where to now?

Decision delayed

By Kath Gannaway

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29th November 2011 02:00:27 AM

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YARRA Ranges Council will ask the Minister for Planning​ for more time to consider his invitation to make a submission on changes to the Urban Growth Boundary.

With Cr Tim Heenan absent, the eight councillors were equally divided on whether to make a submission – those in favour arguing that it was an opportunity not available to the council previously to look at changes, and those against arguing the UGB issue was firmly established as part of the planning scheme, and that raising the issue could spark development speculation.

Mayor Terry Avery's casting vote means the council, given an extension of the government's 28 November deadline, may get the chance to consider the issue.

The UGB which identifies urban and green wedge land and is part of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, drawing on the 1996 Upper Yarra and Dandenong Ranges Regional Strategy Plan.

The Minister of Planning wrote to the council in August asking for submissions to be considered by an independent advisory committee with the aim of rectifying anomalies.

Among the criteria for consideration were that any land must be adjacent to or on an existing Urban Growth Boundary, and be proposed for residential or employment development.

“A critical government objective is to encourage new housing development as well as land supply for local employment opportunities,” the criteria states.

It also stated that any property proposed for inclusion in the UGB must be assessed against a range of criteria including agricultural activities, biodiversity, land use, and wildfire.

The council is waiting on a consultants report on the costs and benefits associated with any expansion of the UGB in an unidentified “limited area”.

Cr Dunn said any consideration was “a waste of ratepayers' money”.

“We don't need consultants for this; we have a clear policy in relation to Green Wedge and strategies that support it,” she said.

Crs McRae, Cox and Cliff argued also that the council had strong community support for retaining the Urban Growth Boundary for the protection of the rural areas of the shire.

Cr Warren said, however, that existing policies were “a moot point”. “When these (policies) were constructed, this offer was not on the table.

“I would be surprised if there was a big push to change the UGB, but this is not about changing anything, it is about giving more time for what is an important decision,” he said.

Cr Higgins, Templer and Avery also argued for the opportunity to consider a submission.

“We are not going to be extending the UGB out into the bush, and we know we have to protect farmlands, but the status quo is not sustainable forever and we need to look at this,” Cr Templer said.

 http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/mail/upper-yarra/320/story/145168.html

Comment: I hope Mr Guy has more sense and lets the study be completed.

Coldstream Members Recognised

On the 15th October 2011 a number of members from the Coldstream Fire Brigade were presented with substantial awards.

National Medal First clasps were presented to 1^st Lt Graham Brown, Captain John Fenton, Apparatus Officer George Taylor and Fire-fighter Dave Timms.

The National Medal was presented to 2^nd Lt. David Dent.

In addition Fire-fighter Dave Timms was presented with a Life Membership of the CFA, his 30 year service medal and life membership of the Coldstream brigade.

Robert Bethell former Captain of Coldstream who is now a fire-fighter at Lilydale was also presented with a life membership to Coldstream.

These members have gone above and beyond in their service to the Country Fire Authority and the Coldstream Fire Brigade.  They are admired by all that have served with them.

Home bush clearing laws changed

Clay Lucas

November 18, 2011

 

HOMEOWNERS in Victoria's most bushfire-prone areas will from today be able to clear all vegetation except trees up to 50 metres from their house without a permit, under laws brought in by Planning Minister Matthew Guy.

Before now, householders had been able to clear shrubs and vegetation within 30 metres of their house.

Under the new ''10/50'' rule, to be passed in state parliament today, they can legally clear any tree or bush within 10 metres of their home, and bushes or native vegetation within 50 metres.

Mr Guy also said new homes would be better fire-proofed as a result of the new laws that give councils far stronger controls to reject houses and other proposals they believe will not meet stringent requirements.

''The new planning provisions give priority to the protection of human life,'' Mr Guy said.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/home-bush-clearing-laws-changed-20111117-1nl7g.html#ixzz1e0FgFvv0

 

Council Plan on Review of current UGB

8.1 Review of Urban Growth Boundary Anomalies Outside Growth Areas

Council has directed officers to investigate the implications of expanding the
UGB. This work will be completed shortly and the findings of the report will be
prepared for Council’s consideration. At this stage it would be premature to
make a submission to an Advisory Committee regarding specific locations
until Council has formed a view on whether it intends to pursue any changes to
the UGB.

It is recommended that Council write to the Minister for Planning informing him
that Council will not be making a submission to the Advisory Committee at this
stage but requests the Minister to allow Council until the end of February 2012
to advise whether Council wishes to modify the UGB.

 BACKGROUND
The Minister for Planning has written to metropolitan Councils outside „designated growth
areas‟ seeking each council‟s view on the current location of the Urban Growth Boundary
(UGB) and is offering an ability to „rectify anomalies‟ (refer to Attachment 1).
The Minister has established a process which requires Council to prepare a detailed
submission in support of any changes to the UGB. The submission is required to address
matters raised in specified Decision Criteria and also have considered the views of
affected landowners. Submissions will be considered by an independent Advisory
Committee. The Minister has requested that submissions be received no later than
Monday 28 November 2011.

The Decision Criteria to be applied to the assessment of proposals is included in the
Minister‟s letter. To be considered, the land proposed for inclusion within the UGB must at
minimum meet two standards:
“Be adjacent to or on the existing Urban Growth Boundary – land located away from
the Urban Growth Boundary cannot be incorporated unless intervening land is also
included.

Be proposed for residential or employment development – a critical government
objective is to encourage new housing development as well as land supply for local
employment opportunities.”

In addition each property proposed for inclusion in the UGB must be assessed against the
following Decision Criteria:
agricultural activities;
biodiversity;
drainage;
extractive industries;
heritage;
landscape;
land use;
salinity;
soil capability;
transport;
trunk services; and
wildfire.

The Minister has indicated that the Advisory Committee process is not open to the general
public and would only involve directly affected landowners and any other landowners who
Council believes could be affected by the proposal. The Minister has also advised that
only submissions supported by the Council will be considered. A summary of the process
is attached in the Minister‟s letter.

ISSUES
It is important that Council makes an informed decision on this significant matter as there
are major policy implications associated with any consideration to modify the UGB. The
UGB was introduced by the State Government in 2002 as part of the implementation of the metropolitan strategy Melbourne 2030 to recognise and protect Green Wedge land (i.e. non-urban land). The current location of the UGB largely reflects the long standing urban and township boundaries reflected in the Upper Yarra and Dandenong Ranges Regional Strategy Plan (RSP). Council has also reaffirmed the current UGB boundary in its Green Wedge Management Plan adopted in 2010 and Housing Strategy adopted in 2009.
Any expansion of the UGB would allow additional urban residential/commercial
development. Currently the UGB limits the expansion of the outer metropolitan suburbs of
Chirnside Park, Lilydale, Belgrave, Mt Evelyn etc and the various towns located in the
Yarra Valley such as Coldstream, Yarra Glen, Healesville and settlements along the
Warburton Highway and in the Dandenong Ranges.
Following the receipt of the Minister‟s letter, Council has given preliminary consideration to the possibility of making changes to the current UGB beyond rectifying minor anomalies
and directed officers to undertake further work on this issue. To assist in providing
specialist advice, the consultancy SGS Economics & Planning has been appointed to
undertake an analysis of the costs and benefits associated with any expansion of the
current UGB in a limited area. This work is well advanced and is expected to be completed shortly.
It should be noted that the advice prepared by the consultants is not intended to form a
submission suitable to be submitted to the Advisory Committee, as it will not be examining individual sites and addressing the detailed Decision Criteria required by the Advisory Committee. 

Rather this work is focused at a higher level to assist Council in forming a view
on whether it is interested in changing the location of the current UGB. If Council decided
to consider changes to the UGB, further analysis would then need to be undertaken in
accordance with the requirements outlined in the Minister‟s letter and with the owners of
the property.
The prospect of potential changes to the UGB has attracted considerable local interest.
Council has subsequently been approached by a number of land owners seeking to have
their land included in any consideration of possible changes to the current UGB. The detail
within the submissions varies significantly and some parties have already invested in
professional submissions, in speculation of potential for change.
There has also been correspondence from individuals raising concerns about possible
expansion of the UGB. A future report to Council will be prepared regarding these
individual submissions.
Officers have been advised that Manningham City Council, Nillumbik Shire Council and
Mornington Peninsula Shire Council have already resolved not to seek further inclusions in
reply to this invitation from the Minister for Planning.

Given the need to establish a clear policy position on the UGB before considering specific
properties, it is recommended that Council notify the Minister for Planning that it is not in a position to make a submission to the Advisory Committee by the 28 November 2011, but
that Council requests the Minister allow Council until the end of February 2012 for Council
to advise whether it wishes to pursue any changes to the current UGB. This request will
be conveyed in a letter to the Minister (refer to Attachment 2).

RECOMMENDATION
That Council resolve to send the attached letter (Attachment 2) to the Minister for Planning informing him that Council will not be making a submission to the Advisory Committee seeking a review of the Urban Growth Boundary by the 28 November 2011 but request the Minister allows Council till the end of February 2012 to decide on whether Council wishes to pursue any changes to the Urban Growth Boundary. 

 To read the full story click HERE
http://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/files/3cb2278f-e980-4caa-9f75-9f9c0100442c/11-11-22Item8-1.pdf

Comment: Now you know why our group is called Coldstream 2020!!!!