Dear DADA Folk,
We have been busy giving ourselves much to do leading up to the council election in October.
If you can help in any way please let me know. Dropping the how to vote material in your neighbourhood letterboxes would be a great help.
Happy reading. Maria
DADA
Darebin Appropriate Development Association: Protect Your Community
Inc. No. A0094111Q
Web: https://www.darebinada.org
Meeting Notes: 26th of July, 2016 Present: Marion Coffey, Keith Coffey, Mandy Baird, Sally Mendes, Craig Walters, Susan Davies Chris Erlandsen, Maria Poletti,
Apologies: Stewart Midgley, Meryl Waugh
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. 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. Meryl has started a spread sheet to help breakdown planning applications so we can more easily assess planning applications.
c. Paypal account: Action: Craig will set up Paypal account and link it to the bank account.
d. 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.
e. DADA how to vote Cards; Maria presented changes from last meeting. Discussion of details for the back of the card. Actions: Maria to make changes and bring back to next meeting. Mandy to send Maria the final data and Sally and Maria to double check that it is correct. Maria to make final changes as suggested and photocopy. Maria to check if needs registering Done, no registration needed but lawyer check suggested.
f. $30 in the bank. Action: Craig to find and deposit missing funds ($50)
g. Election strategies: Plan circulated and names attached. Action: Maria to send signs for printing to Mandy. Done
h. 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. Action: Maria to notify Mary Drost of decision. Done
i. 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.
j. 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.
2. New Business:
a. Darebin Councils move to reject DADA objections as a trigger for planning applications to go for review at Planning Committee. The DADA rule. Action: 1. Complaint; re the Councilor Code of Conduct. Maria to take to council and pay. Reimbursement to be decided later. 2. Letter to the local council ombudsman. Chris to write and send letter. 3. Letter to Minister for local government. 4. Calling in on radio. Mandy to check how to submit to 3AW council watch. 5. Facebook users to respond to posts that ask questions.
b. Possible fake DADA objections? If anybody is told anything regarding DADA objections ask for a copy so it can be checked against what was actually submitted.
c. How to vote card: current version circulated and discussed. Action: Maria to make further adjustments for final decision next meeting. Mandy to get last of data to Maria.
d. Strategic Planning 2014/2015 document circulated and discussed showing Darebin is behind other councils in processing planning applications. The data is from 2014/2015.
e. Meeting Melissa Thyer, Action: Sally and Chris are looking forward to meeting Melissa. They will arrange a convenient time for all and report back.
f. Sharing Jessica Doyle’s election details. Ok to send DADA network her link. Decided that we could do that if Candidates came and spoke at a meeting and we felt we could support them.
3. From the papers:
a. The Leader, 26th July, Page 3 article on Councilors motion on change of the Planning Committee meeting. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/darebin-council-votes-to-restrict-planning-application-objections/news-story/f9e2beb9ed3c9bc30942ee00d08b3028 b. The Age, 26th July, Melbourne City Council, Melbourne city council are paying developers if they don’t build. c. The Age, 26th July, 0rmond Station high-rise. First example of Andrew’s government to build over stations. d. The Age, Monday July 25th, city of Wyndham like Darebin lacking necessary of infrastructure e. The Age, July 13th, Access to housing is a basic human right. Dr Matthew Beard, Sydney. Writes for The Conversation on Ethical development. Action: Maria to do more research in this field. f. The Leader. Charter Bank in Northcote. DADA quoted. g. The Age, Monday July 25th, letters to the editor. Great ideas from residents. h. Green Washing, The Age, Sat July 23rd, buyers are being warned to check fake green credentials. i. The Leader, Pace development, Northcote, 114 one and two apartments. Survey Company Urbus. j. The Age, Finance section, Cold comfort for first home buyers. Reducing interest rates effects investment in what is already bought. Much tougher to save up 10 percent deposits.
4. Finances:
a. $195.06, $50 owing
5. Objector Updates:
a. 27 Murphy Grove, VCAT rejected the application. Just over a week from hearing. Ruling very light on for detail but rejected around character and incremental change.
6. Other Business:
Next Meetings: 7.00pm
at 33 Dean Street, Preston.