PS: Some developer Xmas presents –
23 Koornang Road CARNEGIE – Construction of a fifteen (15) storey building comprising ground floor retail and eighty-six (86) dwellings above basement car parking, reduction in car parking and bicycle requirements and waiver of loading bay requirements
277-279 Centre Road BENTLEIGH -Construction of a nine (9) storey building comprising ground floor retail and seventy-two (72) dwellings above basement car parking on land adjacent to a Road Zone Category 1, Use of the land for accomodation (dwellings) and reduction of statutory car parking requirements
348-352 Centre Road BENTLEIGH -Construction of an eight storey building comprising ground floor retail and thirty (30) dwellings above basement car parking on land adjacent to a road zone category 1 and affected by the special building overlay, use of the land for accomodation (dwellings), reduction of statutory car parking requirements and waiver of loading bay requirements
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The following resolutions come from Yarra City Council’s meeting minutes of November, 2016. They illustrate perfectly what people power can achieve together with a newly elected crop of councillors who are committed to listening and acting on residents’ behalf. Whilst the proposed amendments are only the start and still have to be rubber stamped by the Minister, they are light years ahead of what Glen Eira is doing. For example: would Glen Eira even dream of organising a meeting between residents and the Minister? Would Glen Eira ever demand 3 storey maximum heights in its neighbourhood centres?
Glen Eira Debates 
December 22, 2016 at 10:57 AM
It is no certainty that the Minister will agree to the Council’s wishes. Local Government is a servant of the State. They have notional power. The State will always have its way, one way or another. Glen Eira Council would be wasting its time trying the same thing. The Minister happens to be clinging to his seat which is in Yarra municipal area. Imagine if all inner Melbourne councils tried then same thing.
December 22, 2016 at 11:15 AM
I agree with you that there is no certainty that any of this will get through. Wynne isn’t the only politician in the firing line though. Staikos and Dimopolous are also in marginal seats and with the skyrail and Ormond tower their positions are made even more precarious.
Whether or not council would be wasting its time is irrelevant. They don’t even try. The motions show that Yarra at least treats its resident groups with some respect and gives them credibility. I can’t imagine any Glen Eira resident group drafting motions and then these getting up unanimously at a council meeting. There’s a lot that Yarra should be congratulated on for these events. I can’t say the same for our council.
December 22, 2016 at 2:22 PM
Good political gamesmanship by Yarra Council to wedge of the local MP who also happens to be the Planning Minister. Any other municipality and he would knock the request back but given his political future might be on the line it will be interesting to see how it plays out. He didn’t win by much in the last election.
December 22, 2016 at 7:26 PM
15 stories should look good next to the Egan street application for 16 and both terrific next to the 12 stories that’s already got a permit on Dandenong road.
December 22, 2016 at 8:38 PM
The State Government could close Koornang Rd at the level crossing, ban cars from the commercial areas of the activity centre and save a bundle on crossing removal while delivering on its alleged vision in Plan Melbourne. But no, it will encourage more cars and congestion at the expense of pedestrians, insist on no public open space and pay for none, ensure only 1- and 2-bedroom apartments are constructed, and deliver poor amenity outcomes. That’s the Planning System we have.
December 22, 2016 at 9:09 PM
Searle, Stone, Coleman and McEvoy if my memory serves me well, are Greens councillors No one should be surprised that Yarra is heading in a more sustainable directions in all aspects of civic government affairs. Although all theses motions passed unanimously so the feelings must go across the board.
Glen Eira’s is not near this point in development, although I’m seeing large improvements to character of council meetings, and a leap in the freedom of speech, under Rebecca McKenzie and Mary Delahuntly and Mayor.
Hyams looks like a fish out of water and sounds like a has-been among his new colleagues, he hasn’t been successful in rounding a solitary vote so far to support his spoiling tactics. Without Pilling and Lipshutz as his echo chamber, thankfully, his voice has been marginalized.
The GE new councillors (so far) are streets ahead of the last lot of party hacks towing the predestined line of division and conservatism and personal assassination that Hyams-Lipshutz proudly ran as a matter of course.
OK, it’s early days, but measured on the past, even small progressive changes in Glen Eira are going to be big changes measured on the richter scale of tectonic shifts towards a more democratic and representative Glen Eira.
December 22, 2016 at 10:01 PM
Off topic, but interesting to see the list of donations to candidates in the council election. Not easy to find on council website but listed under Council/Legislation and Governance.
Most interesting are donations from real estate agents. In particular, $7,000+ to Joel Silver, $2,800 to Ian Fayman and $1,390 to Margaret Esakoff.
This puts a big question mark over Silver when planning applications come up. What is he going to do if any of those agents are involved in selling the developments?
Other significant donations were to Dan Strait ($10,000 from Isabella and Thomas Jacob), Tony Athanasopoulos ($9,900 from LJ Hair) and Oscar Lobo ($3,000 from Suresh Chandra and $5,000 from CK Foods).
December 23, 2016 at 6:26 PM
A donation to Tony Athanasopoulos from LJ Hair makes sense, being his business. He will I’m sure be aware of the relevant provisions of LGA and Councillors Code of Conduct. Interpretation can be tricky though, as the former State Ombudsman found out.
December 23, 2016 at 5:16 PM
When councillors vote on town planning applications it is the very start of the process. There is never a real estate agent in site. I doubt that your scenario with ever play out. Unless of course if the agent is the developer and this doesn’t happen either. Agents are commission takers not commission makers.
December 23, 2016 at 6:20 PM
Legal minefield. 78C “Indirect interest because of receipt of an applicable gift” may apply, possibly via 78C(2)(c). Probably several councillors have breached 78E but there isn’t an institution interested in enforcing it. Cr Lipshutz argued and voted for his how-to-vote mate over a development that didn’t comply with Rescode. No action taken.
December 23, 2016 at 10:46 PM
In practical terms it can’t be enforced. Some candidates take money from political parties. Later on they are expected to follow that party’s ideas. If they don’t the Party gets annoyed. Also candidates sometimes have dozens of helpers letter boxing and providing all sorts of support. They are not expected to put a dollar value on that sort of in kind work and name the helpers.The law is unworkable and should be removed. It is never enforced because it would include people, especially people running on a Party ticket.
December 23, 2016 at 10:52 PM
Absolute nonsense. Are you Ian or Joel? There have been plenty of reports of agents approaching residents on behalf of developers to sell their properties. Real estate agents are often very involved at an early stage. Agents have close relationships with developers. When I sold my parents home the first thing the agent did was contact his list of developers. I doubt that a developer would not have a selling agent already arranged when they make application.
December 24, 2016 at 8:43 AM
If the law was enforced then Local Gov wouldn’t work. Political parties provide support for candidates and anticipate that successful recipients will behave in a way favourable to their cause. No different than a real estate agent lobbying a councillor.
December 24, 2016 at 11:50 AM
Great conversations being had. A very good idea put forward. Let’s keep working towards changes to our planning scheme.
December 24, 2016 at 10:34 PM
As the year draws to a close congratulations to the civic minded person/s who put together the GE Debates website. Your research and analysis is an excellent source of information about important Council issues that we would otherwise know nothing about. It is much appreciated. Soon you should reach a million hits – quite an accomplishment. Thank You and Happy New Year to all.
December 25, 2016 at 8:15 AM
In the coming year we can only hope that GE Debates will find less to bitch about as the new council and CEO work together to sort out the rotten mess that the previous administration left behind. Especially in Town Planning.