Dear DADA Folk,
Attached are the notes from the last DADA meeting.
DADA membership is now open and we have launched our handy guide to objecting, a collection of years of experience from DADA regulars.
Clink on the link to learn more: https://www.darebinada.org/members
Cheers, Maria
Darebin Appropriate Development Association: Protect Your Community
Inc. No. A0094111Q
Web: www.darebinada.org
Meeting Notes: 12th of July, 2016
Present: Marion Coffey, Keith Coffey, Mandy Baird, Sally Mendes, Craig Walters, Chris Erlandsen, Maria Poletti,
Apologies: Stewart Midgley, Meryl Waugh, Frank Caputo, Susan Davies
1. Business Arising:
a. Sally suggested we go to town planner courses and ask if final year students will do pro-bono work on behalf of objectors. Action: Sally
b. Suggested corruption by developers asking for specific members to hear their case and that somebody should collect the data and talk to the papers. Action: Maria to contact Lucas Clay from the age to ask if he will do the research. Done, reply circulated.
c. Meeting with the Mayor, CEO, Manager of Finances and Manager of Planning on the 21st of April. Meeting discussed. Suggested that council prepare a checklist so that we can more easily see what the application holds. An example for feedback was circulated. Action: Maria to add suggestions. Done. Meryl has started a spread sheet to help breakdown planning applications so we can more easily assess planning applications.
d. Paypal account: Action: Craig will set up Paypal account and link it to the bank account.
e. Data from minutes of Planning Committee Meetings: Action: Mandy will have data finished by next meeting. Nearly Done: There are some patterns appearing and more data to come.
f. DADA how to vote Cards; Maria presented changes from last meeting. Discussion of details for the back of the card. Action: Maria to make changes and bring back to next meeting.
g. $30 in the bank. Action: Craig to find and deposit missing funds ($50)
2. New Business:
a. Budget submission; Craig, wrote submission and attended the budget meeting. He suggested in future we make a verbal submission to support written submission and encourage a good turn up of supporters to be successful. Craig mentioned some problems with the online service. Reply from council circulated.
b. Election strategies: Plan circulated and names attached. Action: Maria to send signs for printing to Mandy.
c. Handbook and Membership launch on the DADA website. Strategies. No longer help folk who are not members. Action: Maria is compiling a list of folk to email directly to join up. Folk who have had the benefit of help and shared knowledge in the past.
d. SOS newsletter, circulated
e. Planning Backlash Bill of Rights support with Fiona Patten. Circulated and discussed. Action: Maria to invite Fiona Patten to a meeting and keep in mind the bill of rights to talk to. Maria notify Mary Drost of decision.
f. Questions to Council. Does the developer’s contribution cover the cost, in full, of council processing planning applications or are ratepayers funds spent on processing planning applications? What percentage of the costs of processing planning applications is paid by ratepayers? What is council doing to ensure that developers cover these costs? Deferred further discussion to next meeting. Action: Chris to write out questions for next meeting. Sally suggests we notify the paper of our questions ahead of time.
3. From the papers:
a. Preston Leader; inquiry about the sale of London Chartered Bank. Response circulated.
b. The Age, healthy suburbs are just a stroll away. Heart foundation on how buildings should be designed for healthy living.
Go to heart foundation website: www.heartfoundation.org.au They say healthy suburbs should have parks within 300 metres and outdoor equipment in parks.
c. The Age, 3rd July, LED street lighting too bright.
d. The Age, Box Hill population growth and development of towers.
e. David Feeny’s property in Northcote has high value as a redevelopment site.
f. Property market in Malaysia has slowed so there is more interest in Melbourne.
g. Age July 4th, Brexit may cause exit to Australia.
h. Age June 29th, low vacancy rate puts squeeze on options in commercial real estate
i. Iceberg building where more of a building is underground in historic Melbourne and where maximum heights are limited to two stories as in much of the eastern suburbs.
j. Development on the Yarra River and residents complaining about their loss of view.
4. Objector Updates:
a. 425 Plenty Road, requested an extension of time because an expert witness is OS
b. 13 Dean Street, Statement of Grounds due 12th of August, Action: Maria to do for DADA, Sally and herself as parties. Craig will do his own.
c. 27 Murphy Grove, at VCAT July 11th.
d. 830 Plenty Road, complaint about the exhibition. One day on the website. Reply from council blaming website problem is not good enough.
e. 38 Mansfield Street, going to VCAT, SOG due August 8th.
5. Other Business:
a. Keith has sent a submission regarding a vacant kindergarten site owned by council and up for sale. Submission for community use at a low cost. Action: Keith will bring back to us for DADA support.
Next Meetings: 7.00pm, Tuesday the 26th of July and Tuesday the 9th of August at 33 Dean Street, Preston | Post