| On 23 March 2011, the MRC contacted the Council and requested that the Planning Permit Application for “Works in the centre of the Reserve for the construction of a carparking area, fencing, amenities, playground equipment and sporting/fitness equipment” (Planning Permit Application No.: GE/PP-23061/2010) be placed on hold until such time as the MRC has concluded its discussions and negotiations with Glen Eira Council in regards to the extent of these works.
Accordingly, this planning application is not before the Council and will not be considered at the Meeting on 4 April. The only item will be Amendment C60. |
Glen Eira Debates 
March 25, 2011 at 2:24 PM
The speed of a snail again – two days to put something as important as this up on the website for starters. Next, there’s the suspicion about the reason for this sudden change of heart. Pass the C60 and the issue of parking remains unresolved. The solution is more parking in the centre of the racecourse. Great tactics, great collusion and great underhandedness.
March 25, 2011 at 2:51 PM
Many issues remain unclear:
1. The actual council resolution(s) of Dec. 13th, 2010 read:
Crs Lipshutz/Hyams
That Council;
1. Note the report and recommendations of the Panel appointed to consider Amendment C60.
2. That a further meeting of the Caulfield Racecourse Precinct SpecialCommittee (the Committee) be held on a date to be fixed to allow oralsubmissions to be put to the Committee.
3. That subject to any resolution of the Committee all oral submissions be limited to 3 minutes.
The MOTION was put and CARRIED unanimously.
What this doesn’t make clear is WHETHER DECISIONS WILL BE MADE ON THE NIGHT, OR WHETHER THIS IS SIMPLY TO ‘HEAR’ SUBMISSIONS.
2. Nor is it clear as to who will be permitted to address the committee. Only objectors, or anyone else who feels that they have got something to say?
March 25, 2011 at 8:31 PM
I don’t know what powers Council has delegated to the Caulfield Racecourse Precinct Special Committee. Theoretically there must be a register listing the delegated powers (LGA 1989 S87(1)), but a search of Council’s website didn’t reveal anything relevant. Assuming Council has delegated its planning power for the precinct to the Committee then the Committee could, if they wished, make a decision on the night.
I doubt Council would attempt to silence people who wish to express their view about C60 unless they became abusive. Council does have an obligation to comply with S22 of the Planning And Environment Act 1987 after all, and consider all “submissions made on or before the date set out in the notice”. There is also the possibility that somebody might make a submission requesting a change to the amendment. That would then have to be dealt with under S23(1), which would make a decision on the night highly problematic.
Given the political changes that have occurred in the last 6 months, the current amendment should be abandoned, but that’s just my opinion, and there’s megabucks at stake for the privileged elite that is the MRC. The decline of racing apparently requires them to find other revenue sources. Martin Pakula’s untimely intervention reminds us all of the contempt held in certain quarters of residents. At a minimum I urge residents never to sign the planning equivalent of a blank cheque. Not that Planning Schemes mean much…Neville Chamberlain waved one about, declaring “peace for our time”.
March 25, 2011 at 8:31 PM
This whole affair is the perfect example of this council always doing things arse backwards and their total disregard for community input. Most normal councils would have allowed objectors to put in submissions and then to address their submissions at council meeting. But oh, no. That’s not how this wonderful mob work. If this had happened, then we wouldn’t be going through the Lipshutz pretense that they’re now (finally) prepared to listen to the community. Planning is, and has always been a total joke in this council. The bottom line is money and more money that is then wasted on inessentials that nobody asks for. The sooner the majority of this electorate realises the disasters that have happened and will continue to happen with Newton and Lipshutz and co sitting in their too comfortable chairs, the better off we all will be.
March 26, 2011 at 4:04 PM
I am not sure what the opposite of Smart Aleck is, but whatever it is, you are certainly it.
You should all get your facts straight before running your mouth off.
Amendment C60 went on Public Exhibition in November/December 2009. That means it was requested by council, accepted by the Minister, advertised, notices sent out, information placed on the Council Website, Notices in the Leader and if I am not mistaken a whole lot of lobbying by a Councilor from Kew. The result of all of this was that 60 odd submissions were made to Council. These persons were then invited to a Planning Conference where they had the opportunity to address the planning officers and Councillors (who turned up). Then Council decided to refer these submissions to an Independent Panel. Once again the submitters were invited to make a further submissions to the Panel either in writing or to make a presentation. Some resident elected one form, some elected both. There was no time limit on the presentation. One resident rambled on for days apparently. The Independent Panel then wrote a report which was circulated, the Council Planning Officers wrote up their recommendation and that went before Council (Special Committee) in December. Where after more intense lobbying by the Councilor from Kew, it was decided to have yet another round of Resident submissions (3 minute verbal). Why 3 minute verbal you ask. Because we have heard it all before.
Now to the rest of you pessimistic, ignorant, Armageddon nimby’s . Get a life or run for Council.
March 26, 2011 at 4:19 PM
If we’re talking about history, then let’s get the facts right to start with. In the first place the amendment was at the request of the MRC – all amendments at this council are the result of developer approaches. Nothing but nothing is initiated by council. Why? Cos they want everyone else to do the work for them and since they refuse to set the proper planning controls the result is that anything goes.
Then there is the planning conference. What a joke again! Exactly how many councillors did show up and how many people spoke and how well advertised was this you should well ask. If councillors are voting on something as important as this then it should be in a full council meeting right from the start not some stupid manipulated planning conference. The escape loop is to send it to the minister so that council comes out looking with its hands clean and can argue – it’s not our fault, the minister has made the decision. Ohyes, I mustn’t forget how well this council supported residents at the panel either – a solicitor whilst the MRC had qc’s and plenty of consultants reports. What did council provide? Absolutely nothing. So that leaves us with this 3 minute joke.
pessimistic you bet! The last ten years provide plenty of evidence of why we should all be pessimistic. Running for council? that’s a great idea. Nothing could be worse than the gang of five we’ve got at the moment.
March 26, 2011 at 5:05 PM
Just because you work at MRC offices at Caulfield Racecourse does not make you a Glen Eira resident. Run for Council? Just wait until the next election and you will see a whole new group of Councillors to deal with and we will have a new CEO and administration who will not be bullied by an arrogant has-been racing club. You should start looking for a new job.
March 26, 2011 at 6:43 PM
funny how you don’t dispute the facts as i present them, yet try to agitate with an assertion that I work for the MRC and don’t live in Glen Eira. Viewfromahill (aka headinthecloads) your assertions are false, but my facts are correct. Your ability to deflect will make you a fine Councillor. I will look out for you when I vote (Not).
March 27, 2011 at 11:01 AM
Well “GE Resident” or “MRC Insider”, I do not dispute the process that took place because until recently I have not been following it because I always thought the MRC owned the land. But they do not and it is available for all residents of Melbourne. It is certainly not a NIMBY Issue as it affects many people as you will see at the Council hearing (I for one live in Murrumbeena). Oh and please introduce yourself at the hearing, I would love to chat.
March 27, 2011 at 5:31 PM
Thanks for the invite to chat, but as i have pointed out, we have heard it all before. I have better things to do with my time. Mind you it would be entertaining to hear how a development on freehold land in Caulfield North affects you in Murrumbeena?
March 26, 2011 at 2:14 AM
I was married at Tudor Court, a magnificent old Federation mansion on Kooyong Road. If the building was in Bayside or Stonnington, it would have been protected. Unfortuntely it was located in Caulfield…didn’t stand a chance really. One day without notice, it was bulldozed removing not only a piece of history but a building with many fond memories for the people of Glen Eira. Every day when I walk the dog I go past the vacant land and curse Council and their planning.
March 28, 2011 at 10:11 PM
What a delema.
Glen Eira residents about 130,000 plus were represented by Mr Montebello from Maddocks.
Stangely, the MRC and Monash University were represented by Senior Concillors.
Ms. S Ross said Mr Montebello was amazingly good even though only a solicitor!! Mr Morris pleaded, on behalf of the MRC, to give Glen Eira a bag of cach instead of the statutary 5% “open Space”… he secretly conversed with someone and told them that he had no worries of open space at his home as he was in the fortunate position of owning and affording a double block in leafy Ivanhoe, so he did not have neighbour problems. Therefore apart from supporting the “Triangle Grab” he wanted to deny the ten thousand people a day who will visit the 5.5 hectare “ghetto conglomeration” there will not be one square metre of “open space” for residents, workers or shoppers to take in a breath of fresh air and Glen Eira Council will then spend the cash on covering up more grass with roads and buildings somewhere else!!!!
Mr Morris came out in the evenings to hear what Glen Eira residents had to say, but, guess what Mr Montebello only rang his bell during daylight hours so we didn’t see him after 5.pm. Was he following cheap skate instructions to absent himself?
Also, although there most of the time there was only one councillor interested enough to attend for any lenghth of time at the sessions. It is all very good for the “special arbitrators” to invite the whole world to make submissions on 4 April2011. Some people went to enormous trouble to prepare for the panel hearing and “the arbitrators were absent”. I don’t know why they are so scotty and limiting about another hearing.
And another thing Ms Alison Glynn, the facilitator, treated all objectors unfairly when she refused to tell them that she had added evening sessions.. it may have suited retirees and students to attend in the day but what about teachers and medical professionals? Therefor she should have given evenyone notice of evening sessions.
One good thing Cr Tang, must have chatted Mr Montebello up as he now has a position with them? Is this neutral?
March 29, 2011 at 4:59 PM
By the way, the Stuart Morris QC who represented the MRC is the same Stuart Morris who resigned as Head of VCAT to resume private practice. The MRC really brought out the big guns while Glen Eira sold out the residents.
March 29, 2011 at 10:41 AM
Today’s Stonnington Leader: Letter to the Editor –
Resist this monster
THE Caulfield Racecourse precinct special committee meeting on April 4will be the community’s last chance to voice their concerns at this monster development proposal.
Set to house some 1200 dwellings with high-rise buildings up to 23 storeys, the impact on the surrounding area will be profound and irreversible.
The increase in both public transport and car use will place further strain on infrastructure that is already over capacity.
And with the sale of Crown land to facilitate the development, a reduction in open space is all the local community is set to receive, along with chaotic congestion. Mathew Knight,
Malvern East.
March 30, 2011 at 3:46 AM
What an amazing fact that really is… Mr Knight and others have had more letters published regarding “the towering ghettoes of Caulfield” published in the Stonnington Leader when the Glen Eira Leader’s coverage of our district affairs is usually limited to the regular advertisement for free graffiti removal kit and no
Letters to the Editor prints concerning the “Caulfield Leaning Eiffel Towers” which they will soon become known as because of the swamplike soil in the area. That’s another tourist attraction idea for now!