Meeting Notes

Dear DADA Folk,

We met last week and discussed all manner of things. The notes are attached.

Also attached is a the Practice Note 63 that details how council and VCAT Members should consider the number of objectors. Bottom of page one indicates a loophole for council and VCAT. It is up to us to urge, on each case, that it is appropriate to consider the numbers of objectors and detail the significant social effect.

The third attachment is a new study that reinforces what we have been saying at DADA forever; a warning that we will not have enough separate family housing by 2022 if we do not something to redress the shortfall now.

Our Protect Plenty Road Petition reached 101 signatures this week. If you have not yet signed to help the folk who live on Plenty Road and who suffer less protection from over-development than does anybody else in Darebin, please do so via the DADA website; https://www.darebinada.org/campaigns/petition-protect-plenty-road

Happy reading!
Maria
DADA

• 20151110-DADA-notes

Darebin Appropriate Development Association
Web: https://www.darebinada.org

Meeting Notes: 

Present: Marion Coffey, Keith Coffey, Chris Erlandsen, Sally Mendes, Maria Poletti, Meryl Waugh, Mara Marfin, Mandy Baird Apologies: Craig Walters, Stewart Midgley

1. Business Arising:
a. Council flooded with planning applications; Action: Nola sending a further letter asking for some clarification of money collected and spent. Action: Maria to seek out FOI process.
b. Discussed other city councils plan for buying up houses to eventually convert into public open space. Action: Maria to do more research to bring back to the meeting. Stonnington Council
c. 748 to 750 Plenty Road, 4 stories, 22 apartments with some at 40 square metres. Action: Mandy to keep an eye on it.
d. Community Consultation in the development process – are there any precedents for making this compulsory? Kelly suggested a community consultation process where developers have to meet with the community in consultation before the planning application is submitted. Action: Kelly and Maria to work on basics of a community consultation process to bring back to meeting and to go to council.
e. What to do about the 470 High Street development – while it’s still going through the approvals process, workmen have been on-site undertaking preliminary works (are any developments fully stopped?) on an assessment of compaction. In mediation, last month, Action: Kelly to follow up with council planner on the mediation outcome.
f. 672 Plenty Road, revised plans adding a story making it 4 at front, 5 at back, Action: Mandy and neighbours will send new objections on the amended plans.
g. Reply from the Minister’s office to Mandy’s emailed letter circulated and discussed Action: Mandy to reply in disgust to how condescending and deflective it is.
h. Discussed standing orders. Action: Craig to talk to Trent about the best way to get something like standing orders on all decisions so we can have more transparency on how councilors vote.
i. 13 Brown Street, demolished house, worried about asbestos. Also concern that work has started without planning permission. Action: Craig to ask council if they have a planning application and do they know the development has begun.
j. C136 and C137 and Plenty Road Petition. Action: DADA folk will be emailed link and asked to support. Done
k. Follow-up with Robin Scott’s office. Maria called back and spoke to Robin’s assistant but there was nothing new. Action: Maria to call and ask to speak to Robin or for him to call back.
l. Data collection on voting at Planning Meetings Action: Maria can flag on the blog that we are collecting data and will publish before election time. Done. Well done Mandy and thank you. Please continue to collect data until June next year and crunch the figures on councilor voting.
m. Room Rental: In Darebin when looking for a rental it has become very hard to find anything other than a room in a house rather than the whole house. Not as big as rooming house so different legislation and protection. Action: Sally to find more details so that we can develop strategies. Sally went to a housing think tank who doa lot of research on housing but who had nothing on room rental as opossed to house rental. We know that real estate agents are renting seperate rooms in houses. Sallyis going to follow up with questions to council and to the think tank for research. The impact for development may be that bigger numbers of bedrooms may be built with this in mind but not for families. She will keep giving us updates
n. 584 Plenty Road, Taken away ‘for sale’ signs and replaced with ‘for lease’ signs. Chris made a complaint to the enforcement team about the solar hot water services added on the roof because they were not included in the approved plans. Poor on updates promised but eventually there was the following reply. At this stage the objection will be sent to the developer who will probably apply for a variation. Discussed asking for a report on what variations have been granted by council officers in the last 12 months. Action: Question to council: How many variations to approved plans have been granted in the last 12 months? How can planning officers approve variations without the application going back to objectors? Chris to ask question at next council meeting and will ask specifically about his example. Maria and Sally to attend. Done: At the council meeting Chris asked a question and had a very unsatisfactory response from the mayor. The enforcement officer said that the developer will apply for a retrospective variation. 510 variations have been approved in the last 12 months. It equates to a loop hole for developers how can build what they like and then seek approval. Follow up Action: Chris will follow up checking the mandatory height and ask questions of the new mayor.
o. Discussion of lot consolidated sites over 1000 square metres or 1200 square metres. Also the interface is a concern that it isn’t integrated.
Action: Craig to ask D Rudd about footprint on consolidated blocks and the status of garage

2. New Business:
a. Fiona Richardson meeting report and letter to the Minister which was circulated to DADA Folk on 29th October. Met with Fiona who said she would write to Minister. Copy of letter forwarded to the DADA network. Discussed responding to Fiona and asking if she knew that council already had a letter that Wynne had rejected C152 when we met and reinforce that we are very disappointed with the Minister’s rejection. Makes the meeting a bit of a joke of our meeting. Thank her for the letter to Wynne, encourage her to support our call for the rejection of C137.
b. From SOS; see attached document. Action: Maria
c. Planning and Environment Amendment (Recognising Objectors) Act 2015
Follow the link; http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/284841/AN63-Planning-and-Environment-Amendment-Recognising-Objectors-Act-2015_Oct-2015.pdf (also attached) Action: Maria to talk to Robert Phillips about briefing both councilors and planning reps at VCAT.
d. Ideas for the Your Community, Your Council consultation; Has prompting questions about how to answer under each area and there is much reading of documents relating to each key area.
Some ideas discussed. Fixed term for councilors, like senate have half go out each election; automatic disclosure of election funding; targets and quotes to ensure adequate representation of the community; no councilor can be mayor or deputy mayor more than once; a decent remuneration so that they can be full time as councilor and focus on the job; Mayor can do hiring and firing and be above the CEO.
e. Vague Objection list, suggestion that visitor parking waiver leaves no space for first responders. Action: Maria to add to Vague Objection list. Done

3. Press:
a. Article in The Age, Thursday October 29th about the 2 levels of a 3 level underground car park on the approved plans not built in a development in the CBD.
b. Harrison Tippet rang for a quote for The Leader article, 10th October, regarding the rescind of the rescind of C136.
c. Livability, Preston comes in a 96 of the top 100. Saturday Age November 7th. Key ratings included accessibility and accessibility of internet, parks, public transport, retail, proximity to city, beaches, bus routes.
d. Councils wise up to the health benefits of leafy streets. Something we have been arguing with council about.
e. Barry Plant, leaflet drop, 40 sales in July to September, ranging from 1.7 million to 806 thousand.
f. From the local paper regarding Minister Wynne’s rejection based on poor consultation by council. Begs the question about; What will council do now? Action; Chris will ask at council meeting
g. From The Age in Ivanhoe only 3 and 4 story developments.
h. Seniors should sell of houses to make way for families. Comments about livability and pushing to them limits.
i. The Age, Port Phillip new developments, no cars in Ackland Street
j. A lot of articles about one bedroom apartments not selling in CBD. Developers are now consolidating one bedroom into three bedroom apartments.

4. Objector Updates:
a. 27 Murphy Grove, original application 18 dwellings, for approval 12 all 1 and 2 beds, waiver for car parking. Has more than 5 objections so will go to Planning committee for a decision. As yet no objector to talk to council.
b. 137 Mansfield Street, Day in VCAT, Member rejected number of objectors; Council Planning Lawyer Rep said that councilors don’t know anything about planning; they only do what we ask them too. (I wish!) Action: Maria to talk to Robert Phillips and Meryl to write to councilors to try to get Mr. James Livingston removed from case. Meryl and Maria to try and meet with Robert.

5. Planning Alerts:

This week’s list:

Next Meeting: 7.00pm, Tuesday, December 8th at 33 Dean Street, Preston

Main agenda item: AGM.

Dear DADA Folk,
We met, we talked, we welcomed some new members.
The notes are attached.
Many thanks to all of those who work so hard on our stuff.
Maria
DADA

• 20151013-DADA-notes

Darebin Appropriate Development Association
Web: https://www.darebinada.org

Meeting Notes: 13th of October, 2015

Present: Marion Coffey, Keith Coffey, Chris Erlandsen, Sally Mendes, Maria Poletti, Melissa Di Naccio, Harris Robotis Apologies: Mandy Baird, Craig Walters, Meryl Waugh

1. Business Arising:
a. Golden Guys seem a popular idea but not at the moment, perhaps another time. Chris has suggested we go to council with the idea of an award for best sustainability practice Action: Chris to research other councils and bring back ideas to us to then take to council. Scrap book idea for DADA web site where people can send in photos of poor development, before and after shots, basic details like address, developers names, details of faults, what is planned.etc. Action: Maria
b. Council flooded with planning applications; Action: Nola sending a further letter asking for some clarification of money collected and spent. Action: Maria to seek out FOI process.
c. Discussed other city councils plan for buying up houses to eventually convert into public open space. Action: Maria to do more research to bring back to the meeting. Stonnington Council
d. 748 to 750 Plenty Road, 4 stories, 22 apartments with some at 40 square metres. Action: Mandy to keep an eye on it.
e. Community Consultation in the development process – are there any precedents for making this compulsory? Kelly suggested a community consultation process where developers have to meet with the community in consultation before the planning application is submitted. Action: Kelly and Maria to work on basics of a community consultation process to bring back to meeting and to go to council.
f. What to do about the 470 High Street development – while it’s still going through the approvals process, workmen have been on-site undertaking preliminary works (are any developments fully stopped?) on an assessment of compaction. In mediation, last month, Action: Kelly to follow up with council planner on the mediation outcome.
g. 672 Plenty Road, revised plans adding a story making it 4 at front, 5 at back, Action: Mandy and neighbours will send new objections on the amended plans.
h. Reply from the Minister’s office to Mandy’s emailed letter circulated and discussed Action: Mandy to reply in disgust to how condescending and deflective it is.
i. Agreed to try and meet with other Fiona Richardson. Action: Keith to call Fiona Richardson’s office to ask for meeting. DONE. Meeting planned for Friday 16th of October confirmed
j. C136, C137 and Heritage concerns. C136 and C137 back to council on Monday. Reply from Greg Hughes to Chris’s letter circulated. Action: DADA to write a letter of support for broader protection around stand alone heritage houses. Chris to send ideas to Maria. Action: Folk to attend meeting. DONE: Feedback from Chris that there was some recognition of the heritage concerns but no real change in C137 to effect on the impact of adjacent properties on heritage buildings. A possible next step is State Heritage.
k. Residents from Northcote meeting with Council Planners. Action: Maria to meet with Kelly and bring back key points. Ask to include notification to at least all the neighbours within a 50 metre radius of the proposed site. DONE: Met with council planning officers. Confirmed that 1001 apartments in a block around Separation Street.
l. Discussed standing orders. Action: Craig to talk to Trent about the best way to get something like standing orders on all decisions so we can have more transparency on how councilors vote.
m. DADA Vague Objection List circulated for feedback. Action: Maria to give feedback to keep objections general but send longer letters or objections to ward councilors. Action: Craig to send info on air-conditioner. Action: Maria to send Mandy a copy. DONE
n. Smorgies developers, because of the price of construction, have decided to go back to VCAT to increase the number of units back to almost the original number. Action: Maria sent an example
of a letter to ask the Minister to call in the application. DONE Petition that went in with over 130 signatures. Richard Wynne replied to all. VCAT mediation with the participants came to an agreement, which because of a lawyer mistake has not been signed off. Developers came with a new plan incorporating amalgamated 1 beds to 3 beds. Ended up with 18×3 beds.
o. 13 Brown Street, demolished house, worried about asbestos. Also concern that work has started without planning permission. Action: Craig to ask council if they have a planning application and do they know the development has begun.
p. Discussion about comments status as objections. Action: Meryl to test planning alerts by objecting and seeing if she is listed as an objector. DONE: Tested. Objection via writing a comment on the Planning Alerts link, was picked up by Darebin and treated as a valid objection. All the relevant paperwork and notices were duly sent as if a listed objector.
q. Discussion of lot consolidated sites over 1000 square metres or 1200 square metres. Also the interface is a concern that it isn’t integrated.
Action: Craig to ask D Rudd about footprint on consolidated blocks and the status of garage.

2. New Business:
a. C136 and C137 and Plenty Road Petition. DADA folk will be emailed link and asked to support.
b. Follow-up with Robin Scott’s office. Maria called back and spoke to Robin’s assistant but there was nothing new. Action: Maria to call and ask to speak to Robin or for him to call back.
c. Data collection on voting at Planning Meetings Action: Maria can flag on the blog that we are collecting data and will publish before election time. Well done Mandy and thank you. Please continue to collect data until June next year and crunch the figures on councilor voting.
d. Save McDonnell Park, Maria sent out the request for support because she thought it fit the issues usually supported by DADA, our charter objectives. There was some negative feedback from a DADA member who was asked to be removed from the list.
e. Room Rental: In Darebin when looking for a rental it has become very hard to find anything other than a room in a house rather than the whole house. Not as big as rooming house so different legislation and protection. Action: Sally to find more details so that we can develop strategies.
f. State Government review of councils asking for our suggestions. Please have your say at this link:

3. Press:
a. Maria had two phone calls from Julia Irwin while away. Replied via email, no response since?
b. Preston Leader, July 28th, VCAT to rule on Smorgies site.

4. Objector Updates:
a. 117 Flinders Street, Thornbury. Council refused application. Going to VCAT, Chris McKenzie acting.
b. 153 Wood Street, Preston. Council refused application.
c. 80 Tyler Street, council approved but going to VCAT
d. 89 Darebin Boulevard, 3 double story apartments. Objections gone in.
e. 584 Plenty Road, Taken away ‘for sale’ signs and replaced with ‘for lease’ signs. Chris made a complaint to the enforcement team about the solar hot water services added on the roof because they were not included in the approved plans. Poor on updates promised but eventually there was the following reply. At this stage the objection will be sent to the developer who will probably apply for a variation. Discussed asking for a report on what variations have been granted by council officers in the last 12 months. Action: Question to council: How many variations to approved plans have been granted in the last 12 months? How can planning officers approve variations without the application going back to objectors? Chris to ask question at next council meeting and will ask specifically about his example. Maria and Sally to attend.
f. 3 Harold Street, Went to VCAT, 3 neighbours spoke. They are going for 12 units with a car stacker!

5. Planning Alerts:
This week’s list: 1 Ambon, for blocking the drainage and sewer easement 2 Clark St Reservoir, 8xdouble storey, + parking waiver 12-14 Sheffield, 9 x double and parking waiver 17 Paywit Street, Preston; 4 x double storey and 2 x single storey dwellings

Next Meeting: 7.00pm, Tuesday, November 10th at 33 Dean Street, Preston | More..

Dear DADA Folk,
Attached are my notes from last nights meeting.
Apologies to those who attended for my grumpiness!
There were lots of good ideas for action from all and so still much to do. Thank you to all who put there hand up to act.
Please help us keep up the fight against over development in Darebin.
Stay warm, Maria
DADA

• 20150805-DADA-notes

Meeting Notes: 5th of August, 2015

Present: Marion Coffey, Craig Walters, Mandy Baird, Chris Erlandson, Meryl Waugh, Sally Mendes, Laara Eames, Maria Poletti,

Apologies: Keith Coffey

1. Business Arising:
a. Golden Guys seem a popular idea but not at the moment, perhaps another time. Chris has suggested we go to council with the idea of an award for best sustainability practice Action: Chris to research other councils and bring back ideas to us to then take to council. Scrap book idea for DADA web site where people can send in photos of poor development, before and after shots, basic details like address, developers names, details of faults, what is planned.etc. Action: Maria
b. Council flooded with planning applications; Action: Nola sending a further letter asking for some clarification of money collected and spent. Action: Maria to seek out FOI process.
c. Question to council about developers recycling as many materials as possible. We will begin to talk and form more ideas on the quality of demolition as well as the quality of the build. Action: Craig will formulate and ask questions at a council meeting.
d. For the Blog, before and after photos, Gone but not forgotten, RIP houses, Action: Craig to send photos to Maria.
e. Discussed other city councils plan for buying up houses to eventually convert into public open space. Action: Maria to do more research to bring back to the meeting. Stonnington Council
f. Preston Market: Action: Craig to look at special meeting video and bring back to next meeting. Salter Group are the developers. Ask questions to Council regarding the discussions with the minister about Preston Market.
g. 748 to 750 Plenty Road, 4 stories, 22 apartments with some at 40 square metres. Action: Mandy to keep an eye on it.
h. Community Consultation in the development process – are there any precedents for making this compulsory? Kelly suggested a community consultation process where developers have to meet with the community in consultation before the planning application is submitted. Action: Kelly and Maria to work on basics of a community consultation process to bring back to meeting and to go to council.
i. What to do about the 470 High Street development – while it’s still going through the approvals process, workmen have been on-site undertaking preliminary works (are any developments fully stopped?) on an assessment of compaction. In mediation, last month, Action: Kelly to follow up with council planner on the mediation outcome.
j. 672 Plenty Road, revised plans adding a story making it 4 at front, 5 at back, Action: Mandy and neighbours will send new objections on the amended plans.
k. 153 Wood Street, Action: Craig to send objection to Maria for send to network. Done
l. C152 Meeting with planners report. 6 DADA folk meet on Friday the 3rd with Darren Rudd, Manager City Development, Greg Hughes, Principal Strategic Planner and Sophie Jordon, Strategic Planning, to discuss the changes in Amendment C152. They asked for our support by lobbying Richard Wynne and Robin Scott. Also asked to encourage DADA folk to do the council survey on the YourSay website. Agreed to meet with Robin Scott.
Action: Maria to draft and circulate a letter to the Planning Minister. Done Action: Keith to ask Robin for a meeting. Done. Meeting 7th of August 9.30am. Chris, Maria, Craig to attend. Letter can go to both in the meantime.
m. Discussion of lot consolidated sites over 1000 square metres or 1200 square metres. Also the interface is a concern that it isn’t integrated.
Action: Craig to ask D Rudd about footprint on consolidated blocks and the status of garage

2.New Business:
a. Meeting with Minister Richard Wynne. Maria took approx 20 letters and then rang Darren Rudd afterwards to give him feedback on the Ministers response to C152. Jack Roache from BRAG discussed stats. on VCAT members and found one made over 90% decisions in favor of the developers. Reply from the Minister’s office to Mandy’s emailed letter circulated and discussed Action: Mandy to reply in disgust to how condescending and deflective it is.
b. Meeting Robin Scott, He has already written to the Planning Minister to support C152. We agreed to discuss meeting with the planning minister, our disappointment with his reaction. We plan to talk to local issues as well. Ask Robin to ask the planning minister on our behalf to call in the Smorgies proposal. Give him the example of the 17 units planned for Murphy Grove and the problems with C137 and Plenty Road. Agreed to try and meet with other Fiona Richardson. Action: Keith to call Fiona Richardson’s office to ask for meeting.
c. C136, C137 and Heritage concerns. C136 and C137 back to council on Monday. Reply from Greg Hughes to Chris’s letter circulated. Action: DADA to write a letter of support for broader protection around stand alone heritage houses. Chris to send ideas to Maria. Action: Folk to attend meeting.
d. Residents from Northcote meeting with Council Planners. Action: Maria to meet with Kelly and bring back key points. Ask to include notification to at least all the neighbours within a 50 metre radius of the proposed site.
e. Mandy has volunteered to collect data on Councilor voting at Planning Committee meetings.
Categories will include Councilor name, application ward, developer name, legal rep, architects, planning officer name, planning officer recommendation and councilor vote. Discussed standing orders. Action: Craig to talk to Trent about the best way to get something like standing orders on all decisions so we can have more transparency on how councilors vote.
f. DADA Vague Objection List circulated for feedback.
Action: Maria to give feedback to keep objections general but send longer letters or objections to ward councilors. Action:Craig to send info on air-conditioner. Action: Maria to send Mandy a copy.

3.Council Report:
a. Still a City of Darebin Circus!!!

4.Other:
a. Craig attended a meeting on food security and pointed out it is at odds with the planning scheme.

5.Press:
a. Article in today’s business age. Downsizers to target leafy suburb. Not enough 3 bedroom apartments for local empty nesters. Implied that the only people buying 1 and 2’s are investors.

6. Objector Updates:
a. Smorgies developers, because of the price of construction, have decided to go back to VCAT to increase the number of units back to almost the original number. Action: Maria sent an example of a letter to ask the Minister to call in the application.
b. 672 Plenty Road, was rejected at Planning Committee. Dry cleaners on Plenty Road.
c. 13 Brown Street, demolished house, worried about asbestos. Also concern that work has started without planning permission. Action: Craig to ask council if they have a planning application and do they know the development has begun.
d. 112 Collins Street and 48 Murphy Grove tenants have vacated so expect demolish to start soon.

7. Planning Alerts:
a. Discussion about comments status as objections. Action: Meryl to test planning alerts by objecting and seeing if she is listed as an objector.

• 20150805-DADA-notes

Next Meeting: 7.00pm, Tuesday, October 13th at 33 Dean Street, Preston

Dear DADA folk,
Please find attached my notes form the last DADA meeting. I hope they make sense!!
Stay warm,
Maria

• 20150708-DADA-notes

Meeting Notes: 8th of July, 2015

Present: Marion Coffey, Keith Coffey, Maria Poletti, Craig Walters, Mandy Baird, Chris Erlandson, Meryl Waugh, Sally Mendes, Apologies: Lina Mastroianni, Laara Eames, Stewart Midgley, John Gunson, Louisa Ennis

1. Business Arising:
a. Golden Guys seem a popular idea but not at the moment, perhaps another time. Chris has suggested we go to council with the idea of an award for best sustainability practice Action: Chris to research other councils and bring back ideas to us to then take to council. Scrap book idea for DADA web site where people can send in photos of poor development, before and after shots, basic details like address, developers names, details of faults, what is planned.etc. Action: Maria
b. Council flooded with planning applications; Action: Nola sending a further letter asking for some clarification of money collected and spent. Action: Maria to seek out FOI process.
c. Question to council about developers recycling as many materials as possible. We will begin to talk and form more ideas on the quality of demolition as well as the quality of the build. Action: Craig will formulate and ask questions at a council meeting.
d. For the Blog, before and after photos, Gone but not forgotten, RIP houses, Action: Craig to send photos to Maria.
e. Discussed other city councils plan for buying up houses to eventually convert into public open space. Action: Maria to do more research to bring back to the meeting. Stonnington Council
f. Preston Market: Action: Craig to look at special meeting video and bring back to next meeting. Salter Group are the developers. Ask questions to Council regarding the discussions with the minister about Preston Market.
g. 748 to 750 Plenty Road, 4 stories, 22 apartments with some at 40 square metres. Action: Mandy to keep an eye on it.
h. Community Consultation in the development process – are there any precedents for making this compulsory? Kelly suggested a community consultation process where developers have to meet with the community in consultation before the planning application is submitted. Action: Kelly and Maria to work on basics of a community consultation process to bring back to meeting and to go to council.
i. What to do about the 470 High Street development – while it’s still going through the approvals process, workmen have been on-site undertaking preliminary works (are any developments fully stopped?) on an assessment of compaction. In mediation, last month, Action: Kelly to follow up with council planner on the mediation outcome.
j. 672 Plenty Road, revised plans adding a story making it 4 at front, 5 at back, Action: Mandy and neighbours will send new objections on the amended plans.

2. New Business:
a. C152 Meeting with planners report. 6 DADA folk meet on Friday the 3rd with Darren Rudd, Manager City Development, Greg Hughes, Principal Strategic Planner and Sophie Jordon, Strategic Planning, to discuss the changes in Amendment C152. They asked for our support by lobbying Richard Wynne and Robin Scott. Also asked to encourage DADA folk to do the council survey on the YourSay website.
Action: Maria to draft and circulate a letter to the Planning Minister. Agreed to meet with Robin Scott.
Action: Keith to ask Robin for a meeting. Letter can go to both in the meantime. Discussion of lot consolidated sites over 1000 square metres or 1200 square metres. Also the interface is a
concern that it isn’t integrated. Action: Craig to ask D Rudd about footprint on consolidated blocks and the status of garage versus car port.
b. Meeting with Minister: Discuss draft ideas. Shared DADA feedback from Kelly and Jeanette. Presentation to the Minister attached.

3. Council Report:
a. Herald sun article today, MAV criticism of Councilors Greco, Fontana and Tstitas, over misconduct and breeching the code of conduct. Greco and Tstitas have been asked to apologize to each other.
b. Council overseer report to the Minister for Local Government. Report emailed to network and letter circulated as a draft to Minister in response.
c. Two new council overseers appointed and we will keep a track.
d. Transport community consultations meeting held in 3 venues, council considering a traffic and transport report. Tightly controlled and limited in the feedback sought. Had Have Your Say stations where folk could make suggestions. Chris went to the planning desk and spoke to the officer about poor quality materials used in developments and was told in this consultation process that he was wrong. This reflects poor quality treatment of residents in consultations where officers will argue a point rather than hear it in the consultation process.
e. Street Tree Meeting with council, also a consultation with 3 facilitators. At least we weren’t told we were wrong but we were not given any assurances that they would take any notice of what we said. Offered a reduced rate of removal and want to start cutting and replanting in July.
f. Consultation for the oval opposite Northland. Asking folk about what should happen to the oval that is earmarked for possible housing and a sports stadium. Have your say on all of these things on the Darebin website here: http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/en/Your-Say/Have-Your-Say/Your-Say

4. Other:
a. SOS newsletter circulated and attached to minutes.
b. Winston Churchill- 18th of May, 1951 in a speech made in Glasgow said “Good housing is the first
of the social services. Bad housing makes more disease than any health service can cure”

5. Press:
a. Leader – Julia Irwin, Zones for higher protection
b. Sunday Age; 5th of July, Affordable homes also same day Council Catching Undersized Apartments.
c. Age, June 10th, School blasts increased density.
d. Leader, letters, Northcote character under threat, More Studies are needed.
e. Domain, July 5th, Bigger Homes now thin on the ground.

6. Objector Updates:
a. 629-631 Plenty Road, VCAT win. Follow-up letters to Councilors regarding the implications of the win to C137. Darren Rudd response to Maria circulated. Chris reported that the members were not happy about how the opposing lawyers selected past decisions to make their arguments. It was clear to the objectors that the council reps were not fully prepared.
b. Mansfield Street, James Livingston representing council, not picked up the file 4 days prior to the VCAT hearing. Luckily hearing postponed so more time to work on presentation.
c. 153 Wood Street, Action: Craig to send objection to Maria for send to network. Done

7. Planning Alerts:

8. Strategy Ideas 2015

Next Meeting: 7.00pm, Wednesday, August 5th at 33 Dean Street, Preston

Dear DADA folk,

Early June Darebin Council will release a new map, for comment, on a revisit to the planning scheme zoning schedule.

Darebin intends asking the Planning Minister, Richard Wynne to give us a fairer go with better protection under two new categories, NRZ1 and NRZ2. I believe NRZ1 will be duel occupancy with a level limit at 2 stories while NRZ2 will be a compromise with the current GRZ and will limit development to 4 dwellings but with an increase of private open space so that on smaller blocks that might mean fewer dwellings. NRZ2 will also limit heights to 2 stories.

• Here is the Darebin; Have Your Say link

Keep an eye out in June to see if your area will have improved protection from over-development under the new proposal.

You can help further by lobbing our local member, Robin Scott and the Planning Minister, Richard Wynne to help ensure State approval of the plan.

Tell Mayor Tsitas to step aside while he is being investigated

Today I have been sent a link to an online petition asking Darebin Mayor, Steven Tsitas to stand aside while he is being investigated over allegations of misconduct. At the moment Council is dysfunctional, transparency around decision making is lacking and meetings of only five Councillors are not fully representative. The Mayor standing aside may be the only way to get proper processes moving again and ensure the legitimacy of decisions made.

• Here’s the link

Have a lovely weekend and stay warm.

Maria
DADA