tis the agm season, tonight tvag

At mid November we're well and truly in the middle of AGM season, tonight's AGM was for TVAG, the Tecoma Village Action Group. That's one township group that has had an enormous workload over the past year with much focus on McDonalds in Tecoma. Other issues have also been progressed with ongoing involvement in the Shire's Graffiti Working Group and the Township Network Group.

I was delighted to accept an invitation to preside over TVAG's elections for the 2013/14 year at the Upwey RSL.

 

I'm pleased to report the following members were elected:

President: Nicole
Vice President: Anita
Secretary/Public Officer: Anne
Treasurer: Barbara
General members: Erica and Steve.

Congratulations and thank you, you've all worked immensely hard and have been dedicated to fulfilling your volunteer role as a township group, it's quite a credit to your commitment to Tecoma. 

agm's aplenty, tonight tvag

It is most definitely AGM season, tonight saw the AGM of the Tecoma Village Action Group (TVAG) held at the Upwey RSL. I was delighted to be able to preside over their elections.

The new TVAG committee for 2012/13, from left to right:
Steve W, Nicole G, Anita D, Steve G, Anne E, Rosalind B,
Cr Samantha Dunn, David J and Barbara C.

It's been a busy year for this township group, their work mainly focussed on fighting McDonalds in Tecoma and preparation of the VCAT appeal. However there have been a few other planning issues too, Winscombe Avenue (an inappropriate multi-unit development), the Doctors Surgery extension (welcomed by the community) and the Saffron Cottage rebuild application (generally welcomed by the community).

There's also been work on the Graffiti Removal Project, working with the Upwey Township Group, the Community Noticeboard Project and representing TVAG on the UTCRASH Project.

It's a credit to TVAG that they've had time for other projects, McDonalds has taken so much of everyone's time. I thank the TVAG committee and members for their efforts, they give of their time freely and they've given much time over this past year, it's a credit to them and their community spirit.

I'm pleased to report the new committee for 2012/13 are:
President - Nicole Gale
Vice President - David Jewell
Secretary - Anne Elizabeth
Assistant Secretary - Anita Dean
Treasurer - Barbara Crisp
General members:
Steve Gale
Rosalind Burns
Steve Wood

community loads slingshot

The No Maccas in the Hills group are encouraging community members to attend the upcoming VCAT hearing for McDonalds in Tecoma.

There's no doubt this has been a David and Goliath battle with the next battle scene set for Monday 6 August at VCAT.

It would be terrific to see as many community members as possible attend the hearing as a show of support for those people who are submitting on behalf of the community. It would be a great morale boost for them to be supported by a gallery of community members.

TVAG and No Maccas in the Hills have said "the community has worked tirelessly to voice their opposition to this development, put in hundreds of unpaid, after hours work and fundraised to mount this battle. While round one resulted in council unanimously rejecting McDonalds development, round two at VCAT is critical"

I will be attending the VCAT hearings, I hope you can too.

Details are:
When: Monday 6 Aug to Monday 13 Aug from 10am to 4pm
Where: VCAT, 55 King Street, Melbourne
Commuting: last carriage Belgrave Train departing 8:31am (8:33 – Tecoma, 8:35 – Upwey, 8:39 - UFTG)

I also know that No Maccas in the Hills are fundraising to pay for some planning expertise, if you'd like to know more click here. 

hamburger - fast food vs slow food



Rod Quantock was moderator for the debate, Fast
Food is good for you.



Hamburger, the cultural event at Burrinja over the weeked was a great success. My congratulations to the Burrinja team who were inspired to put it together.

The debating teams...from left to right:
David Jewell - TVAG, Joy Serwylo, Cr Samantha
Dunn, Rod Quantock - moderator, Paul O'Halloran
and Nick Johnson - comedian.

Fast Food Friday saw the debate, Fast Food is Good For You, moderated by Rod Quantock and a screening of Supersize Me. Compelling and many hilarious, if not dubious, reasons were put forward by both sides to argue their case. It was very entertaining, the room was packed with people who brought along their picnic dinner to start the night's entertainment.

Local artist, Joy Serwylo, put foward some
hilarious reasons as to why fast food was
good for you.

Slow Food Sunday was a different affair. Community members came to workshops to learn how to make zines, soft sculptures and collages. The key theme, the proposed McDonalds in Tecoma.

Rod Quantock presenting some of Joy's 'interesting'
graphs to prove her point of why fast food is
good for you on Fast Food Friday.

TVAG provided lunch with a sausage sizzle and scones with jam and cream. TVAG are currently raising funds along with the No Maccas in the Hills group to fund the appeal for the VCAT hearing.

If you'd like to be kept up to date with what's happening with the No Maccas in the Hills campaign you can visit their website here.

Fast Food is Good For You, the Black Box at Burrinja
was packed for a night of hilarity.

community meets to say no to mcdonalds

Today I attended the Say no to McDonalds meeting organised by the Tecoma Village Action Group (TVAG). I was there to provide advice to community members opposed to the application on the sorts of things they could consider in their objections. Community members numbering around 150 were keen to learn more about ways they could fight the application.

I reported back to the meeting that council had already received over 500 objections from concerned community members, however I had noted that some objections have not included names and addresses or dealt with matters that cannot be considered within a planning framework.

If an objection does not contain your name and address it will not be included as a valid objection so it is important to do so if you want to make sure your voice is heard.

I explained that the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme provides the legislative framework to allow council to determine the application, therefore anything outside that scope could not be considered as a planning matter.

The sorts planning matters that could be entertained include:
* traffic - how the application might affect traffic on major thoroughfares as well as local streets
* hours of operation - the application currently seeks operating hours of 24/7
* residential interface - the way the application integrates with the residential areas
* amenity - how you think the application impacts on your local amenity
* neighbourhood character - how the application fits in with the local character of the area
* built form - how the building itself fits within the town and the impact it has on the buildings/residences around it

The sorts of things that aren't part of the planning scheme but I've seen come through on objections already:
* Childhood Obesity
* Global MultiNationals
* Effect on local businesses
* Effect on viewlines

I urged those who wanted to object to ensure that they sent their objections to all councillors, I've noticed that many objectors are sending their submissions to just myself and Cr Cliff, however all councillors vote on the application so it is important to include all councillors.

I advised community members that the council meeting date of 27 September to hear the matter, is an indicative date, if there's no hold ups it will be that date, but it could be later, but it most certainly won't be earlier.

I talked about the process at council, that both the supporter and objector get 5 minutes to speak to Councillors about the application and only one person from each side gets to speak.

I am very certain that the application will end up at VCAT, one way or another, so I also confirmed to those there that every objector will become a party to the matter at VCAT.

It was good to be able to clarify some outstanding questions community had, I think it's important that community have a good understanding of the role they play in the planning process.

tecoma mcdonalds - information session

An information session on the McDonalds Tecoma application will be held at the Monbulk Hub on Thursday 8th September from 5pm to 7pm.

The session will allow community members to view the plans and ask questions about the application.

Planners and Traffic Engineers from McDonalds will be there to answer questions on the application. Shire officers including a Planner, Urban Designer and Traffic Engineer will also be on hand to answer questions you may have.

All things going well the application will be heard by council on the 27th September, however this may be subject to change depending on the many variables that apply as part of the planning application process (for example a referral body may not return information in a timely manner).

The Monbulk Hub is located on the corner of Main and Moores Rd in Monbulk (next to the Primary School).

TVAG are also holding a public meeting on Sunday 11th September, click here for details.

I will be attending both meetings and will be inviting my councillor colleagues to come along if they're able.

say no to mcdonalds - meeting held in tecoma

Late last week I attended the Say No to McDonalds public meeting held by TVAG. I was there to talk about the planning process and how the community can participate in this statutory process.

The meeting was well attended, with over 200 community members coming along on a frosty Friday night. I advised people that council were yet to receive an application from McDonalds.

I went on to talk about the statutory planning process which starts once McDonalds lodges an application.

Once council receives an application planners will determine if any additional information is required and if so request further details from the applicant. The application will also be forwarded to the Shire's internal departments (Environment, Engineering, etc) and to external bodies too, such as VicRoads, to seek their opinions on the application.

The application will be advertised both on site (with a permit application notification sign) and via letters, it is at this point when submissions should be forwarded to council. I encouraged those community who wish to object to ensure that they included a copy of their objection to all councillors, it's important that all Yarra Ranges councillors understand the issue and concerns of locals.

I also talked about the three types of objections council usually receives, individually written letters, form letters and petitions and explained that an individually written letter carries more weight in the eyes of a councillor than a form letter or petition.

I advised community members that their objections must be based on planning matters rather than any ideological reasons for objection to McDonalds and that likely areas to concentrate on could be traffic, amenity, neighbourhood character, built form, hours of operation and residential interface.

The planners will make an assessment of the submissions and consider the responses by the applicant to these.

Once all referrals are returned (both internal and external) the planners will make an assessment of the application.

In my view it is likely that the application will be heard by council as the trigger is more than 6 objections and given the enormous turn out at this first meeting I think it's a safe bet that there'll be more than 6 objections heading to council.

The planner as part of their assessment will prepare a report for council which will include a recommendation which will either be to approve or refuse the application. Council will then decide at a public council meeting whether to approve or refuse the application.

It is also my view that this application is likely to end up at VCAT, regardless of whether the application is refused or approved.

For those unfamiliar with the planning process it can seem very bureaucratic but I hope this advice assists the community to engage fully in this important statutory process.

upwey grassroots makes it mark

This weekend saw the second running of the Upwey Grassroots Market and it was a wonderful success.

People flocked to the market which focusses on locally grown, made and produced food and wares.

The community harvest group were there with all their home grown produce, the rhubarb took my fancy. Food Swap is a great idea and being facilitated by Transition Sherbrooke who have been set up by some committed community members in response to climate change and peak oil. It's focus is to create a sustainable and resilient community whilst transitioning to a low carbon future.

Peter Cook, president of the Dandenong Ranges Renewable Energy Association was there with DRREA solar oven and information aplenty about renewable energy. Peter also had some postcards promoting Container Deposit Legislation, a campaign he's been supporting for some time.

TVAG (Tecoma Village Action Group) were there too. TVAG have recently been contacted by a consultant working for McDonalds about the potential for a McDonalds on the site of Hippie Haven and Saffron Cottage in Tecoma. McDonalds met with me and shire officers earlier this month and I recommended they speak to community groups, particularly TVAG, about the proposal. I also emphasised to them the importance of broader community consultation on this proposal.

TVAG are gauging the community response to the expression of interest by McDonalds. If you'd like to give some feedback to TVAG you can find more details by clicking on this 'stop press'.

samantha in the press – community planning

A penny for your thoughts

Mail Newspapers

by Russell Bennett

7 Sep 2010

stop the shop

On Friday night I went to STOP the SHOP, a Tecoma Village Action Group fundraiser, to fight the Tecoma Supermarket application at VCAT.

Artists donated their time, local traders donated their goods and the Burrinja café donated its space all in support of seeing this supermarket development stopped.

The VCAT hearing is still progressing, with another hearing day scheduled for the 19th October.

The proposed development is an oversized, ugly abomination and completely out of character for Tecoma and the Dandenong Ranges. The application was unanimously refused by council at its meeting on the 10th March, 2009 (see blog).

The night was well supported by locals across the region. TVAG reported that they are still short of their fundraising target, so if you can help, get in touch with them!