, holding bay and biofilters and changes to an existing trammel building.
As well as 33 staunch community objections to the proposal, the council’s decision was heavily weighted by the EPA objection and ANL’s poor track record on the site.
Lilydale resident Tony King, who spoke on behalf of those affected by the odour, said the community was happy with the council’s decision to deny the planning application. “It was a fair, just and responsible decision,” Mr King said.
“It is just disappointing that ANL hasn’t seen the writing on the wall, so to speak, and moved on.”
In a statement to the council, the EPA said it had received more than 2500 reports of bad odours during the past three and a half years and that the site had continually been at the top of its list of community complaints.
Deputy mayor Tim Heenan said the facility had created amenity problems for residents since it began operating in 2006. He said concerns about odour from the site had also topped the council’s list of community complaints.
“Citing that the proposed works would help minimise these odours is not enough – residents should not have to suffer any odour at all from the site,” Cr Heenan said.
“Given the EPA itself has no confidence in ANL’s proposal, council had no other choice but to refuse the proposal.”
Councillor Jeanette McRae echoed the deputy mayor’s sentiments.
She said she could not support the application because the facility did not use the best practice technology and because of that had encroached unreasonably on the lives of residents for many years.
“It has been diabolical and it’s something that we need to stop,” Cr McRae said.
“It’s a fantastic concept, having green waste and recycling – but you have to pick your spot and technology, and listen to your community.”
IT’S the stench that’s stuck.
Coldstream and Lilydale residents who are sick and tired of the compost smell wafting over their towns are breathing a fresh sigh of relief after an application for new works on the Coldstream Compost site was blocked by the Shire of Yarra Ranges.
A bad reputation and objections from the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) saw an application by Australia Native Landscape (ANL) refused at Monday night’s council meeting.
The application included plans to amend its site layout and construct in-ground compost aeration facilities, a green waste storage building, holding bay and biofilters and changes to an existing trammel building.
As well as 33 staunch community objections to the proposal, the council’s decision was heavily weighted by the EPA objection and ANL’s poor track record on the site.
Lilydale resident Tony King, who spoke on behalf of those affected by the odour, said the community was happy with the council’s decision to deny the planning application. “It was a fair, just and responsible decision,” Mr King said.
“It is just disappointing that ANL hasn’t seen the writing on the wall, so to speak, and moved on.”
In a statement to the council, the EPA said it had received more than 2500 reports of bad odours during the past three and a half years and that the site had continually been at the top of its list of community complaints.
Deputy mayor Tim Heenan said the facility had created amenity problems for residents since it began operating in 2006. He said concerns about odour from the site had also topped the council’s list of community complaints.
“Citing that the proposed works would help minimise these odours is not enough – residents should not have to suffer any odour at all from the site,” Cr Heenan said.
“Given the EPA itself has no confidence in ANL’s proposal, council had no other choice but to refuse the proposal.”
Councillor Jeanette McRae echoed the deputy mayor’s sentiments.
She said she could not support the application because the facility did not use the best practice technology and because of that had encroached unreasonably on the lives of residents for many years.
“It has been diabolical and it’s something that we need to stop,” Cr McRae said.
“It’s a fantastic concept, having green waste and recycling – but you have to pick your spot and technology, and listen to your community.”
Councillors angry over ANL operation (Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader, 20 Jul 2010, Page 3)
Councillors angry over ANL operation| Alex Munro
Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader
20 Jul 2010
YARRA Ranges councillors hit out at Australian Native Landscapes’ Coldstream operation last week, as they unanimously rejected the latest bid to re-open the facility. ANL had applied to modify its Coldstream operation’s planning permit so it could...read more...
Monday, July 19, 2010
Mountain Views Mail | Star News Group Local community news
A WOMAN has been jailed after she robbed shops in Healesville and Coldstream as part of a Black Saturday thieving spree.
Belinda Ronaldson, 36, of Currawa Drive, Boronia, will spend at least six months behind bars for her “opportunistic” and “despicable” behaviour of stealing money that was meant for bushfire victims, the Royal Children’s Hospital and even a 14-year-old cancer patient.
Ronaldson pleaded guilty in the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court to more than 30 charges of theft, including stealing a charity tin with $260 cash from Healesville Bakers Delight on 22 February 2009.
The court heard last Wednesday (7 July) that on several occasions she used a pram containing her infant child to conceal liquor from shop staff.
She was also pregnant with her fifth child at the time.
In sentencing, Magistrate Leonard Brear said: “A person with your history should not expect leniency where you used a child for these offences and then plead not to be taken away from the child.”
Ronaldson also stole three bottles of spirits from Coldstream IGA en route to Healesville, and returned later the same day and stole another three bottles.
Mountain Views Mail Star News Group Local community news
Belinda Ronaldson, 36, of Currawa Drive, Boronia, will spend at least six months behind bars for her “opportunistic” and “despicable” behaviour of stealing money that was meant for bushfire victims, the Royal Children’s Hospital and even a 14-year-old cancer patient.
Ronaldson pleaded guilty in the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court to more than 30 charges of theft, including stealing a charity tin with $260 cash from Healesville Bakers Delight on 22 February 2009.
The court heard last Wednesday (7 July) that on several occasions she used a pram containing her infant child to conceal liquor from shop staff.
She was also pregnant with her fifth child at the time.
In sentencing, Magistrate Leonard Brear said: “A person with your history should not expect leniency where you used a child for these offences and then plead not to be taken away from the child.”
Ronaldson also stole three bottles of spirits from Coldstream IGA en route to Healesville, and returned later the same day and stole another three bottles.
Mountain Views Mail Star News Group Local community news
75,000 homes to be built in outer Melbourne
Up to 75,000 new homes will be built within Melbourne’s current growth boundary. The planned developments are spread across 28 existing precincts around Melbourne.
The approval from Environment Protection Minister, Peter Garrett, is part of a strategic assessment program for Melbourne’s urban expansion.
"This is a first step in meeting Melbourne’s growing housing needs in a way that puts the environment at the forefront of the planning process," Garrett says. "The strategic assessment allowed us to find the best possible way of protecting our biodiversity while enabling sustainable growth."
The strategic assessment, which is a process set out under the national environment law, was completed in February this year. Individual components can now be approved with minimal red tape.
"Under the program more than 15,000 hectares of land will be set aside as reserves for critically endangered grasslands, which will boost the current two per cent of this grassland currently in reserves to 20 per cent. Up to 1,200 hectares of critically endangered eucalypt woodlands will also be protected.
"This puts an end to the piecemeal approach and the ‘death by a thousand cuts’ that can happen when environmental concerns are an afterthought."
Last month Garrett gave approval for the regional rail link that is also part of this strategic assessment program. The railway will service the new growth centres to the west of Melbourne in Melton and Wyndham and allow planning of suburbs to be based around fast and efficient public transport.
"...the chosen rail route is one that will have the least impact on the environment. It avoids larger nationally protected grassland patches, and a thorough assessment has found that it is unlikely to affect nearby wetlands or migratory species," Garrett says.
The strategic assessment program allows for future growth plans catering for a further 284,000 new homes.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Can you subdivide?
What is Property Subdivision?
A subdivision is just what the name implies: it is dividing a single piece of property into smaller, separate pieces or lots, usually to sell as a divided piece or to allow for future development. The process of obtaining a subdivision permit is an extensive and often exhausting process, which can take up to 12 months in some cases.
To read the full story click on the TITLE above.
A subdivision is just what the name implies: it is dividing a single piece of property into smaller, separate pieces or lots, usually to sell as a divided piece or to allow for future development. The process of obtaining a subdivision permit is an extensive and often exhausting process, which can take up to 12 months in some cases.
To read the full story click on the TITLE above.
More on the UGB
Planning change pushed in split bill
JASON DOWLING THE AGE July 16, 2010
A MASSIVE urban expansion of Melbourne and higher density housing in existing suburbs - particularly along transport routes - now looks likely with government aiming to split opposition parties to get the planning changes through state parliament.
Planning Minister Justin Madden is expected to introduce two separate planning scheme amendments to Parliament at the end of the month, one enabling a 43,600-hectare expansion of Melbourne's boundary and another supporting higher density housing in existing suburbs - particularly along transport routes.
The Coalition Liberal and National parties are expected to support the urban boundary expansion amendment - the fate of the higher density housing amendment is less clear, with all opposition parties, including the Greens and Democratic Labor Party needing to unite to block the change.
The government failed last month to get the planning changes through Parliament in a combined planning scheme amendment with the Liberal and National Party Coalition opposed to the higher density housing in existing suburbs provision. Opposition planning spokesman Matthew Guy met Mr Madden yesterday and said the government's decision to enter the urban boundary changes separately was a massive backflip.
A spokeswoman for Mr Madden said it was ''incumbent on government to rise above partisan politics and deliver on the issues that matter''.
Will the UGB around Coldstrean ever be moved?
The following is taken from a Matthew Guy press release. It gives me a glimmer of hope that one day the boundary around Coldstream will move with our Post Office being at its centre.
MADDEN’S PLANNED UGB BACKFLIP
“This is an all or nothing document and if the opposition don’t want to accept it in its
entirety … basically that stymies housing development and growth in this state…”
Justin Madden, ABC radio, 24 June 2010.
The Planning Minister’s arrogant claim last month that his VC67 plan was an ‘all or
nothing document’ appears to be as dubious as his statement that the UGB would ‘never
again move in my lifetime’ with the Brumby Government flagging support for the
Opposition’s request to remove amendments relating to high density dwellings along all
transport corridors.
The Minister’s announcement was part of a 30-minute speech to sections of the planning industry where he repeatedly attacked the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition regarding planning issues despite claiming that he wanted to ‘take the politics out of planning’.
“Clearly you can’t believe anything the Planning Minister says,” Mr Guy said.
“When Justin Madden said he would zone residents out of the UGB – he didn’t; when he
said the UGB would never move again – he flip-flopped and then said it would; when he
said there was no GAIC ‘plan B’ – there was; and when he said that VC67 was all or
nothing, it obviously was not.
said the UGB would never move again – he flip-flopped and then said it would; when he
said there was no GAIC ‘plan B’ – there was; and when he said that VC67 was all or
nothing, it obviously was not.
“This government is incompetent, out of ideas and out of touch after a decade of planning
policy failures.
“Justin Madden has made it clear that Labor will still try to force through the mandating of
high-density, high-rise towers upon every street or road with a bus or tram route in
Melbourne even if these provisions are removed from VC67.
“This shows that the arrogant Premier and his incompetent Planning Minister still refusehigh-density, high-rise towers upon every street or road with a bus or tram route in
Melbourne even if these provisions are removed from VC67.
to listen to the community or recognise the anger over a one-size-fits-all approach to
planning.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Shire Rejects ANL's new application
Last night the councillors all rejected ANL's application to continue processing in Coldstream.
Tony King spoke on behalf of the residents but ANL were not represented.
Cr. Jeanette McRae also spoke against the application.
I wonder what ANL will do next?
Application for Amended Planning Permit No:YR-2004/164/A (Use and Development of a Green Waste Transfer Station-Composting Facility) to Amend the Site Layout; Construction of In-ground Compost Aeration Facilities, a Green Waste Storage Building, Holding Bay and Biofilters and Changes to the Existing Trommel Building - 527-529 Maroondah Highway, Lilydale
SUMMARY
Proposal is to amend the planning permit by amending the site layout; construction of in-ground compost aeration facilities, a green waste storage building, holding bay and biofilters and changes to the existing trommel building.
Thirty three objections had been lodged on the grounds of ongoing odour issues, lack of confidence that the amendment will genuinely fix the odour problem given previous failures to address odour issues, inappropriate location given the surrounding land uses, risk to health, noise, increased intensity of use beyond previous approval, preference given for VCAT to determine the application, loss of property value, and insufficient technical details.
The application was referred to the EPA (Environmental Protection Authority) who has objected to the application and as such Council must refuse the application.
A joint consultation meeting with the EPA was organised to discuss the objectors concerns. No resolution was reached.
The proposal does not met the requirements of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, in terms of the amenity impacts and compatibility with surrounding development and does not use best practice technology. Council officers agree with the EPA objection and support their concerns.
Over the operation period of this permit, there have been significant odour impacts from the facility, causing major concern and distress to residents surrounding suburbs and particularly Coldstream and Lilydale. This emission of odour eventually resulted in the June 2009 Enforcement Order, which required the facility to cease composting green waste.
This has in turn resulted in the submission of a new Works Approval application to the EPA and this amended permit application.
Council must refuse the application given the EPA objection and it is also recommended that Council issue its further grounds of refusal given the impact on the amenity of the surrounding sensitive land uses.
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