An appeal by two Central Rd landowners has been lost on legal grounds, although Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal vice-president Michael Macnamara had some compassion for their situation. "In a general sense it is difficult not to be very sympathetic to the ratepayers in this case," he said in his finding. "By buying and settling on relatively large allotments in a rural living zone they have opted to turn their backs on the more intensive residential development...
The applicants had to show that the special charge would not provide a special benefit to them, both now and in the future.
Mr Mcnamara said he was "inclined to think" that the benefits of the works, being the installation of connected plumbing, were not worth what the applicants were being charged..."
Waive that Charge or it's 'wave goodbye'! DryClift Days, Thursday, March 8, 2012. "There is growing astonishment at City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) councillors' unanimous decision to compel residents of Drysdale's Central Road area to pay thousands of dollars each for a developer's drain. The councillors' decision was reinforced by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeal Tribunal (VCAT), to which residents appealed - and lost. The residents have nowhere else to go. VCAT's decsion can be appealed in the Supreme Court, but this would be an extremely expensive undertaking - specially for this group of people, which includes many retirees on fixed incomes..."
Council down the drain in Drysdale, by Joanna Carson. Bellarine Times, March 6, 2012. "The Drysdale and Clifton Springs Community Association (DCSCA) urges ratepayers to vent their anger at the City of Greater Geelong in the upcoming elections. Ratepayers in the region are angry at the unfairness of massive bills being faced by the Central Road neighbours of a proposed retirement village. They are being told to fund new drainage works needed for the village, and have been hit with charges of between $3,400 and $257,000, depending on the size of their property. The developer will only pay $349,000 of the $1.1 million cost. Two residents of Central Road, both who are pensioners in a Rural Living zone and are facing a $70,000 plus bill, took the council to VCAT but lost their case last week. The retirement village land is zoned residential, unlike land along the drain's path..."
VCAT tells residents, 'Pay for developer's drain'! DryClift Days, Wednesday, February 29, 2012. "The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has just told residents of the Central Road area of Drysdale that they must pay the cost of a developer's drain...."
Council's 'Special Charge' not cut and dried, DryClift Days, Wednesday, February 8, 2012. "On February 6 2012, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) reserved its judgment on whether the City of Greater Geelong (CoGG) can levy a 'Special Charge' of many thousands of dollars on residents from Central Road, Drysdale..."
