Could "Greening my Geelong" mean destroying threatened species?

The City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) is currently considering an application to destroy a roadside run of native trees that includes members of a threatened species.

The trees are on the eastern side of Grubb Road opposite the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve and the application to destroy them is associated with the construction of the new Kingston estate.

More information about the proposal is available from Ms Bree Lord, Statutory Planning Department, City of Greater Geelong (statplanning@geelongcity.vic.gov.au).

Opposition online
The application has aroused widespread opposition, including an online petition (via change.org) asking Geelong council to retain the trees in Grubb Road. Organisers of the petition hope to gather 1,000 signatures and by 18 August 2016 have gathered 812.

The petition is titled, "Geelong City Council: Stop developers tearing down native trees in Ocean Grove". You can read more and sign the petition here:
https://www.change.org/p/geelong-city-council-stop-developers-tearing-down-native-trees-in-ocean-grove?recruiter=586100525&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

Opposition in person
If you wish to comment on the proposal, you might like to use DCSCA's objection (see below) as a starting point for your own. Indeed, you might like to just copy DCSCA's objection and submit it under your own name, although personal touches always strengthen objections. If you submit an objection, could you please send a copy to DCSCA (dryclift@bigpond.com), so that we can keep a count.

DCSCA's position

The Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association Inc. (DCSCA) objects to this application which, if granted, would lead to the destruction of a significant number of native trees on the eastern side of Grubb Road. Our reasons for objecting are presented below.

1.         Loss of general amenity. Destroying these trees will completely change the character of this entrance to Ocean Grove. The trees are covered by a Significant Vegetation Overlay, because they form a striking entrance to Ocean Grove, enhancing the town’s character and attractiveness and screening an industrial area; destroying these trees would reduce the area from an attractive, semi-rural vista to just another suburban streetscape. However, if the trees were retained, they would actively contribute to the general amenity of the new housing estate.

2.         Loss of amenity at the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve (OGNR). Destroying these trees will isolate the OGNR as an island of indigenous vegetation; and the large car park, together with the road itself, will form a large asphalted zone near the OGNR. This will seriously reduce the amenity of the eastern section of the OGNR, replacing the current view of paddocks and roadside vegetation with a bleak view of a car park. However, if the trees were retained, they would actively improve the area, breaking up and ‘softening’ the view from the OGNR to the new housing estate.

3.         Reduction in environmental health. Geelong council promotes itself with the slogan “Greening my Geelong”, but is considering an application to destroy examples of a threatened species! Many of the trees are Bellarine Yellow Gums (E. leucoxylon ssp bellarinensis), which is listed as a threatened species; and the other large trees are Swamp Gums (E. ovata). Both contribute to the environmental health of the area by providing habitats for many species of birds, invertebrates and small reptiles. These trees effectively act as ‘spillovers’ from the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, extending its effects without extending its boundaries.

4.         Inadequate justification. The applicant argues that destroying the trees will make way for extra access points onto Grubb Road, as well as the main intersection between Grubb Road and Coastal Boulevard; but gives no clear reasons for creating these extra access points. The aim of destroying all the trees on the eastern side of Grubb Road appears to be to enable the Kingston Estate shopping centre to be built before Grubb Road is widened. However, there is no urgent need for shops to service the estate, given its proximity to the large shopping centre of Ocean Grove.

5.         Undermining the council’s Revised Ocean Grove Structure Plan. At the very least, a decision on the proposed destruction of the trees in Grubb Road should be deferred until after an appropriate urban design/landscape study, informed by community consultation, is undertaken. We agree with the conclusions of a report published in July 2016 by the City of Greater Geelong’s Planning Panel (Greater Geelong Planning Scheme Amendment C346 Ocean Grove Structure Plan and Town Centre Urban Design Framework):

·      An urban design or landscape study, involving consultation with all stakeholders, is required to determine an appropriate treatment for the entry of the town, integration with the new Grubb Road activity centre as well as the rural interfaces.

·      · Community consultation should identify safety and traffic concerns to be addressed in the planning and design phase of the road project.

 

Thinking long term about local transport

DCSCA Committee members were among the local people who met Shadow Minister for Public Transport David Hodgett on 10 May at SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre.

Mr. Hodgett was interested in local opinion on a Bellarine Light Rail service; attendees favoured increased bus services, as they would be more flexible.

DCSCA Treasurer Doug Carson has suggested that a light rail service between Geelong and Drysdale would require huge amounts of infrastructure, including stations (with associated parking), rolling stock, drivers, auxiliary staff and perhaps a new tunnel between Kilgour Street and the Geelong Station.

At first sight, then, improving and extending the current bus network would be a simpler, cheaper and quicker way forward. However, before a final decision is taken, there needs to be research to discover:

·      potential routes for:

a) a Bellarine Light Rail system

b) an extended and improved bus network

·      likely patronage of the likely routes in 5, 20 and 50 years time

·      costs of establishing and running:

a) a Bellarine Light Rail system – probably in stages

b) an extended and improved bus network

·      potential funding sources for the construction and maintenance of:

a) a Bellarine Light Rail system

b) an extended and improved bus network.

Population drives policy

Population levels will determine the area’s transport needs, so any decisions about the area’s transport services must be set against the likely population of the Bellarine Peninsula and, indeed, Geelong as a whole in 5, 20 and 50 years time. Therefore, any plan for transport just on the Bellarine needs to be set in the context of a long-term plan for transport in the area as a whole.

DCSCA Committee member Neil McGuinness has suggested that such a long term transport plan should nor just expand the present transport network but also innovate, including such ideas as:

·      extending the Geelong Ring Road to the Bellarine

·      creating road, rail and ferry connections to Avalon Airport (should these be provided publicly, privately or in some combination?)

·      ferry services in Corio Bay and Port Phillip Bay

·      cycle paths - recreational and commuting

·      a road and rail connection between Queenscliff and Point Nepean.

Better transport for commuters or jobs closer to home?

Whatever the content of a long term transport plan for the area, its major aim shouldn’t be to improve commuting. Instead, it should aim to prevent ever-more people commuting out of the area by creating business and jobs for the expanding population of Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula.

The City of Greater Geelong has actively encouraged the creation of ever more housing estates, home to many thousands of residents, without ensuring that there are jobs to support them. The result is the creation of 'dormitory towns' as an increasing number of people on the Bellarine joining commuters from Geelong on the hours-long commuter trek to and from central Melbourne on roads that were never expected to carry the current levels of traffic.

CoGG's drive to expand the population of the Bellarine must be accompanied by plans to expand and diversify employment. As a rule of thumb, a new job should be created for each house built. That would at least start to match economic growth with population growth; and transport needs would be for easy, fast connections within the Geelong and Bellarine area, as well as between this area and Melbourne.

Earlier articles on this blog have discussed a Bellarine Light Rail service. Search for these dates:
8 October 2011; 13 December 2011; 10 May 2013.

Good or bad for local democracy?

Like many residents of the Bellarine Peninsula, DCSCA members are concerned that the state government's plan to replace the City of Greater Geelong council with an administrator could be bad for local democracy.

Today (12 April) the Victorian state government intends to table the review of a Commission of Inquiry into the governance of the City of Greater Geelong council; and then introduce legislation sacking the whole council – the mayor and the twelve councillors – and appointing an administrator to run the council until the 2020 elections.

The Government has sufficient support in the Lower House for its bill to pass easily, but the bill may take longer to pass the Upper House, where the government needs the support of either the Coalition, or the Greens and at least two crossbenchers.

If the legislation passes, Geelong council will be the sixth Victorian council to be sacked since the Kennett government amalgamated more than 200 Victorian councils to 79 in the 1990s. The others were Wangaratta (2013), Brimbank (2009), Glen Eira (2005), Nillumbik (1998) and Darebin (1998).

No strategic vision?

One of the reasons the Commission gives for sacking the council is that it has failed to develop a strategic vision for Geelong. However, the council lost control of its strategic planning in August 2015, when Victorian planning minister Richard Wynne took over planning decisions in Geelong for major projects over 5,000 square metres.

At the same time, the state government created the Geelong Authority to advise the Minister on key projects, implement major planning decisions, create jobs and drive growth in Geelong. Key projects for the Authority will include a new convention centre in central Geelong, the redevelopment of the Geelong Performing Arts Centre, the relocation of WorkCover and revitalizing the Geelong railway station precinct and Johnstone Park. The projects will be delivered by Places Victoria, the Victorian Government’s property development agency, which has the power to acquire, sell and swap land.

(Sources: http://architectureau.com/articles/vic-govt-takes-over-geelong-major-projects/ and http://www.places.vic.gov.au/precincts-and-development/geelong)

What future – and when?

Until the Commission of Inquiry’s report is made public and the state government introduces its legislation, we can only speculate about the implications of sacking the present council and appointing an administrator to run its affairs until 2020.

However, the legislation will have to address the Victorian Electoral Commission’s recent recommendation (to the Minister for Local Government) that the City of Greater Geelong should be reorganised in time for the 2016 elections. The present council consists of a directly-elected mayor plus twelve councillors, with each councillor representing a single ward. The VEC recommended reorganising the council into a directly-elected mayor plus eleven councillors representing four wards - three three-councillor wards and one two-councillor ward. (The whole Bellarine Peninsula would be one ward, represented by three councillors.)

Like the proposed council sacking, the VEC recommendation is based in legislation - a 2012 amendment to the City of Greater Geelong Act (1993). That amendment created the post of directly-elected Mayor of Geelong, resulting in a council of 12 councillors plus the Mayor for the 2012 council election. The amendment also required the VEC to recommend to the Minister for Local Government the most appropriate electoral structure for the council from the 2016 election onwards.

The state government’s sacking legislation would effectively overrule that 2012 amendment. It will be interesting to see how the government justifies doing this and denying Geelong's citizens the chance to vote for its council in October 2016.

Open Day survives the heat and dodges thunderstorms

On Saturday 19 December, around 200 people braved high temperatures and imminent thunderstorms to attend an Open Day and Open Studio in Wyndham Street, Drysdale.

The event was presented by the Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association and Dax BeadArts. It featured a garage sale, a plant sale, a raffle, a Lions BBQ and drinks by Cafe2U.

The Bellarine Ukelele Orchestra

Dax BeadArt’s Glenda MacNaughton opened her studio to browsers and demonstrated glass blowing techniques. Local musicians Sarah Carroll, Narelle Jolley, Tex Miller and Chris Wilson each gave stirring sets; and then friends joined them to form a pop-up Bellarine Ukelele Orchestra!

Chris Wilson

Association President Rick Paradise said, “We’re pleased with the event, which certainly raised the association’s profile. It was a very hot day with threatened thunderstorms, but a steady stream of people dropped by. They picked up bargains at the garage sale and plant sale, watched glass art being made at the Open Studio and heard some great live music.”

VicRoads update on the Drysdale Bypass

On 17 December 2015, DCSCA received the following update on the Drysdale Bypass from Tim Price, Project Director (Drysdale Bypass) at VicRoads.

As 2015 draws to a close, I would like to thank the local community for providing feedback at our Drysdale Bypass information sessions this year and provide an update on the status of the project.

The community strongly supports the proposed bypass and a review of pedestrian facilities, cycling facilities and intersections along High Street to improve traffic and safety. Feedback from these sessions is being taken into account in planning studies and design development for the proposed Bypass and High Street improvements.

Over the next few months, VicRoads will complete a traffic analysis and a number of studies, including environment management, cultural heritage and social impact.

I want to assure the community that there will be further opportunities to provide feedback about the project next year, including a formal Planning Scheme Amendment process for the Bypass. Under this process, the public will be invited to make written submissions about the proposed Bypass design.

The State Government has committed $3 million to improve traffic and safety through High Street. This is in addition to the $106 million committed to plan and build the Drysdale Bypass. I thank everyone for their input, patience and support for this project and look forward to working further with the community in 2016.

On behalf of VicRoads, I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday on our roads.

DCSCA makes a submission to council's electoral review

The Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association Inc. (DCSCA) has made a Preliminary Submission to a Review of the City of Greater Geelong Council's structure being conducted by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).

The VEC's Review originated in a 2012 amendment to the City of Greater Geelong Act (1993). The amendment created the post of directly-elected Mayor of Geelong, resulting in a council of 12 councillors plus the Mayor for the 2012 council election.

The amendment also required the VEC to conduct an Electoral Representation Review before the 2016 council election; and, drawing on that Review, to recommend to the Minister for Local Government the most appropriate electoral structure for the council from the 2016 election onwards. 

The Review should determine the number of councillors (between 4 and 11, plus the Mayor) and how they should be distributed.

Key dates in the Review

11 November 2015     Preliminary public submissions open

9 December 2015        (5.00pm) Closing date for preliminary public submissions

20 January 2016         Preliminary Report published; response submissions open

17 February 2016       (5.00pm) Closing date for response submissions

24 February 2016       Public hearing: 7.00 pm Council Chamber, City Hall

16 March 2016           Final Report published.

Making submission to the Review

Submissions to the VEC Electoral Representation Review can be made via:

·      VEC’s online submission form at vec.vic.gov.au

·      Email at greatergeelong.review@vec.vic.gov.au

·      Post to VEC, Level 11, 530 Collins St., Melbourne 3000

All submissions will be published on the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au and made available for inspection at the VEC office (Level 11, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne).

The Final Report will be available from the VEC (vec.vic.gov.au or 131 832) and will also be available for inspection at Council offices.

DCSCA'S SUBMISSION TO THE VICTORIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION'S ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION REVIEW

The Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association Inc. (DCSCA) was created in 1996. Since then, its relationships – good and bad – with the City of Greater Geelong have led it to believe that:

·      the northern part of the Bellarine Peninsula (Drysdale, Clifton Springs and Curlewis) is, broadly speaking, a single, geographically defined ‘community of interest’ within the City of Greater Geelong

·      dividing the task of representing this single community of interest between two councillors in two wards – Cheetham and Coryule - has prevented this single community from speaking with a single voice about its views, interests and aspirations

·      the absence of a single voice for this community of interest has led to it receiving an inequitable share of council resources.

More broadly, DCSCA’s relationships with the City of Greater Geelong have led it to believe that:

·      the council’s current structure makes it is impossible for a ward constituency to hold its councillor to account for her/his actions (or lack of them)

·      relying on 4-yearly elections to make a councillor accountable enables them – if they wish - to misrepresent their constituency during their 4-year term of office, which may lead to outcomes (e.g. rezoning, building approvals) that cannot be undone, even if they fail to be re-elected.

Cost Appeal media release - 2 November

On Monday 2 November, the Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association issued the following media release about its Cost campaign.

MEDIA RELEASE: 2 NOVEMBER 2016

Community Association makes a desperate bid to survive

Today, the Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association officially launches a Cost Appeal to raise $5,500 in legal costs awarded against it in August by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

If the association fails to raise the money, it faces further legal action, which would close it down. The Cost Appeal is a last desperate attempt to stop that happening.

The association had asked VCAT to stop Caltex franchisee Milemaker Petroleum building a service station at the junction of Jetty Road and High Street, Drysdale. Hundreds of residents had objected to the service station, but VCAT dismissed the case, ordering the association to pay Milemaker $5,500 in legal costs by 7 December.

One chance left

“The association has just this one chance to raise the money”, said association Secretary Patrick Hughes. “We asked VCAT not to make us pay Milemaker’s legal costs, supported by local federal MPs Richard Marles and Sarah Henderson, local state MP and Environment Minister Lisa Neville and councillor Rod Macdonald; and an online petition of 349 signatures. Still, VCAT awarded costs against us.”

“We wrote to Milemaker”, he said, “asking it to forgo the costs as a gesture of good will to the local community, as did Lisa Neville. Neither of us has received a reply.”

Association Treasurer Doug Carson said, “Closing the association would end its community-building work. Drysdale is growing rapidly and we’ve lobbied for a bypass for the increased traffic and leisure facilities for the increased population, such as a sports precinct and fishing platform. We also run the popular Festival of Glass.”

Contribute to the Cost Appeal

·      Online. Our account at Bendigo Bank: BSB 633000, Acc 1497-62791, Ref MM.

·      By mail. DCSCA, P.O. Box 581, Drysdale 3222. Please mark envelope “MM”.

·      In person (i). At SpringDale Neighbourhood Centre, Drysdale High Street.

·      In person (ii) Join the association just $5, payable online or by mail (see above).

Please include your email or address with your donation; if Milemaker belatedly waives the legal costs, the association intends to return all contributions

MORE INFORMATION:

Doug Carson, Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association: 0418 371 308

Patrick Hughes, Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association 5251 3394

For background, see DCSCA’s blog: http//:drycliftdays.blogspot.com

Council budget - a mixed bag

For people in Drysdale & Clifton Springs, the City of Greater Geelong's proposed 2011-12 budget represents a mixed bag.

The budget includes several good news items. It allocates funds to construct the first phase of the Lake Lorne walking track, to develop a Masterplan for a Beacon Point Reserve and to design a Bellarine Lookout. Each of these three sites is in the Open Spaces Network that DCSCA launched last year to protect our towns' dwindling open spaces, so these budget commitments are very welcome.

In the three years since DCSCA first proposed that a walking track be constructed around the perimeter of the Lake Lorne reserve, the original idea has been developed into a major upgrade of the facilities. The development of the original idea has featured extensive and effective consultation with local groups, individuals and organisations and DCSCA looks forward to a similar approach being taken to the development of a Masterplan for a Beacon Point Reserve and to the design of a Bellarine Lookout.

Good news for young people and for the environment
DCSCA is also pleased to see the budget supporting youth activities across the Bellarine, with $15,000 for the Bellarine Youth Action Team and $25,000 for the youth-run annual 'Spudfest' music event. Further good news is the $20,000 allocated to environment projects supported by the Bellarine Catchment Network. The budget also commits funds to a new netball court and lighting at Drysdale Reserve and to the further development of Drysdale's Potato Shed, including a grant of $12,500 to the Potato Shed's annual Family Fun Day.

No news on local economic development
The negative side of the budget is its silence on local economic development. DCSCA was interested to see whether the budget would address the council's continuing failure to plan for the Bellarine's economic development alongside the expansion of its population. DCSCA would like to see a greater diversity of local jobs - especially for young people - so that the expanding population can choose to work on the Bellarine or commute elsewhere.

The budget commits $25,000 to supporting industrial investment and $35,000 to supporting manufacturing, but doesn't specify where it will be spent. Recent history suggests that it won't be spent on the Bellarine. Further, the budget commits $180,00 to the council's sustainability project, Future Proofing Geelong, which includes a plan for low carbon growth in the Geelong region. (Future Proofing Geelong is launched officially today, 12 May 2011.) However, it isn't clear what this will mean in practice. The council refuses to promote a low carbon economy even on the Bellarine, let alone throughout the region.

DCSCA has argued consistently that the Bellarine could become a demonstration site of a low carbon economy, featuring cutting edge technologies and creating new high tech, high wage jobs. This would give the region's rapidly-expanding population real choices over whether they would like to work locally or elsewhere. It would prevent our towns becoming just dormitories for Geelong and Melbourne which, in the absence of good public transport, would mean continuing increases in commuter traffic on already-inadequate roads. Finally, developing the Bellarine as a demonstration site of a low carbon economy would attract visitors keen to 'see tomorrow's economy today', boosting tourism and its associated employment.

A chance to seize the day?
Geelong will host the 2011 Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia (SEGRA) conference later this year and the budget includes $35,000 to pay the cost of it. The council could use that conference to showcase Future Proofing Geelong and, in that context, to announce its plans for a low carbon demonstration project on the Bellarine. Local councillors Doull and Macdonald could seize the initiative and ensure that the council applies the same sort of innovative thinking to the economic development of the Bellarine that it so proudly proclaims is being applied to the development of Amstrong Creek. They would certainly have major local support if they did.

Council to act on Andersons Road

The City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) has told DCSCA that it intends to extend Peninsula Drive to Belchers Road in Drysdale and to link this project with the construction of the sports centre and of the Drysdale bypass.

This very good news follows DCSCA's request that the council extend Peninsula Drive through to Belcher’s Road as a matter of urgency, to reduce traffic congestion and safety risks and to increase access by emergency services vehicles to the nearby schools precinct.

DCSCA's request reinforces a similar request to CoGG by Vic Roads. DCSCA had also asked that the works be completed prior to the start of construction of the Drysdale bypass.

CoGG has said that the Peninsula Drive project will depend on funding being available and that the council is examining various options to ensure completion "in a timely manner".

Once again: the case against the service station

When the Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association Inc. (DCSCA) issued its Media Release concerning support by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) for a third service station in Drysdale, it attached a summary (below) of its opposition to the proposed service station.

Site of the proposed service station, from Jetty Rd. roundabout looking north

Why did DCSCA oppose a Service Station at this location?

During the process DCSCA progressively formed the view that: -

1.     The City of Greater Geelong's (CoGG) notification process did not notify the community adequately, so the vast majority of residents remained unaware of the proposal, hence denying them the opportunity to comment.

2.     The proposal is inappropriate in a Rural Living Zone and contrary to CoGG's own Structure Plan for Drysdale & Clifton Springs.

3.     It would spoil the rural ambience of the entry into the Drysdale & Clifton Springs township.

4.     It would increase congestion on a major traffic hub that is vital to the north Bellarine and is congested significantly already.

5.     There were ingress/egress traffic safety issues as, at busy times, there would be queues of traffic and reduced visibility in the region of the crest of hill.

6.     It would seriously compromise the safety of cyclists. This was of major concern to DCSCA as the proposed service station is located on the Principal Bicycle Network (PBN) and is on a commuter route to three nearby schools.

7.     The Bellarine would suffer traffic disruption for months on end during the construction phase.

8.     It was inappropriate so close to a private dam.

Subsequent to a front-page newspaper item in October 2014, DCSCA formed the further views that: -

1.     Most people had been unaware of the proposal and now there was significant opposition within the community.

2.     There were legitimate planning concerns. A critical examination of the State and Local Planning Policy Frameworks showed that the proposal did not comply with several clauses.

3.     There is a classified 200 metre “sensitive zone” around underground petroleum storage systems (UPSSs). The nearby private dam is part of a designated watercourse (Scarborough Creek) and is only about 70 m away from where UPSSs will be installed. DCSCA considered that this had serious implication with respect to the State Environment Protection Policy (Groundwaters of Victoria).

4.     The local community wanted an independent review by VCAT and considered that DCSCA was the appropriate body to lodge such an application.

The DCSCA Committee,  April 2015.