- Sick of seeing over-development everywhere?
- Sick of a council that does nothing to ameliorate the damage?
- Sick of never being genuinely ‘consulted’ on anything – especially the zones?
- Sick of the system (and council) favouring developers?
- Sick of feeling helpless?
Well here’s your chance to have your say. The State Government is calling for submissions on the residential zones. Submissions close on the 14th March.
For the purposes of ‘discussion’, the appointed committee has released:
- An overarching report (ie for all of Victoria)
- A regional report (Glen Eira is to be found in the ‘southern region’)
- A ‘list of recommendations’ on the zones
We urge all Glen Eira residents to take this opportunity. The links to the various reports are:
The Overarching Report – http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/291569/Residential-Zones-Overarching-Report.pdf
The Southern Region Report – http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/291392/Residential-Zones-State-of-Play-Southern-Subregion-Report-.pdf
The ‘Recommendations’ – http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/291568/List-of-Suggested-Improvements-to-the-Residential-Zones.pdf
Submissions can be mailed or uploaded to – http://www.dtpli.vic.gov.au/planning/panels-and-committees/current-panels-and-committees/managing-residential-development/managing-residential-development-submission-form
It’s worth pointing out that once more, unlike many other councils, (Moonee Valley, Stonnington, Monash, etc etc) Glen Eira has not tabled its submission, nor has it made it public up to this stage. Thus, no formal resolution by council, and no discussion in chamber, plus no opportunity for residents to ask questions or comment PRIOR to their submission going in. Well, what’s new?
Glen Eira Debates 
March 8, 2016 at 8:34 AM
If I’m not mistaken, the very first recommendation would mean that 3 storey buildings would also be allowed throughout NRZ zones, and the second recommendation would allow more than 2 dwellings per lot. Sounds awfully like NRZ will look awfully like the current GRZ. And GRZ and RGZ will be taken to a whole new level of density. There is also a clear message to Glen Eira, Stonnington and Bayside that they will be expected to make more land available as GRZ amd RGZ to ‘even out’ distribution of zones throughtout Melbourne. I am sure someone said here ‘careful what you wish for’ with Labor’s review of the zones, amd it looks like they were right.
March 8, 2016 at 9:36 AM
Some of the recommendations sound okay. That should not preclude criticism of others like you’ve mentioned above. Newton promised 85 years of supply. No need to carve up more. After a very quick look at the info on Glen Eira there is a lot there that needs to be corrected. It is full of holes and stats that are plain wrong like the numbers for the Caulfield village and Virginia Estate doesn’t even get mentioned.
March 8, 2016 at 9:01 PM
All the more reason to comment. MInd, there are areas in nrz that shouldn’t be there, but more areas in grz that don’t deserve that label. That should be the focus together with the complete absence of any substantial discussion on infrastructure, open space, environment. This is the building industry’s panel by the look of things.
March 8, 2016 at 8:53 AM
Hyams needs to be (MODERATORS: phrase deleted) to stand for reelection of local government position. 13 years of manipulation and one sacking in 2005
should not have merited him a single vote. Hyams came to our and neighbour’s house begging for votes. 7 masks one for each day and situation.
Hyams with his violin and strings messed up Glen Eira. He says he has been on the council for unlucky duration and spread the bad luck on the residents which will bounce back. Residents are waiting for your door knock.
March 8, 2016 at 9:12 AM
This is our opportunity to have a say. Make the effort.
March 8, 2016 at 9:55 AM
Oh goodie, assuming Glen Eira made a submission, it’s another opportunity for rubber stamp Councillors to again adopt the lowest standard of governance by making yet another retrospective decision (that they may or may not have been pre-advised of). To name but a few of the most recent and outrageous instances: the zone implementation, the infamous and misleading 11c flyer, guns in parks decision reversal, submission for exemption from rate capping, sky rail.
I really am getting pissed at Council’s (Administration and Councillors) determination to save money and time, by ensuring the residents either remain uninformed or are denied any opportunity for input, while at the same time Council uses ratepayer funded resources (time and $’s) proclaiming Council’s consultation excellence and recognition of the value of community input.
Just what the “F” are they playing at.
Seems to me that any supposed cost saving goes to hiring additional administrative staff (particularly planners) who, according to Lipshutz’s woefully misguided view, are employed by the CEO not Council. Apparently, the idea that the Administration and Councillors are there to service their customers (ie. the ratepayers who pay their salaries) is an alien concept in Glen Eira.
March 8, 2016 at 10:16 AM
Yes Fed up or let them Shut up and care a rats what Councillors have done to the long paying rate payers and damaged our dream homes.
March 8, 2016 at 11:40 AM
FYI – we’ve received the following email from Ratepayers’ Victoria –
The Legislative Council has set up an inquisition on rate capping. We have attended some of these sessions and it appears to us that: to date this inquisition (driven by The Liberals and The Greens) has basically gathered information with the intent to discredit rate capping. We make this claim from the leading questions asked by the committee chair: Hon David Davis (Shadow Minister for Local Government) and the apparent bias towards Councils in who has been invited to give testimony to the committee.
Please make a submission to the Committee given your experience with your Council,
Especially quality community engagement, when preparing their budgets
Financial waste
Lack of Financial Control
Any other item of significance.
If you made a submission to the Essential Services Commission on the subject maybe resubmit to the Committee.
March 8, 2016 at 1:09 PM
Certainly I’d encourage people to put in a submission. Does the planning scheme reflect the views of the community? Has the community had a reasonable opportunity to participate in the introduction of the new residential zones? Are the new purposes, decision critieria, amenity standards “neutral” with respect to what applied before? Have the changes introduced certainty for anybody? Is it sustainable? Should VCAT have the powers to set aside Council’s decisions on any grounds it sees fit? What changes should be made to the Residential Zones Matthew Guy imposed on us, assuming people don’t like them? Why has none of this been subject to review for 6 years?
March 8, 2016 at 4:18 PM
Off topic. A double dissolution in the Federal Parliament would most likely see Cr. Okotel become Senator Okotel. This would bring on countback and probably elect whoever she preferenced in 2012. That may make some other councillors envious.
March 8, 2016 at 11:42 PM
Okotel can only become a Senator if she is given an electable position. Assuming there is a double dissolution and Fed election in July, then 12 senators from Victoria will be elected. At present there are: 4 Labs, 4 Libs, 2 Greens, and 2 Independents. Okotel would have to be given at least a 5th position on the 12 Lib ticket on the paper. I think this is very unlikely. If she gets a sixth position she will not be elected. Get ready for Cr Okotel to stand for the Glen Eira Council election in November.
March 9, 2016 at 8:18 AM
Councillors are already envious, for reasons unknown and unjustified by her utterly uninspiring Councillor performance during this, her yet to be completed first term as a Councillor, she is apparently already being touted for bigger things.
While this makes most of us wonder about the depth of talent coming up through the ranks of the parties (not just the Libs, Labor & Greens are suffering the same ailment), you need to recognise the power plays at work here. Even if she gains a spot (albeit unwinnable) on the Senate ticket, it’ll be a great boost for her subsequent Council re-election campaign and that is end goal.
March 9, 2016 at 6:36 PM
With so few Australians being members of a political party [less than 1%], the parties are quite understandably having to sandblast the bottoms of their respective barrels. It also means that political parties are vastly over-represented in our marginally-democratic institutions. No chance of this being reformed any time soon.
March 9, 2016 at 11:59 PM
She will need to resign completely from council as a candidate even from the super scheme as she cannot be employed by the public purse at the time of the election campaign.