thumbs down to mcdonalds in tecoma

Steve Meacher, Murrindindi Citizen of the Year, says
thumbs down to McDonalds in Tecoma.

Steve is passionate about his region and the environment, he has played a key role in the rebuilding and recovery of the Toolangi community after the devastating Black Saturday bushfires. He is a dedicated volunteer working tirelessly for the community and the environment not only in Murrindindi but in the Healesville region of Yarra Ranges too. It was terrific to see his efforts rewarded this year by the Murrindindi Shire Council.

grade separations for blackburn and scoresby

ETC welcomes funding for Blackburn and Scoresby grade separations

The Eastern Transport Coalition has welcomed the announcement that funding has been allocated for planning and pre-construction work at two level crossings in Blackburn and Scoresby.

“The ETC has been campaigning for many years to have these level crossings removed to allow for greater efficiency on their respective train lines and to alleviate road congestion,’’ ETC spokesperson Cr Samantha Dunn said.

“The level crossings at Blackburn Rd, Blackburn and Mountain Highway and Scoresby Road, Bayswater are renowned for the traffic gridlock they create and the ETC looks forward to hearing details about what work will take place to remove them and when it will begin.”

Transport Minister Terry Mulder announced yesterday that that the State Government would spend $52.3 million to “kick start planning and works at…seven dangerous level crossings around Melbourne”, including those at Blackburn and Scoresby.

Cr Dunn said it was also pleasing to hear the Minster reiterate that construction would begin later this year at Mitcham and Springvale level crossings, with a scheduled completion time by the end of 2014.

“There are many other rail/road crossing points that need to be removed if the government truly wants to alleviate road congestion while at the same time allowing Melbourne’s public transport network to operate at its optimal efficiency,” Cr Dunn said.

 “Our residents are also waiting for the government to commit funding for Stage 2 of the Rowville Rail Study, implement more than 90 per cent of the recommendations from the 2010 Metropolitan Bus Services Review and begin work stage 2 of the Doncaster Rail study.

“We hope that there will be more public transport announcements for the eastern suburbs in the forthcoming budget to address the shortfall in funding that the region has suffered for too many years.”

The ETC is made up of seven eastern suburban councils, and represents the public transport needs of more than one million residents.

green wedge gets carved

 

report from the roundtable - 23 apr

At last night’s meeting council had to consider an application for a subdivision of green wedge land in Yarra Junction.

The application was “called in” by the ward councillor, Yarra Ranges Mayor Cr Child. This means that rather than planning officers making the decision, councillors would need to make the decision at a full council meeting.

The site has been the subject of previous applications, with an application of resubdivision being refused by council and upheld by VCAT in 2003 and an application for a dwelling refused by council and upheld by VCAT in 2006.

The main concerns in relation to this application were that a subdivision would be contrary to the objectives of the Green Wedge Zone and rural land policies that seek to protect productive agricultural land. Officers had recommended a refusal, so the ward councillor ‘called in’ the application.

I could not support the application for subdivision. The zoning, in this case Green Wedge 4, is land reserved for broad acre farming in Yarra Ranges, to see it carved up would put at risk land put aside for this specific purpose. I was concerned that smaller lots would see the development of hobby farms/lifestyle properties which generally conflict with agriculture due to residents complaining about ‘agricultural noise’ such as bird scarers, equipment and the like.

I was concerned about the viability of this land into the future for broad acre agriculture should it be subdivided and highlighted that there was consistent support from VCAT for councils past decisions in relation to these issues.

I said it was not good orderly planning of the area and that our municipality was made up of a number of green wedge zones (1 to 6) which catered for smaller farms and more intensive farming so there is ample provision of smaller parcels of agricultural land and there was no need to subdivide this land in green wedge 4.

I talked about the primary focus of our Green Wedge Management Plan, being agriculture and how important it is to support agricultural pursuits and ensure supply of land appropriately sized.

It was a highly contested application with division amongst councillors, here are some comments that struck me (please note this is not a comprehensive account of what councillors said).

Cr Child: I’ve known the family for 3 generations, the land will be sought after and we need to look at the merits of this application….I’ve called in this application as its well within the realm of the planning scheme.

Cr Avery: The loss of agricultural land is a world wide problem and we need to protect our agricultural land.

Cr McAllister: We should avoid ‘future gazing’ when considering the application….we shouldn’t be preemptive scenario gazing about the what if, we need to look at what’s on the table.

(note from Samantha: The Planning and Environment Act is very clear on it’s intent in that the purpose the Act is to establish a framework for planning the use, development and protection of land in Victoria in the present and long-term interests of all Victorians)

Cr Cliff: We need to protect agricultural land, there’s opportunity for Yarra Ranges to be the foodbowl for Asia.

Cr Witlox: This is opening up opportunities for the future with two new landowners.

Cr Cox: The risk with the new subdivision is that they become hobby farms and they’d be ideal hobby farms.

It was clear from the debate that there was quite a division of views around the table.

Councillors in favour:

Cr’s Child, Witlox, McAllister & McCarthy

Councillors against:

Cr Dunn, Avery, Cox & Cliff

As the vote was 4/4 the vote was won on the casting vote of the Mayor, going against the usual protocols at Yarra Ranges of retaining the status quo on deadlocked votes.

Councillors absent:

Cr Callanan

samantha in the press

Fury as state pulls plug on youth service
by David Schout
Yarra Ranges Weekly
23 Apr 2013

Station upgrade on way
by Mara Pattison-Sowden
Mail Newspapers
23 Apr 2013

Council vote is Child's play
by Melissa Meehan
Mail Newspapers
20 Apr 2013

note: a correction was issued the following week by the Mail, Cr Callanan is not on leave for the next three months.

warburton supermarket green lighted

report from the roundtable - 23 apr

At last night’s meeting council had to consider an application for a supermarket in Warburton. It was a challenging decision for me. I am completely in support of seeing a new supermarket for Warburton, there are enormous benefits, but under the parameters of this application I could not support the application.

I was very concerned about the parking dispensation granted, although the planning scheme calls for 73 car parking spaces, the application only included 35 spaces, less than 50% of what should be provided. I was extremely concerned about setting up a parking nightmare into the future, particularly with the development of the Edgewater Resort up this end of town. Already we see in other tourist towns parking disasters due to continued lack of parking in what is a very car dependent region.  

I think that given the shortage of car parking provision, there will be competition for other parking sites in the town, particularly the car park of the pharmacy, which is enveloped by the supermarket application. I also think that the car parking alternatives provided in the applicants traffic report are unsuitable as they are located too far away from the site.

The loading dock configuration was also cause for concern as well as the lack of active street frontage, in my view it is a poor design outcome to orientate car parking to the front of retail developments and does not contribute to an active, attractive and vibrant retail frontage.

I also had concerns about the amenity impacts for residents on Park Rd, those impacts being addressed with a 2.7mt high fence, in my view another poor planning outcome.

I had no doubt the application could be improved and our submitter (objector) also called for an improved plan which saw the integration of the pharmacy car park with the development and a much safer loading dock configuration.

I thought it was important to take the time to get the application right, there is no doubt that there are enormous economic benefits to Warburton with this development. I urged councillors to vote on the right set of plans not ones that clearly are constrained. As much as I wanted to approve the application, on the basis set before me I couldn’t.

Councillors in favour:

Cr’s Child, Witlox, Cox, Cliff, McAllister, Avery & McCarthy

Councillors against:

Cr Dunn

Councillors absent:

Cr Callanan

fernlea’s fabulous,fundraiser

Fernlea House is holding a Fabulous, Fantastic, Frivolous and Fun, Fundraising UN DEB BALL.

Yes, an Un Deb Ball on 18 May. It sounds like a lot of fun and is for a very good cause.

I am always immensely inspired by those who work and volunteer at Fernlea. Their philosophy of “Living, Laughing and Loving” shows in everything they do, but they can't do it alone and need to fundraise in order to continue to operate.

Fernlea House offers Palliative Day Respite for Carers looking after people with Life limiting Illnesses. This does not just mean cancer but also includes illnesses such as Parkinsons, Huntingtons, MS, Motor Neurone Disease, Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease, Diabetes Complications and Liver failure among many others. A palliative illness is one which will get progressively worse over time and put limits on your life expectancy. Dementia is becoming more common as a palliative illness.

At Fernlea, they aim to improve people’s quality of life during the time their illness is progressive and help them and their families live and enjoy life to the fullest possible.

Fernlea's services are provided either in centre in Emerald (& Healesville) or in Carers home (FERNS). Volunteer complementary therapists offer their services (eg Reiki), and a Memoirs program is available. Volunteers transport our guests to and from the Centre either using our bus or in their own cars.

Fernlea House currently operates in Emerald, and has a day program in Healesville. Its unique model of care uses palliative trained Nurses supported by trained volunteers and other professional staff. People love coming to Fernlea for the warmth, love, care, acceptance and socialisation they receive from everyone, who honour their choices, and respect them for who they are.

So pencil this one in your diary, it will be a lot of fun and for a very good cause.

sherbrooke – mission accomplished

Me with centre manager, Karen. It's been quite a journey
to save long day care in the Dandenong Ranges, but we're
well and truly there.
 

It was great to attend Sherbrooke Family and Children’s Centre Open Day last weekend. It’s a wonderful centre providing community based long day care in an integrated setting.

The open day was in celebration of the final completion of the project which saw the Upwey Hall integrated with Sherbrooke Family and Children’s Centre.

The centre is significant in the history of my journey into local government, the fight to save the centre first started back in 2004 when the council of the day wanted the centre closed and I was one of the parents fighting to keep it open. Part of the campaign strategy was to run in the local council elections in 2005, and the rest is history.

Claire, the spokesperson the Save Sherbrooke Children's
Centre Campaign and centre chef, Antonio. We are all
immensely pleased with the end result - it's a fantastic facility!

It’s terrific 9 years later to see a thriving, vibrant $7.4million facility providing much needed good quality, community based, long day care to families throughout the Dandenong Ranges.

I have spent many long hours fighting for this centre and it’s great to see it now in all its glory, a great collaboration between all three tiers of government with federal funding of $1.6million, state funding of $0.5million and council funding of $5.3million.

The hall looks great, and it’s great to know it’s now back and available for community use.

The development is a great example of extensive community consultation as well as determination to see the project fulfilled.

minibeasts mesmerize

I was delighted to be able to launch the Birdsland Environmental Gardening Group, also known as the BeeGees as part of the second Minibeast Festival at Birdsland.



To celebrate the launch I planted a lemon tree, no home
should be without one! Pictured left to right: Vicki Boyle -
Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group, Gavin - Yarra
Ranges Council and Cr Samantha Dunn - Lyster Ward.

The BeeGees is intended to teach kids and their parents about growing food, the importance of a healthy environment and have fun doing it too. It’s aimed at children of all ages and it’s great to see the education centre gardens at Birdsland being used to demonstrate the backyard gardening.



Parks Victoria had a great display of native animals, Ranger
Andrew Van Vloten delighting kids with the Wedge Tailed
Eagle display.

Events offered as part of the Minibeast Festival included water watch, discovering all the mini beasts that live in healthy waterways. Melbourne Water also had a great interactive display to explain what happens with water runoff in the city versus the forests. There were nest box displays, talks on a Monbulk Creek local, the platypus and a waste tour were kids were taken into the depths of the tip.

Glenn Brooks-McMillan is our resident expert on platypus,
he capitvated young and old alike with his presentation
on one of our cutest locals, the platypus.

Kids had a great time turning into scientists undertaking investigations into exactly what creatures they’d discovered in the Monbulk Creek water.

Local artist Glenn Scolyer was there for a lantern parade workshop, a very popular activity, Glenn was run off his feet helping kids with their lanterns (the lantern parade will be held in Belgrave on Saturday 22 June – on facebook here).

Glenn's lantern making skills are extraordinary, this
Sherbrooke Amphipod is an amazing replica, although
a little larger than the real thing!

Glenn is currently working on his own lantern the very special, endemic to the Dandenongs, Sherbrooke Amphipod. The Sherbrooke Amphipod has been listed as a threatened species in the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. The amphipod has a very restricted distribution in Victoria only occurring in the Dandenong Ranges.

Belgrave Pre School supplied the catering, doing a roaring trade on the sausage sizzle and of course the Southern Dandenong Ranges Community Nursery were a key participant giving every child a free indigenous plant to take home. Southern Dandenongs Landcare Group were out in force, raising awareness about weeds, the environment and domestic cats and their harm to the environment if not well managed.

The always breathtaking, wedge tailed eagle. The live locally
and are an impressive sight, it was terrific to see this
one fly by as part of the festival.

It was a great collaboration between volunteers, agencies, community groups and council and I thank everyone who volunteered their time to make it a great day out at one of the shire’s key conservation reserves.

you aint seen nothing yet

 

I had the pleasure of speaking at the No Maccas in The Hills community meeting today. It was great to see a couple of hundred people join the meeting, forfeiting their sunny Sunday afternoon to hear more about the campaign.

I spoke about the process of the demolition on the site as well as a couple of important consultations the council is currently undertaking.
 

I explained the demolition was a separate process to the construction and that a demolition permit would be issued by a private building surveyor, as part of that process an ‘asset protection permit’ would need to be issued by council to ensure the protection of council assets, in this case the footpath and drains. I said council would get a copy of the demolition permit and also be advised of when the demolition would take place. For more general info on the demolition process read my recent blog entry here.

I talked first about council’s consultation on our health and wellbeing plan and how important it is to input to this consultation. I have heard so much about the proximity of this development to sensitive uses such as the Primary School and the PreSchool, it’s important that if the community are concerned about this and any potential to link to childhood obesity then they need to input to the online forum and the health and wellbeing consultation is the right place to do it. You can read more about participating here.
 

I then talked about what’s called in planning jargon, C126. C126 is a planning scheme amendment that seeks to include Design and Development Overlays (DDOs) in the planning scheme to guide the built form in townships. Given that built form was such an important element in the objection to McDonalds I expected that the community might include their concerns about drive through restaurants and their impact on pedestrian friendly design and pedestrian friendly townships. I also talked about Hurstbridge and their “township zoning” which means there is greater scrutiny over any application process unlike the Business One zone currently in place in Tecoma and that may be something the community might like to further investigate. You can read more about submitting to the C126 consultation here.

I encouraged meeting goers to participate across the consultation process, it’s very hard to make a case to my councillor colleagues and to other tiers of government without submissions calling for change, submissions and participation from the community gives a far greater credibility to any advocacy or planning scheme changes we might undertake.
 

I finished by saying if anyone asked me if the campaign had reached its full potential I would have no hesitation in telling them you aint seen nothing yet.

samantha in the press

Rail cut slammed in election lead-up
by Emma Sun
Mail Newspapers
16 Apr 2013

Push for fair state investment
by Kimberley Seeder
Leader Newspapers
16 Apr 2013

thumbs down to mcdonalds in tecoma

Iconic Melbourne Comedian Rod Quantock says
thumbs down to McDonalds in Tecoma.

Rod Quantock has been a fixture of the Melbourne comedy scene for as long as I can remember. It was great to catch up with him recently. He has a strong sense of political activism and social justice and he says thumbs down to a McDonalds in Tecoma.

open studio, open for business

This year's Dandenong Ranges Open Studio marks 10 years of artists throwing open their doors to visitors over an autumn weekend in the Dandenongs.



It was terrific to see local artist Neil McLeod drop in to the opening
of the Open Studio Group Exhibition at Burrinja, we were
joined by local artist Joy Serwylo, who has been exhibiting as
part of Open Studios every year since the exhibition's inception.
Back in 2000 Neil McLeod donated a significant collection of
indigenous art to the people of Yarra Ranges, a very generous
and wonderful gift.

Be sure to pencil Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April into your diary for a weekend of art, good food, fine company and gorgeous scenery up in the Dandenong Ranges.

Don't forget to drop into Burrinja to visit the group exhibition, remember 20% of Open Studio purchases at Burrinja go to local emergency relief agency, the Dandenong Ranges Emergency Relief Service.

For more info on Open Studios click here.

maccas update @ 12 april

~ The Construction Management plan has been received - council officers are currently reviewing this document, I have yet to see a copy, but will next week

~ further engineering plans have been received - council officers are currently reviewing these

Just to clarify as there seems to be some misunderstanding, the demolition and the construction are two separate processes. The demolition works can take place at any time providing a demolition permit has been issued (by a private building surveyor).

The Construction Management Plan only deals with the construction of the development not with the demolition, therefore it does not have to be endorsed in order for demolition to take place.

maccas update @ 10 april

After an hour and three quarters of submission and debate,
the moment council unanimously refused the application
for a McDonalds in Tecoma. 10/11/10

Here's a summary since my last blog entry on the 20th March, I thought the best way to keep community informed was via my blog so everyone can have access to information.
 

Before the development starts

There's still a range of information the shire is waiting for to fulfill the permit conditions set down by VCAT. The tribunal members set out a number of different conditions that need to be shown on amended plans, you can find a copy of those conditions here (1.a through to 1.s).

I've had verbal advice that changes to blade signage as detailed in condition 1.j.ii will be amended from McDonalds red. We are still awaiting other information or assessing information supplied to date including the engineering construction plans, parking and traffic management plan, and a range of other information set out in conditions 1a to s.

The Shire hasn't received a Construction Management Plan as yet, but we expect to in the next week or so.

Another thing that needs to happen before the development starts is the consolidation of the property titles for lots 1, 2 & 3 and the carriageway easement (the public access way at the rear of the site) needs to be registered on the title of 1533 Burwood Hwy. This cannot happen until conditions 1.a through to 1.s are met, according to advice it is expected that additional information will be submitted next week.

VicRoads and the Public Transport Authority have approved the detailed functional layout of Burwood Hwy. This is the configuration of the right hand turn into the BP (east bound), the left hand turn into the site (west bound) and the right hand turn into McNicol Rd (east bound), all within the same corridor of road only separated by line marking not traffic islands - a recipe for disaster if you ask me, however as VicRoads have signed off on it and they are the roads authority there is no avenue to overturn this.

Until all the information required prior to the start of the development is provided, no works should commence in order to comply with permit conditions.

I will certainly keep you posted via my blog with how this is progressing.

Demolition of current buildings on site

A demolition permit can be issued by a private Building Surveyor with a copy provided to council. A building permit for demolition must be issued prior to demolition works being carried out. The demolition of the buildings on site can happen at any time and are not linked to any permit conditions so it doesn't matter if the Shire has all the information required or not (as discussed above) as demolition is a separate process.

Matters the private building surveyor must consider before the issue of a permit include:

1. Public safety and protection of the public

2. Protection of adjoining property

3. Section 29A report and consent. This is a planning requirement to prevent demolition of heritage buildings, in this instance none of the buildings on site have heritage protection.

4. Insurance, qualifications, equipment & experience of person carrying out the work.

Documentation must be provided to the relevant building surveyor satisfying the above requirements and describing the scope of work.

 

Before occupation of the development 

This information and /or actions are required prior to the occupation of the building:

• An amended landscape plan (condition 6)
• The landscaping works are completed and maintained
• An amended Patron Management Plan (condition 10)
• Odour filters installed
• Acoustic fences erected along relevant boundaries (condition 20)
• Subject to the consent of the relevant landowners acoustic fences must be constructed on the boundaries of 1533 (vacant lot) and 1535 (DVD Destination) Burwood Highway (condition 21) - it is unknown at this stage if consent has been given, in the case of 1533 I think that's a given, however I'm not sure of conversations between the applicant and the owners of the DVD Destination and do wonder if they have or will give consent. Why is this important? Failure to construct acoustic fences at 1533 & 1535 constitutes a breach of permit condition. Potentially this will mean an application to amend the permit conditions will be required, but any amendment to the permit can only be done via VCAT.
• An acoustic consultant report to demonstrate noise from mechanical services equipment complies
• A Lighting Management Plan
• A Litter Management Plan
• Construction of left and right turning lanes in Sandells Rd (at the Burwood Hwy intersection)

Meeting with Planning Minister, Matthew Guy

I have had informal discussions with the Minister about VCAT and the issue of the tribunal not taking into account the number of community objections and the need for policy reform in this area. The McDonalds appeal as well as the

Orrong Rd appeal demonstrate more than any others the failings of the Tribunal in relation to taking into account community objection.
I will be attending a meeting with the Minister to discuss the adequacy of the current planning scheme controls for drive through style convenience restaurants in the Dandenong Ranges.

I will also be discussing Localised Planning Statements, first detailed as part of Liberal Policy in the lead up to the 2010 state elections and restated by the Minister in February 2013. I am interested to explore with the Minister and his department how Localised Planning Statements may assist in informing changes to the planning scheme in the Dandenongs.

As always I'll keep you posted with the outcomes and keep fighting for what we love about the Dandenongs.

leadbeater's possum - situation critical

Pam Miskin, President of the Friends of Leadbeaters Possum,
Eric Wilkinson who rediscovered the species in 1961 and
Cr Samantha Dunn, keen to continue to highlight the plight of our
state emblem, the Leadbeater's Possum.

It was great to get up into the forests in Camberville behind Melbourne's water catchments as part of the Leadbeater's Possum Awareness Week. Leadbeater’s Possum is Victoria’s State Faunal emblem. An endangered species with both State and National Recovery Programs in place. Endemic to Victoria, they exist nowhere else but the Central Highlands forests, Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve and alpine areas between Lake Mountain & Mt. Baw Baw. 

Dave Blair assists Prof David Lindenmayer with his
research work in the Central Highlands forests.

Friends of Leadbeater's Possum organised a walk and talk led by David Blair, scientific researcher for Professor David Lindenmayer, world expert on Leadbeater's Possum.

Eric Wilkinson has many a tale to tell about rediscovering
Leadbeater's Possum, including the challenges of
photographing his discovery with old bulb flash technology.

It was wonderful to hear from Eric Wilkinson, who rediscovered the possum in on the 3rd April, 1961. Eric retold his tales of exploring the region in his Hillman Minx as a 22 year old and his amazement that he had seen a Leadbeater's Possum, at the time, thought to have been extinct.

David Blair led the group on a walk through both intact, burnt and severely burned forests and explained the importance of large old trees to this species and the many threats to this species including fire and logging.

People came from near and far to learn more about
the Central Highlands forests, home to Leadbeater's Possum.

Population estimates for Leadbeater's Possum prior to the 2009 bushfires were around 2,000-2,500 individuals, post-fire estimates are at around 800. Approximately 40-50% of their prime habitat was lost in the fires whilst what is left is often logged, the legislation in place to protect the species, weak, currently being contested in the MyEnvironment v VicForests Supreme Court Appeal.

Even as part of his judgement Justice Robert Osborn said, "MyEnvironment has demonstrated a strong case for the overall review of the adequacy of the reserve system intended to protect LBP habitat within the Central Highlands Forest Management Area. The [2009] bushfires have materially changed the circumstances in which the existing system was planned and implemented and there is, on the evidence, an urgent need to review it".

The future of Leadbeater's Possum is dire, a recent article in New Matilda highlights the proposed watering down of legislation to protect this species, the Victorian State government has since backed away from these changes, highlighted in a story in today's Age.

Back in September last year, Prof David Lindenmayer resigned from the Leadbeater's Recovery Team in protest over policies which he said was managing the species into extinction. At the time Prof Lindenmayer said he could no longer work with "the most environmentally bankrupt administration". You can read more about it in this Age article.     

In the state of Victoria Leadbeater’s Possum is listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 as threatened.

In Australia Leadbeater’s Possum is listed under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999 as endangered.

The IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Animals 1994 lists Leadbeater’s Possum as endangered.

Logging of the Mountain Ash forests in the Central Highlands for woodchips (paper production) has resulted in the loss of vast areas of Leadbeater’s Possum habitat. Prof Lindenmayer says our forests are being overcut, so there'll be no habitat left for Leadbeater's Possum into the future.

The fragmentation of suitable habitat by timber harvesting causes isolated small populations of animals, who are then unable to reach other colonies for breeding.

Other events, such as bushfires, disease, drought (climate change) and collapsing old habitat trees are also threatening processes for Leadbeater’s Possum.

It is a crisis and we have to ask ourselves as Victorians, do we accept watching on as this species, our state emblem, teeters on the brink of extinction.

If you'd like to help Friends of Leadbeater's Possum in their efforts you can find out more about them here. My congratulations to the group, it was sobering to learn more about the perilous situation Leadbeater's Possum are in and I'll be doing my utmost to continue to highlight their plight.