Clifton Springs Griggs Creek Bridge fight going to VCAT

Two local papers this week ran stories on the battle local Clifton Springs residents are having with the City of Greater Geelong over the proposed building of a bridge over Griggs Creek linking Bay Shore Ave with the Jetty Road housing development led by L. Bisnella Developments.

The Bellarine Independent reports in an article on August 26, 2011, by Kim Waters entitled "Go tell it to VCAT" that:

"Planning Minister Matthew Guy has shot down objections to a proposed bridge at Clifton Springs, according to a lead objector.

John Boland said Mr Guy suggested the 824 people who signed a petition against the bridge should take their fight to a Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal hearing in October"...

Mr Guy's letter recommended VCAT as the appropriate authority to consider the objections..."

The Echo on Thursday 25 August 2011 reported in an article entitled: "Springs bridge fears" by Martin Watters that:

"Dangerous traffic volumes, land-slip fears and lost Aboriginal artefacts are the reasons cited by hundreds of Clifton Springs residents voicing their disapproval of a planned bridge to estate land...

The protests accuse City Hall of approving the cheapest option in catering for heavy traffic, which residents say will pose a danger to school children and the elderly.

Under the City of Greater Geelong's master plan for the area, the development was originally planned to be serviced by a north-south road through the middle of the estate to cater for traffic during construction and when finished.

But residents became concerned when told that road would not be built for 15 years, if at all..."

A letter to the editor in the Echo on Thursday August 25, 2011 by Gary Dean from Clifton Springs states:

"The City of Greater Geelong is supporting an application to go before VCAT to construct a bridge over Griggs Creek at Bayshore Ave, Clifton Springs, against overwhelming opposition of 864 signatures on a petition, which is growing rapidly as more and more residents become aware of council's plan.

We oppose the bridge, not the new estate, due to a number of genuine concerns.

No north/south road from Portarlington Rd for up to 15 years.

COGG confirms that up to 3000 vehicles a day could use our residential streets should the bridge construction go ahead with the blessing of council....

The concerns of residents and ratepayers in the Clifton Springs/Drysdale communities seems to pale into insignificance when compared to the interests of developers in the eyes of this council...

We need to do everything in our power to stop this bridge."

DryClift Days August 25, 2011 also reports: "Interest grows in 'rogue bridge'":

"The City of Greater Geelong's (CoGG) decision to allow an 'unlimited load' bridge to be built from Bayshore Avenue into the northern end of the Jetty Road Urban Growth Area is attracting growing opposition and media interest.

Residents argue that an 'unlimited load' bridge would take a heavy toll on their way of life, on their safety and on their fragile natural environment and cultural heritage. A decision of this sort of significance would normally be subject to public scrutiny through the formal planning process, but local people heard about this 'rogue bridge' only once the council had decided to allow it. 864 residents have signed a petition to state Planning Minister Matthew Guy, calling on him to intervene in the issue..."

Another example of council pandering to the wants of real estate developers and not of their consituents. The VCAT hearing is listed for 26 October 2011.

Drysdale based Geelong Show Jumping Club profiled in the Bellarine Independent

The Geelong Show Jumping Club which is based at Lake Lorne Reserve in Drysdale was profiled in last Friday's Bellarine Independent.

The article entitled "Club Rides the Jumps", by John Van Klaveren, 19 August 2011 is available online - some sinippets:

"... president Tom Lupton said the sport had a healthy local junior section as well, fed by the many pony clubs around the region.

The club held its major event, the August Show last weekend at Geelong Showgrounds. The event is traditionally considered the start of the showjumping season, with state and national riders using it as a warm-up for high profile competitions at the Adelaide and Melbourne shows...

Tom said Geelong was one of the biggest horse areas in the state, second only to the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley region.

“We run a junior show every Australia Day weekend aimed at pony club level. The pony clubs are an important feeder and means we have a big junior following in our club.”...

Established in 1978, Geelong Showjumping Club is based at Drysdale’s Lake Lorne Reserve.

Tom said more information about the club was available by phoning him on Tom 0409 209 388 or visiting geelongshowjumping.com.au..."

Dam at the end of Ryan Court - no more

The dam created by the Geelong Council at the end of Ryan Court was a doozy. Who would have thought affected residents should be consulted prior to Council building it?
Background on this is available from:

• Who you gonna call? Dam busters! DryClift Days, August 1, 2011 - "One morning in early March 2011, residents of Ryan Court, Drysdale found contractors digging a large hole at the bottom of their sloping road, immediately outside the last house in the street. They were told that it was to be a 'Bio-retention Basin', which was intended to filter impurities from the storm water running down their street. This was the first that the residents had heard of this decision..."
• Busting 'urban dams' DryClift Days August 17, 2011 - "DCSCA members and friends in Ryan Court, Drysdale, have been assured by the City of Greater Geelong that it will fill-in a two feet deep unfenced hole that it excavated at the bottom of their road.... Council officers told the residents that the council had sent them a letter in 2010, telling them that the dam would be created. No-one received such a letter. Had they been asked, residents could have pointed out that young children live near the dam, which is in the middle of a well-used local shortcut across a creek..."
• 'Dam busters' win battle of Drysdale, by Kim Waters, Bellarine Independent, 19 August 2011. DRYSDALE residents have claimed victory in a six-month battle against an “urban dam” at the end of their court, according to a lead objector.
  Ryan Court resident Lesley Bennett started a “vigorous protest” after council gave the green light for the 18-square-metre “water retention basin” in March.
  Mrs Bennett said the dam, on open land at the end of Ryan Court, filled up after one day of heavy rain.

Central Walk Drysdale advertising privately owned land as part of their development

There have been quite a few objectors to the way the new Central Walk Drysdale subdivision has been marketed. Many private properties have been included in the plan without the agreement of the individual owners.

The Bellarine Independent reported in "Plan was City idea: developer" on Friday 19 August 2011 that

CITY Hall asked developers to include private properties in advertising for a new Drysdale residential estate, according to the company behind the project.

Urban Land Developments director Ross Closter said council endorsed a development plan that appeared in advertising for the estate.

Mr Closter said the City requested that he include the privately owned properties surrounding the development to show how the area “could be one integrated development site”.

The Independent revealed last week that residents surrounding the estate were “surprised” to see their properties for sale as part of the development.

Seems like all this Council wants to do is give real estate developers what they want at the expense of local residents. Must be only 15 months to the next election.....!

Planning Permits - Drysdale Clifton Springs July 2011

From the Geelong Council Monthly Decision Report - July 2011 - Geelong Council Agenda 23 August 2011.

369/2011 - 124 Clifton Springs Road, Drysdale VIC 3222 Two lot subdivision 6 July 2011 - Notice of Decision to Grant a Planning Permit Delegated Authority - 2 Objectors

144/2011 - 142-170 Whitcombes Road, Drysdale VIC 3222 Use and development of a caretakers house 8 July 2011 - Refusal to Grant a Planning Permit - Development Hearings Panel

Design and Development Overlay 14 is back on the Geelong Council Agenda tonight

Design and Development Overlay 14 (DDO14) - Dwellings over 7.5m Review is scheduled as Item 3 on the Geelong Council Agenda tonight.


The (DDO14) control within the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme requires dwellings over 7.5m in height to obtain planning approval prior to construction.


Drysdale and Clifton Springs are affected - refer previous post on this for map. 
Recommendation is that Council:


1. Prepare an amendment (C245) to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme, subject to authorisation, to:
a) Amend the MSS as required including deleting reference to further work (DDO14 review) in clause 21.06-6;
b) Draft a new schedule to the Design and Development Overlay (based on the document version in Appendix 2) which relates to areas identified as having access to views in the municipality and tailored objectives and decision guidelines to assist decision making;
c) Update the planning scheme maps (based on the maps in Appendix 1) to apply the DDO to the identified areas and delete it from all others;
d) Delete DDO14 from the area covered by SLO8;
e) Include the DDO14 over 114-158 The Avenue (south side of the street only) and 84 & 86 Tuckfield Street Ocean Grove.


I wonder if they will have a quorum tonight on this issue?


Update 9 Sept 2011 - The minutes from Council meeting of 23 August 2011,  in relation to this item, state:
Cr Macdonald moved, Cr Doull seconded -
That Council:
1. Prepare an amendment (C245) to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme,
subject to authorisation, to:
a) Amend the MSS as required including deleting reference to further work
(DDO14 review) in clause 21.06-6;
b) Draft a new schedule to the Design and Development Overlay (based on
the document version in Appendix 2) which relates to areas identified as
having access to views in the municipality and tailored objectives and
decision guidelines to assist decision making;
c) Update the planning scheme maps (based on the maps in Appendix 1) to
apply the DDO to the identified areas and delete it from all others;
d) Delete DDO14 from the area covered by SLO8;
e) Include the DDO14 over 114-158 The Avenue (south side of the street
only) and 84 & 86 Tuckfield Street Ocean Grove.
Carried.

More Info on the Griggs Creek proposed Bridge

Still no word on the outcome of the Griggs Creek bridge.

However, Dryclift Days has published a great overview of the status of the proposed Griggs Creek Bridge linking Bay Shore Avenue with the Jetty Road Development, entitled "A troubling bridge over local waters".

There is also a small article published in the Bellarine Independent on 12 August entitled "Bridge bypass to Guy’s office".

Jetty Road - a Bridge too far - article from Geelong Advertiser August 10

Today's Geelong Advertiser has published an article entiteld "Jetty road a bridge too far: City rides roughshod over concerns of residents" by John Boland - a Clifton Springs resident and former journalist and TV news producer - (page 22 August 11, 2011 issue).

The article discusses the implementation of the Jetty Road Master Plan for Clifton Springs and the Bay Shore Ave / Griggs creek bridge proposal - some highlights below:

"A linchpin of this plan was a north-sout road through the estates from Portarlington Road. this was to link all the estates currently under construction. At the last meeting of council planners and ratepayers, we were advised there was now to be no north-south road for 15 years, if at all....

Unfortunately, this decision completely land locks an estate being developed with sea frontage blocks.

These estates are worth billions of dollars. City hall planners decided to overcome the land-lock by having a bridge built from Bay Shore Ave, which is a dead end street, across Griggs Creek. About 30 meters before Bay Shore Ave ends at Griggs Creek, there is a T-intersection from Kewarra Drive. It would share the traffic increase brought about by a bridge.

Both Kewarra Drive and Bay Shore Ave are two-lane private streets. Should vehicles be partked on each side of these streets for example, it is extremely difficult for another vehicle to pass. Niether private street has footpaths, like most other streets in Clifton Springs....

The latest decision announced by City Hall planners is to build a bridge of unlimited tonnage. This would enable double bogies, trucks, cement mixers, crane vehicles and all other types of construction vehicles to access the land-locked estate for years to come.

Unfortunately the story doesn't stop there. The planners also announced Bay Shore Ave was to take 3000 vehicles a day. This was never in the master plan. Bay Shore Ave currently would take at most 30 vehicles a day and never more than 50. Never could it take 3000 vehicles a day...

Ratepayer-residens were advised last week that State Planning Minister Buy has received a report on his investigation ino the Clifton Springs fiasco. We are advised he will make a decision soon."

Related to this article is the report regarding the C230 Jetty Road Growth Area Stage 1 Development contributions plan which was tabled at the Geelong council meeting in April.

Geelong council Meeting 27 April 2011 Minutes

At the Geelong Council meeting 27 April 2011 - Agenda item 1 looked at the C230 Jetty Road Growth Area Stage 1 Development Contributions Plan.

This amendment proposed a Development Contributions Plan (DCP) for the Jetty Road Growth Area at Drysdale and Clifton Springs.
This was a Council initiated amendment and seeked to include the DCP as an incorporated document in the Planning Scheme and apply a Development Contributions Plan Overlay to Stage 1 of the growth area.
The amendment also proposed a Public Acquisition Overlay (PAO) over private land between Portarlington Road and the Bellarine Rail Trail for a new north-south collector road into the growth area.

A total of eight submissions were received with 2 submissions supporting the
amendment in full and a further 5 submissions objecting to certain aspects.

The 2 supporting submissions were from the Corangamite Catchment
Management Authority and Barwon Water. The objecting submissions were from
the four Stage 1 developers, Vic Roads and the owner affected by the PAO.

Key issues in the objecting submissions include: timing for construction of the east
west and north south collector roads; the pedestrian bridge over the north south
road at the Bellarine Rail Trail; request for Stage 2 to contribute to the east-west
road; Vic Roads request for the north-south road to be provided early; objection to
the compulsory acquisition of land for the north-south road; query on the need for
golf course netting; claims that the costs and contingencies are too high in the
DCP; and a request to reduce the community infrastructure contributions.

Submission from Vic Roads

Vic Roads request for the north-south road to be provided early - The growth area requires a new north south road with an intersection at Portarlington
Rd. The timing is for the road to be provided at 900 lots. The road is shown as Parts A & B on the map in Appendix 1-4.
Vic Road's submission (number 6) is that the North/South Rd should be operational
from the early stages of development (400 lots) to share the traffic load between the
North South Rd and Jetty Rd. Vic Roads is responsible for upgrades to the
Portarlington/Grubb Rd/Jetty Rd intersection but cannot indicate when this will occur.

Officer Response -
Council officers do not support this submission. The initial staging of the growth area
concentrates development close to Jetty Rd and Wyndham Street. It will be some time
before development occurs along the route of the North South Rd. The North South
Road will be constructed during development of Stage 1 but Council officers believe
400 lots is too early and 900 lots as exhibited is the appropriate trigger point.

Compulsory acquisition of land for the north-south road

Submission number 5 from the family of the elderly owner/resident of land (Mrs Stabb) affected by the proposed PAO raises a number of objections. These include questions as to why the land isn't acquired from the Golf Course instead, and concerns regarding negative impacts on farming activities on the land, quality of life, privacy, access and fencing.

Officer Response - Acquiring land from the Golf Course would require major works to reconfigure the course to suit and, as the Stabb property is within Stage 2 of the Growth Area, it is seen as a more appropriate option.
While there will be a loss of a strip of land the remainder of the property should not be
affected. Compensation at the time of acquisition will be provided. Access to the property will be provided from the north south road when it is eventually constructed.

There may be a small impact on the privacy of the Stabb household but this can be
minimized with planting and fencing along the road. To lessen the immediate concerns of the Stabb family it is recommended that purchase of the land is delayed by 2 years so that the land is acquired at 450 lots as opposed to the DCP current timing at 150 lots (i.e. after one year of development).

Refer minutes from the Geelong Council April 27, 2011. The minutes also recorded the following decision on this Agenda item:

Cr Macdonald moved, Cr Doull seconded - Carried-
That Council having considered all submissions to Amendment C230 to the
Greater Geelong Planning Scheme resolves to:

1) Request the Minister for Planning to appoint an Independent Panel under Part 8 of the Planning & Environment Act;

2) Refer all submissions to the Panel;

3) Submit to the Panel its response to the submissions generally as outlined in this report.

Hopefully common sense will prevail and the bridge over Griggs Creek will not proceed. Councillors really should start to listen to residents or come next election they might be replaced.

Drysdale Primary School Trivia Night - 13 August

On Saturday 13 August, the Drysdale Primary School is hosting a trivia night from 7 - 11pm to raise funds for the re-establishment of the school's play area.

It is being held in the school hall - cost is $10 per ticket and it is for Adults only.

BYO food and drink.

Contact the school on 5251 2272 for tickets and information.

Drysdale Library will close from 29 August for 2 months

The Drysdale Library will be redeveloped to increase community space to allow for more activities, improve layout and increase public computers with internet access from two computers to ten computers.

 

For this to happen the Drysdale Library and the Geelong Council's Drysdale Customer Service Centre will close temporarily from Monday 29 August 2011 for approximately two months.

 

The Geelong Libraries website advises library members to access the service at other branches in Ocean Grove, Queenscliff or Newcomb or via the mobile library stops at Portarlington, Leopold and St Leonards. 

More information is available from the Geelong Libraries website.