The DCSCA submission consisted of 13 recommendations designed to
increase:
* the efficiency and consistency of residential development and of the planning process in general
* the attractiveness of new residential developments to existing and incoming residents
* the protection of the natural and built environment, for the benefit of current and future generations.
In July 2013, the State Government announced
that it would replace the existing residential zones (Residential 1, 2 and 3)
in all Victorian planning schemes with three new residential zones:
- Neighbourhood Residential Zone
- General Residential Zone
- Residential Growth Zone.
The State Government asked each local council
to say by 1 July 2014 how it would apply the new zones in its planning scheme.
If a council didn’t respond by the deadline, all of its residential land would
be declared a General Residential Zone by default. On July 1 2014, the State
Government introduced the three new zones. In the process, residential land was
zoned “General Residential” by default in a ‘considerable portion’ of
Victoria’s planning schemes.
Councils have applied the three new zones
inconsistently, with much local variation. Consequently, in February 2014, the
State Government established the Residential Zones Standing Advisory Committee
to advise local councils how to apply the three new zones. The Committee
produced a general report on the zones’ application, plus 25 specific reports
in response to 25 proposals.
Purposes of the Committee
1. To consider the process by which the
new residential zones were implemented
2. To review the current application of
the zones that allow for residential development in the context of managing
Melbourne’s and Victoria’s residential growth in a sustainable manner and
improving housing affordability
3. To advise on the level of evidence
and justification needed when preparing relevant planning scheme amendments
4. To recommend improvements to the
residential zones
5. To provide councils, the community
and industry with an opportunity to be heard.
The Drysdale & Clifton Springs
Community Association Inc. (DCSCA) has had extensive experience of the management
of residential development in the local area, which it believes will assist the
Advisory Committee in its work. It has distilled its experiences into this
submission, which consists of thirteen recommendations.
Recommendations
1. Each
Australian state government should have a public document outlining its vision
for a sustainable state; and the Federal Government should have an equivalent
document outlining its vision for a sustainable Australia.
These documents should address issues including
demography, transport infrastructure, land allocation, water management, power
generation and distribution and communication services.
2.
Require developers of new residential areas to provide services in the first
stages of its development, rather than providing them as development proceeds.
Such services include, e.g., education,
health, sports, recreation, Emergency Services, public transport, shopping and
community spaces.
3. Require
the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning to consult pro-actively
with the appropriate organisations and groups when considering any changes to
residential development and re-zoning and respond in detail to each comment
made in those consultations.
Such organisations and groups include,
e.g., the EPA, Emergency Services, the CFA, the Education Department, Worksafe,
VicRoads, the TAC, water and power suppliers, local indigenous groups, public
transport operators and user groups, local recreational, sporting, environmental
and community groups.
4.
Require the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning to encourage
new developments to be environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Features contributing to environmentally
friendly and sustainable development include significant open space; scenic
trails, footpaths and cycle paths separated from traffic; existing significant
trees and wildlife corridors, plus control of invasive species and vermin;
protecting water courses from extra/polluted runoff; mandatory solar panels and
water tanks at each property.
5. Require
the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning to devise and
implement a standardised procedure (e.g. a designated computer programme) for
assessing any planning applications; and require each local council in Victoria
to implement this procedure.
This will help to ensure that councils
assess planning applications consistently.
6. Require
developers of new residential areas to provide footpaths and cycle paths
(ideally separated from road traffic) as a high priority; and to avoid
compromising any existing cycling infrastructure.
7.
Review the planning requirements for service stations containing hazardous
materials and discontinue the “3,000m2 exemption rule” applied currently to the petroleum
industry.
As the internal combustion engine declines
and disappears, so too will petrol stations, many leaving ugly, toxic sites
that will be expensive to clean up. Planning policies should prepare for this.
8.
Require each local council to give an Environmental Classification to each
planning application it receives.
The classifications would be based on
specific criteria, e.g., storage of hazardous materials; proximity to a water
course, dam or coastal high water line; demonstrable risk to groundwater, flora
or fauna. Suggested Environmental Classifications:
“Low”
- meets none of the specific criteria
“Sensitive”
– meets one of the specific criteria
“Highly
Sensitive” – meets two or more of the specific criteria.
9.
Require the EPA to assess all “Sensitive” or “Highly Sensitive” planning
applications; and approve such applications only with EPA approval.
10. Require
an applicant who receives EPA approval for a “Sensitive” or “Highly sensitive” application
to do no work on the site until the EPA and the council approves a Site
Environment Management Plan (SEMP) for the site.
11.
Amend the Planning and Environment Act 1987 Section 52 Notice of Application to
require additional notification to specified bodies when a planning application
is contentious.
Examples of contention include potential
inconsistency with local planning policy and/or potentially increased risks to
groundwater, flora, fauna and people. Risks include storage of hazardous
materials; proximity to a water course, dam or coastal high water line;
proximity to a major intersection, an area of congestion or a school.
Information about a planning application should
be sent to the owner/s and the resident/s of the nearby properties; signage
giving that information should reflect the significance of the application; and
signage should be displayed until the application is approved/rejected, when
the sign should be amended to include the decision.
12.
Amend the opening paragraph of the Victorian Planning Provision Clause 65 General
Provisions Decision Guidelines to read: “Because a permit can be granted does
not imply that a permit should or will be granted.”; and require the
responsible authority to list on its signage about an application any relevant
local and state planning policies.
13.
Require each council to provide on its website information that is easily
accessible by the community about each planning application, its environmental
classification and its status (approved/rejected); and to leave this
information on its website for 10 years after an application has been approved/rejected.
