samantha in the press - planning

Mobile tower gets the nod in Monbulk
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Melissa Cunningham
8 May 2012

samantha in the press - planning

Tower ticks all boxes
Mail Newspapers
by Mara Pattison Sowden
2 May 2012

replacement phone tower for the patch/monbulk

report from the roundtable - 24 apr

At this week's meeting I moved a motion to support the replacement of a telecommunications tower currently on site at Garden City Plastics in Monbulk.

It is rare that Yarra Ranges council gives approval for telecommunications towers due to the lack of consideration of siting and significant landscape issues. This was not one of this occasions.

In speaking in support of the application I talked about the fact that the site was zoned Industrial 3 and as such was an appropriate location for such a facility.

The pole was not situated on a ridgeline and minimal earthworks would be required. As there is existing power on the site no additional disturbance is required to complete the installation.

The pole would not impact on the heritage overlay on the site which protects the significant elements of the old Monbulk Jam Factory.

The site itself is screened by vegetation and the landscape contains many tall trees which provide a backdrop to the area which mitigates visual intrusion. In fact in some places it's difficult to see across the hills due to the extent and height of the vegetation.

There will be enormous community benefit with the installation of the pole which will replace a 30mt pole with a 35mt pole.

The replacement pole will enable council to upgrade analogue television services to digital and see improved television reception, it will see the co-location of Optus, Vodaphone and Telstra, something council is very keen to encourage rather than see the proliferation of telecommunications towers.

I also think the improved mobile coverage of Optus and Vodaphone will open up a far more competitive market in the hills, something lacking at the moment as Telstra has the lion's share of coverage in the region.

I'm pleased to report that councillors supported the motion unanimously (note: Cr Cox was excluded from the vote due to declaring a conflict of interest).

samantha in the press - planning

Home dream comes true for Kalorama couple
Leader Newspapers
by Kimberley Seedy
21 Dec 2011

Council keeps eye on phone towers
Leader Newspapers
by Kimberley Seedy
21 Dec 2011

samantha in the press - planning

Shire OK's policy for telecoms facilities
Yarra Ranges Weekly
20 Dec 2011

Council overrules bushfire concerns
Yarra Ranges Weekly
by Natalie Kotsios
20 Dec 2011

telecommunications towers get the thumbs down

report from the roundtable - 22 mar

At this week's council meeting we had to consider three applications for telecommunications towers, two from Telstra and one from Optus.

The two Telstra ones were very similar, in both cases the ridgetop locations in Healesville and Seville were a key concern in considering the applications.

Healesville

I moved the motion to refuse the application in Healesville. In speaking to the motion I talked about the importance of our scenic and iconic landscapes and the importance of our tourism industry.

Cornish Hill, the proposed location of the tower in Healesville, is in a prominent position, one of the gateway peaks which frames the township. The proposed tower would be visually prominent and an intrusion on the landscape, impacting on viewlines from many angles.

It is a repeat application, back in 2000 council refused a very similar application, nothing has changed, time has past and our tourism industry is even more important now than it was then.

At 50 metres from the nearest house, it is too close and is contrary to council's policy on telecommunications facilities.

It would be located in a Green Wedge A Zone, a zone that is important in providing a buffer and transition between more urban and rural properties. At 24 metres high, the tower would protrude 7 metres above the treeline.

Our ridgelines are not negotiable, I'd like to see applications council could support, telecommunications are important but it seems Telstra is not willing to go for less prominent locations due to the cost (something they confirmed to council at a briefing).

I'm pleased to say council unanimously supported the refusal for this tower in Healesville.

(Cr's McRae and Cox absent due to a declared conflict of interest)

Seville

The tower in Seville was very similar in circumstance, located on a prominent ridgeline, the visual amenity impacts mirrored those of tower proposed for Healesville, however this came with the addition of a 'cypress shroud' to disguise the pole.

In speaking to this motion I highlighted the fact that an almost identical application had come to council in 2009, was refused by council, a decision that was then upheld by VCAT.

The Cypress Shroud was awful proposition, on a pole with a proposed height of 25 metres, this highly engineered leafy rocket or giant pipecleaner would protrude 7 metres about the tree line and in supplied mock ups looked ridiculous.

What we need to see from Telstra is applications for smaller facilities in greater numbers to ensure that our landscapes are protected from these visual intrusions.

Our vistas and views are our stock in trade and tourists flock to our region for the Yarra Valley experience. I'm not against telecommunications but I urge Telstra to give us applications we can support.

Councillors voted unanimously to refuse this application.

(Cr Cox absent due to a declared conflict of interest)

another inappropriate telstra tower

report from the roundtable - 26 oct

At this week's meeting council had to consider an application by Telstra for a telecommunications tower on the prominent site of Milners Hill in Yarra Junction. The tower, some 32.59 metres in height would stand 12.59 metres above the tree canopy.

The proposed tower was located in a site covered by an Environmental Significance Overlay which indicates the site has both botanical and zoological significance. It was my view that land with such significance should remain undisturbed to ensure that its status is retained and it continues to provide important core habitat for the region.

The site also was subject to a Significant Landscape Overlay due to its importance in framing the landscape which so defines the Upper Yarra corridor (or the Little Yarra Valley).

There is no doubting that Milners Hill provides a stunning backdrop to the town of Yarra Junction, it is very prominent and the proposed communications tower would be too greater visual impact on the region and a blight on the landscape.

We have seen many applications come before us by Telstra for towers that have been too prominent on the ridgelines, in which council has refused and VCAT upheld. We know that impact on landscape and visual amenity impacts are skey considerations and it seems Telstra don't want to heed this.

I think if Telstra want to provide services they need to be innovative in their approach and come at the issues with new thinking.

Councillors unanimously supported the refusal of the installation of the telecommunications tower.

another telecommunications tower planned for silvan

report from the roundtable – 11 may

This week's council meeting had to consider a 35mt high Telstra monopole in Silvan. The application sought permission to erect the pole in a Significant Landscape area of Silvan.

I could not support the application. This area has high scenic values due to the extensive rolling foothills east of the main ridge of the Dandenong Ranges. The proposed pole would have risen above the canopy line of the trees by 14 metres.

Locals in the area were not happy to see the pole installed, concerned about the amenity and health impacts of a 35 metre monopole.

Although the pole was sited below the ridgeline, the applicant had compensated by extending the height of the pole.

Our landscapes are far too important, millions flock to the Dandenongs because of their natural beauty and we cannot blight this landscape with these types of installations.

The Yarra Ranges council can feel vindicated by the position it takes in relation to significant landscapes. A recent application for another monopole in Seville was refused by council for similar reasons and council's refusal was upheld by VCAT. Our landscapes are very important.

The residents views in relation to the decision were paramount and they vehemently opposed the construction of the monopole. Their views must be taken into account for it is they who have to live with the decision council makes on a day to day basis.

Council was unanimous in voting to refuse the application.

telstra tower trouble

report from the roundtable - 23 June

At the council meeting this week, Mr Frank Smith, President of MEEPPA, submitted to council about the installation of a Telstra Mobile tower at Pembroke Secondary College.

No one in the community has been consulted about the installation, with Telstra believing that the installation is low impact and exempt from permit permission as it is a replacement of a tower and/or co-location of services. However that is not strictly correct even though Telstra are still complying within the Code of Practice. The current tower on the school is not a mobile tower, it is an intranet connection with the senior campus of Pembroke.

Telstra are planning to "swap out the mast" with a higher tower which will see the existing 27mt lattice mast replaced by a 32mt mast with 1.6mt panel antennas affixed to it. To say this is replacement or co-location is really pushing the envelope. As mentioned earlier the existing mast is located at Pembroke Secondary College, next door is the Mt Evelyn Special School and Fernhill Kindergarten, what are considered to be sensitive locations under the Code of Practice.

Cr Heenan moved a motion to strongly recommend to Telstra they the conduct further and extensive consultation. I was happy to second the motion.

I think this is scandalous. Telstra is using a loophole exemption to get away with installing a mobile tower in a sensitive location with no community consultation at all. An intranet tower is not a mobile tower, this is not a replacement nor a co-location. Telstra has shown a complete disdain for our community and we must communicate to Telstra in the strongest possible terms that they consult with the community.

The motion was supported unanimously.

telephone tower for seville?

report from the roundtable - 28th April
Report from the roundtable is my regular report back from the meeting of council. I don't report on every subject, just those that I think might have a broader interest.

An application for the construction of a telecommunications tower was up for consideration in a very prominent location in Seville. A motion was moved to refuse the application and I was happy to second it.

The proposed positioning of the tower was in a visually prominent site along the Warburton Highway. It is an area that is frequented by tourists who enjoy magnificent unbroken views across to the Warburton Ranges on one side and the Dandenong Ranges on the other. I think that council has a responsibility to protect Yarra Ranges' natural assets and part of that is protecting our outstanding vistas and sight lines.

The siting of the pole was proposed for a hill top meaning it would be visible to passers by near and far. A 33.6 metre pole is extreme in height and the notion of painting it in a pale eucalyptus colour to disguise it is an absolute nonsense.

The installation of the pole is contrary to council's local policy on telecommunications facilities. Our policy is clear and states that poles must be sited 100 metres from a residential building (or community facility such as a primary school, etc). In this case the pole was located 88 metres from the nearest residential dwelling.

I think it is important to respect the wishes of the local community, there were 39 objectors to this application, all of them surrounding the proposed site.

I also think it is important to protect those spectacular vistas the Shire is renowned for and this proposed 33.6 metre pole would be a blight on our landscape.

I am pleased to say that the refusal was supported unanimously by councillors.