samantha in the press

Child vetoes 'biased report'
by Mara Pattison-Sowden
Mail Newspapers
21 May 2013

Council's nod for small lots
by Mara Pattison-Sowden
Mail Newspapers
21 May 2013

Birdsland of a feather
by Emma Sun
Mail Newspapers
21 May 2013

samantha in the press

PSOs finally protecting commuters at Upwey train station
by Tom Minear
Free Press Leader
8 May 2013

State Budget a mixed bag for south-east
by Daniel Tran and Cameron Lucadou-Wells
Knox Weekly
7 May 2013

Eastern Transport Coalition calls for better bus services to be funded in State Budget
by Tim Michell
Waverly Leader
6 May 2013

Councillors split on land break-up vote
by Melissa Meehan
Mail Newspapers
7 May 2013

 

Selby's stinker

by Emma Sun

Mail Newspapers

7 May 2013

 

 

 



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 - planning

Thin edge of the wedge
Leader Newspapers
by Zoe Lewis
23 Apr 2012

samantha in the press - planning

This edge of the wedge
Leader Newspapers
by Zoe Lewis
23 April 2012

samantha in the press - planning

Blast of words in Yarra Ranges hail net stoush
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Melissa Cunningham
6 Mar 2012

Roping MPs to net minister
Mail Newspapers
by Kath Gannaway
6 Mar 2012

samantha in the press - planning

Dunn deals with email
Yarra Ranges Weekly
29 Nov 2011

Debate over new tree-chopping rules
Leader Newspapers
by Kimberley Seedy
30 Nov 2011

green wedge - council wants extension from minister to consider changes to the ugb

report from the roundtable – 22 Nov
At this week’s council meeting council had to consider whether to ask the Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy, for an extension to allow council more time to decide whether we wish to pursue any changes to the Urban Growth Boundary.

It was clearly a contentious issue amongst councillors with the final vote being deadlocked at 4/4, requiring the Mayor to use his casting vote to determine the decision.

Cr Warren moved the motion to support the request to the Minister for an extension of time to February, 2012 (seconded by Cr Templer).

I could not support the motion and foreshadowed an alternate motion to advise the Minister that council supports the current location of the Urban Growth Boundary. In speaking against the motion I talked about a range of reasons why Yarra Ranges should just say no now.

We know there is enough supply of industrial land in Yarra Ranges for the next 20 years, we know there is enough supply of land for dwellings to see us beyond 2031. I have concerns that we’d consider changing the urban growth boundary when the shire only has mass transit to two centres, Belgrave and Lilydale.

There is a long held strategic view going back to amalgamation of the 4 councils that make up Yarra Ranges, we were a ‘supershire’, but protected as part of Hamer’s vision to protect Green Wedge, not only for locals but for Melburnians too.

We have clear policy in place, policies that have been tested on countless occasions with our community. The long standing Regional Strategy Plan, the more recently endorsed Green Wedge Management Plan (adopted July, 2010), the near completed Housing Strategy (adopted May, 2009) all reinforce the importance of maintaining the hard line of the Urban Growth Boundary.

Our community’s aspirational document Vision 2020 also talks about the importance of maintaining the Urban Growth Boundary to maintain the protection and preservation of the Shire’s high value rural landscapes and amenity. This aspiration most recently reaffirmed in 2009.

Council shouldn’t be considering changes to policy because of the whim of a Minister. It was my view that we should stop wasting ratepayers money on this issue, we don’t need consultants to tell us what we already know, we shouldn’t be asking for an extension, we should just be saying no.

We do need to contain the Urban Growth Boundary to discourage developer speculation in the green wedge areas of the Shire. We need to prevent encroachment and fragmentation of our green wedge areas and retain future options for long term agricultural needs. We also need to retain our rural landscape character, it’s what defines Yarra Ranges, not only in terms of primary production but we have an enormous tourism sector because of our green wedge areas, it’s what makes us unique.

As a council we should stop wasting council resources on this issue. We shouldn’t be pursuing it, there is no strategic, logical reason to do so. And with that I foreshadowed an alternate motion to advise the Minister that we did not support any changes to the Urban Growth Boundary.

Councillors supporting the time extension request:
Crs Warren, Templer, Higgins and Avery

Councillors against the time extension request:
Crs Dunn, Cox, Cliff and McRae

Absent
Cr Heenan

As the votes were tied 4 for and 4 against the Mayor had to use his ‘casting’ vote and determined that council should proceed to support the time extension request. This is counter to the usual custom and practice of the casting vote which is to support the status quo.

samantha in the press - green wedge

Yarra Ranges' green light bid
Leader Newspapers
by Alex Munro/Kimberley Seedy
31 August 2011

samantha in the press - green wedge

Green wedge claim
Mail Newspapers
by Mara Pattison-Sowden
26 July 2011

samantha in the press - green wedge

Wedge plan claim
Mail Newspapers
by Mara Pattison-Sowden
19 July 2011

samantha in the press - environment

Should Yarra Ranges parks be open to tourism?
Leader Newspapers
by Alex Munro
15 March 2011

samantha in the press - green wedge

Paradise saved
Mail Newspapers
by Russell Bennett
1 Feb 2011

samantha in the press - planning

More tulip parking
Mail Newspapers
by Russell Bennett
30 November 2010

Tulip farm set to blossom
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Elisa Miller
30 November 2010

samantha in the press - planning

Sawmiller zoned out
Mountain Views & Upper Yarra Mail
by Kath Gannaway
9 November 2010

recycled water for the valley

report from the roundtable – 10 aug

Council had to consider a report on the Business Case for Recycled Water Pipeline for Agriculture in the Yarra Valley.

It is an important advocacy issue for council. Yarra Ranges upholds and protects the Green Wedge as the food bowl of Melbourne and a prime driver of our local economy. We know as a council that water shortages will be more frequent as the effects of climate change continue to change local weather patterns and rainfall.

We need to start thinking about water security for our farmers now before the situation becomes dire. The business case focuses on recycled water supply from the Brushy Creek/Lilydale Sewerage Treatment Plants to supply growers in the Yarra Valley region.

The environmental benefits are enormous, not to mention the economic benefits. The project would deliver enormous flow on effects for the regional service economy as well as reductions in nutrient flows to the Olinda Creek, Yarra River and Port Phillip Bay.

It is a terrific project, makes good sense, all we need is government to take up the mantle and see it happen for farmers in Yarra Ranges.

does melbourne really need expanding?

It was alarming to see the proposed changes to Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). Rather than driving changes to create a more compact city, the state government’s proposed changes will see a loss of Melbourne’s “Green Wedges”.

to read on visit
Samantha Dunn for Eastern Victoria .