Were you shocked at your Yarra Ranges rates rise?

AN elderly Lilydale couple is fighting Yarra Ranges Council after their rates bill almost doubled due to council upping the value of their house by almost $800,000 in a year.

Pensioners Sonja and Arnaldo Venieri were shocked to get a $6028 rates bill this year, almost double last year's bill of $3876 .

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Comment

Rates are based on property values not on the service it provides the individual.  If two people in in a large expensive house do they get more services from the Shire than two living in a small unit?
We should look at ways that share the cost of running the Shire more evenly, a more "user pay" approach.
I would suggest something like the way the new FSL will be levied, a fixed amount per property and then a percentage of the property value.  The fixed amount acts as the equalizer in this equation.  Food for thought!

Mario Galteri

Who gets the FSL funds in the end?

In a submission to the fire services levy Yarra Ranges Council CEO Glenn Patterson said councils had concerns about collecting the levy on top of council rates, which would “introduce complexities, inconsistencies and place onerous administration costs on councils”. 

http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/mail/upper-yarra/360/story/154366.html

Comment:  As most of you know I have been objecting to the way in which the CFA was funded.  It was funded by those who insured their properties and assets.

It is now based on a base fee plus a % of the property value.  This means that every property owner pays towards the CFA.

The only group that appear to be objecting are the councils.  Sure it means that they have to collect the funds from rate payers BUT they also get their local CFA units funded.  So logically, we are paying for our own CFA in the Shire.  Makes sense to me that each Shire collect as they end up getting most of the money they collect in some form or other.

Lyle Godden RIP

I regret to inform you that one of the members of COLDSTREAM  2020 has died, Lyle Godden.

Lyle was a member of many other Committees and he loved his Coldstream with a passion.  We would often bump into each other at the post office and talk about how Coldstream should look like in the future.

I and the group will miss him.

Mario Galteri and
COLDSTREAM  2020

Dry Zones

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Following the adoption of the General Provisions  Local Law 2012 at its meeting on
14 August 2012, the Consumption of Liquor in Public Places Local Law 2007 is no longer
in operation.  As a result Schedule 1 of the former Consumption of Liquor in Public Places
Local Law 2007, that prescribes areas in the municipality where consumption of liquor is
prohibited also ceases to be valid and Police Officers will no longer have the ability to take
enforcement action against a person who breaches the Schedule.

Proposed Zone Reforms - Victoria Planning Provisions

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER Director Planning Building & Health


RECOMMENDATION
That Council:
1. Endorse this report and the attached  submission and submit them to the State
Government as Council‟s response to the proposed zone reforms.
2. Note Council‟s submission will also inform the submission from the Eastern Group of
Councils and the Interface Councils group.


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SUMMARY
 The State Government has released  a series of proposed  zone reforms for
public consultation, including new  residential and commercial zones and
modified mixed use, low density residential, industrial and rural zones. No
information has been provided on how the changes will be implemented.  It is
unclear whether they will be introduced as a Ministerial amendment or whether
Council will be allowed to influence how the new zones will be applied.
 The proposed residential zones allow  Council flexibility to prescribe controls
for many neighbourhood character issues including: maximum  height, site
cover, permeability and landscaping provisions. The new zones have multiple
schedules,  giving Council the ability to tailor controls to specific areas.
Council’s recently adopted housing Amendment C97 can be translated into the
new provisions and puts Council in a good position to implement the new
zones when they become available.    In the low density areas the proposed
changes reduce the minimum subdivision size, provided reticulated sewerage
is available.
 The new rural zones have not delivered the changes to support agriculture
Council has advocated for, such as permit exemptions for hail netting or
allowing value added sales. The increased non  - rural uses will intensify
pressure for urban type development in these areas, competing with the need
to preserve areas for agriculture and conservation.
 The proposed reforms allow a greater variety of uses in all zones making them
function more as mixed use or general zones.  There are a number of identified
issues with this approach with associated changes affecting both development
and the overall function of the Planning Scheme.
 The objectives (or purpose) of the zones are diluted by the increased
discretionary uses, resulting in less certainty and a more complex planning
permit regime.  It is anticipated more permits will need to be resolved at VCAT.
 The introduction of increased discretionary uses  creates a policy vacuum
requiring additional local planning policy to be prepared.  This is particularly
critical should the new zones be introduced by a Ministerial amendment.AGENDA ITEM NO. 8.5
YARRA RANGES SHIRE COUNCIL AGENDA –  11/09/12 159
 A detailed draft submission to the State Government is attached which
together with this report is proposed to be Yarra Ranges’ submission to the
zone reforms. Yarra Ranges will also be making a joint submission with the
Eastern Metropolitan Group of Councils and Interface Councils.