A short, preliminary report on last night’s lengthy council meeting.
Item 9.1 (19 storey Kooyong Road application) created a first in Glen Eira. Instead of cramming scores of the public into the chamber, this item was moved into the larger hall with councillors and officers up on the dias and supplied with microphones. As expected, the application was unanimously refused. Delahunty moved an amendment that should the developer decide to go to VCAT, then council would be asking the Minister for Planning to ‘call the application in’. This effectively means that it is the Minister who would, under these circumstances, be making the decision.
Following this item the meeting resumed back in the chamber. Many residents were present to hear the outcome of the parking restriction items – especially those streets around the Caulfield Hospital. In line with previous meetings there was the suspension of standing orders for the gallery to ask questions for 15 minutes. Council and councillors received the most scathing criticism from several people for their failure to consult, to be transparent, and to employ basic common sense. Delahunty did apologise on behalf of council for not consulting when this issue of changing the 2 hour parking layouts occurred. The report and the final decision (to basically do nothing except wait some more) resulted in many residents walking out in disgust.
This issue has now been allowed to continue for at least 9 months. We remind readers that council’s so called ‘policy’ states that parking decisions will be made with a survey of the streets involved. This was not done, and it is not being done now. Please refer to our previous posts for details and how other council approach such issues –
https://gleneira.wordpress.com/2016/07/23/parking-glen-eira-versus-moonee-valley/
and
https://gleneira.wordpress.com/2016/06/20/q-a-2/
For the nth time a request for a report by Taylor on the possibility of community gardens was passed unanimously. Terrific stuff, since this issue has been around since 2003!
We will provide a far more detailed summary of the ‘debates’ in the days ahead.
Glen Eira Debates 
March 1, 2017 at 8:30 AM
Didn’t attend but based on the summary appears to be discussion amongst Councillors in a public forum together with an apology. Whilst not the solution, this must be the first for a long time. Pity that Council needs to defer to the Minister when some solid policy would provide clear direction on many issues. Hopefully this policy vacuum is progressively resolved.
March 1, 2017 at 8:54 AM
Maybe the first apology given to residents. Dead easy to apologise and then do zero and keep going along your merry way.
March 1, 2017 at 2:52 PM
Merry way or Marry’s way.
March 1, 2017 at 11:56 AM
So many problems caused by lack of action by council remain unaddressed. And the applications for more and more inappropriate developments continue to roll onto the agenda. It,s an avalanche! Council need to act not apologise.
March 1, 2017 at 1:10 PM
Do not be fooled repeat do not be fooled with the refusal of this application and a warning to the developers if they go to VCAT, we will go to the Minister. Council knows VCAT will approve in accordance with the residential zones proposed by the Council The Minister will approve the application or perhaps reduce the development to 7 storey. The Minister has approved high developments in the recent past.
March 1, 2017 at 2:50 PM
I still can’t get my head around why the fcuks was Hyams re-elected after he was part of the sacked Councillor in 2005. He screwed our suburbs by pre-planning the zones and showing Mathew Guy his party leader that the Council was first to introduce the zones. In his election material Hyams wrote a spin fart justifying his initiative for residential zones. There were residents who cursed him and Pilling as well as other Councillors. It is a wonder how he could get some 3000 Primary votes and was boasting.
Would anyone know how he pulled this one, his 5th term and Essakofs 8th or may be 9th term.
March 1, 2017 at 4:41 PM
One large reason is the NIMBY effect “not in my back yard” and anyone wouldn’t be far wrong to conclude most residents do not give a toss about what’s happening even a few hundred metres away from their street or home. Out of sight out of mind.
Most areas of Glen Eira and it residents could be classed as aspirational, with most residents hoping to do well enough to move to one of the close by more prestigious inner suburban areas like Malvern, St Kilda or the closer to the Bay like Bayside suburbs. If they could be else where, they would be, and now.
Not to forget that a lot of people have reaped the high prices of land in the development zones. With land prices reported on 774 radio in parts of McKinnon and Ormond going up by 1000 and a day.
Money buys votes and talks loudly but also buys silence which equals consent, in many cases.
Sadly some residents will love Jamie and his ilk till they day they die.
March 1, 2017 at 4:58 PM
You’re being unfair. I don’t want 19 stories anywhere in Glen Eira. They belong in the city. I’m not moving and I’m not after money for our property. I want decent planning and a council that listens to people and gets their act together. That’s not too much to ask for is it.The way things are right now council hasn’t got a clue and developers are raking it in. Two friends in Carnegie sold not for the money but they saw what was going on and had to leave before it was to late to break even on all the money they put into their Edwardian cottage.
March 1, 2017 at 11:18 PM
Sorry Colin, you are obvious someone who cares deeper than most, I sympathise with your friends who sold their homes in Carnegie. But the question was who keeps voting for these councillor that continually see their elected position as one of representing the bureaucrats, whilst selling out the residents who care.
March 1, 2017 at 5:03 PM
The notion that the Minister will call it in is ludicrous. That was a political stunt by Delahunty to make her look good. It doesn’t happen. It is immoral to give out false hope. Fast talker.
March 1, 2017 at 9:42 PM
Delahunty will never be a MP as she is all about I, me and myself. Fast talker yes, wheeler dealer for certain. How disappointing! Delahunty promises one thing and does something else. For example, her promise to screen the Council meetings to residents never saw the light of the day.
March 1, 2017 at 11:20 PM
That’s exactly what it takes to be a MP, she in sooner or later.
March 1, 2017 at 10:13 PM
The Leader article on last night – http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-south/glen-eira-council-knocks-back-90-million-calvary-health-care-bethlehem-proposal-for-19storey-tower-in-caulfield-south/news-story/df8b5a352d6abf1653a6da6a32a3f577