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We had to wait for an hour and a half to ask questions at last nights Darebin Council meeting.  The hold up was due to political shenanigans between the block of four and the block of five.  You can watch proceedings here: http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/en/Your-Council/How-council-works/Meeting-Agendas-and-Minutes

The gallery was full to overflowing of residents, the majority evidently cross with the way Mayor Steven Tsitas is running council.  DADA consistently argues for more transparency in decision making in local government.  This is written into our charter.  While there were gains made for better consultation and  transparency under the last mayor it looks as though the current mayor has taken us back to the bad old days.

It is not good for the council to be in such disarray.  Important issues are not being properly considered or debated if there are not alternative voices in the chamber.

I call on all the Councillors to hold to the promises they made the community prior to being elected,  specifically those who ran as independents, who clearly are not.  It is a dangerous political game which will, no doubt, be bad for us all.

If you are a concerned resident contact your local ward representatives and express your concerns.   Seriously consider changing your vote next year when this lot run again.  We deserve a better council than this.

Cheers, Maria.

Here is the link for the new state government, much needed, approach to design detail for apartments.

http://delwp.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/301542/Better-Apartments-Discussion-Paper-FINAL-ONLINE-version.pdf

Have a look and have your say.

The graphs and statistics seem to support the concerns we have been expressing at DADA for many years, specifically about over supply of one and two bedroom apartments and the loss of family housing.

Cheers, Maria.

The AGE; Comments, April 8th, 2015.

Developers stealing amenity

If I buy an established house, the value I pay reflects not just the property itself but the local infrastructure and street amenity. If a developer then buys the house next door and builds six apartments, this effectively steals some of the value of my property. Now I cannot relax in my garden without being overlooked, the sun does not reach me due to overshadowing and I have to fight to get a parking spot. The developer, meanwhile, has taken value from my property, diced it and sold it. A  fair system would have the developer compensate – by means of an independent valuer process – those who lose amenity value. This would make developers (and renovators) think more carefully about appropriate development.

Mark Weatherseed, Kew

Here are two terms used in the realm of over-development.

1. Dog Box: One door, no windows and not fit for human habitation.  Too commonly constructed in developments with the aim to max out the yield from the site.

2. Hinterland; the unoccupied, less developed areas (where we all live)

Cheers, Maria

 

For those of us presenting at VCAT lately it has been more difficult to work through the legislative quagmire while we are in transition to the new zones and associated implications.  This week VCAT Members hearing a Darebin case were clearing trying to decide how seriously they should consider Amendment C137 as it relates to a site on Plenty Road.   At the meeting of March 16,  Council carried a motion to defer a decision on adopting Amendment C137 until they received a report on the state planning panel recommendations.  This is a good sign, Councillors at last are questioning advice from the ‘experts’ to more critically evaluate how it will effect those of us who live in Darebin, particularly adjacent to critical growth areas.   The more we talk to our Councillors about how we think planning will effect us as Darebin grows and the more they listen, the better.

Cheers, Maria