Friday, October 16, 2009
General Systemic Issues
If you have general concerns about the MornPenShire PlanningProcess, how it works, or how it doesn't work; post your comments here. These will then be summarized into discussion threads for you to have your say on specific systemic issues jeopardizing the planning process. Once these are compiled they will be presented to Council as the word of the combined planning groups.
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I recently tried to use the Electronic Planning Register with on-line search criteria and did not find it user friendly. Need more search criteria so we can find what we want without having to look through every planning application to find what we want.
ReplyDeleteNeed to have more search criteria by classification (retail, industrial, etc.) Need to be able to separate by classification.
Also need to be able to subscribe to the register for certain classification so you get and email when added to the register.
Many times developers come in and discuss options with the planners quite in advance of putting in a planning application so by the time the application goes in it is loaded with inputs from the planner.
ReplyDeleteThis might sound like a good idea except that but the time the planning application is advertised the planner has a lot invested and it is almost like his application being as it has so many of his inputs.
The developer knows the rules and let him apply to the rules in the first place rather than waste the planner’s time hand holding him at the expense of doing other things the planner should be doing. we do not hire these people to be consultants to developers.
At a minimum there should be some kind of register that we can access early in the game so we know what projects are on the horizon as soon as the planner does. Guidelines need to be established as to when a project gets registered. Maybe a register of intent must be filled out B4 contact with a planner can be accessed and then all register of intents be posted on a register.
Posted at request of Jim Wright
ReplyDeleteHi Joe,
We met at that GetUp chat someplace around the back beaches, some months (or was it years - time just drifts by on the Peninsula !) back..
In an earlier life I was a civil/structural engineer and worked a lot in the local government and town planning areas, though I later moved into IT. One of my employers (Loder and Bayly) was a highly regarded town planning consultancy, where I worked on the City of Meloburne master plan (c. 1975) among other things.
One thing you might like to note re developers is that many of them buy land or buildings cheaply because of the planning restrictions and then move heaven and earth to try and overturn the restrictions.
When BHP built their original HQ on the corner of William and Bourke Streets, we protested that the building exceeded the plot-ratio for the site (i.e. it was too large). The Council officer we spoke to said that BHP had told them that if the proposal was not approved, their business would move to Sydney. As the Council officer said "business is business!".
This sort of issue is why it is so difficult to get early information from planning authorities - there is often a lot of bribery and coercion going on in the background which they, while they try to fight it, do not want their failures to be too public.
If i can be of any help in the engineering/planning area, let me know. While I have been away from it for a long time, the issues in my day were much the same as tehy were then and there may be a lot of good ideas whose time may have come.
Regards,
Jim Wright.
In recent months an application for subdivision was submitted by a local developer. Over 75% of the residents living in the affected estate objected.
ReplyDeleteObservations from the time a board is displayed in front of the property to the time a decision was endorsed by MPSC councillors the following is worthy to note:
A significant portion of our community lacks a basic understanding of the planning process hence require accurate and objective information about the process and assistance with the formulation of an effective objection.
The community is cynical about the role of Council and VCAT in planning matters because they have not been encouraged to seek out information about the planning process nor have they witnessed a VCAT hearing.
Conferences that are organized between the permit applicant and objectors was not convened or facilitated by an experienced planning officer who has a high level of communication, presentation and negotiation skills.
It is unclear which applications may be referred to a council meeting for consideration and which applications are delegated to a panel of planners, under delegation, to determine a decision in relation to a planning application.
There is little evidence that sufficient resources are set aside to educate and support residents within MPSC in regards to the planning process and the vital role residents can play in influencing planning decisions.
It may have been beneficial for the MPSC to produce a submission during the recent VCAT review and request that VCAT consider scheduling hearings within local communities (ie council chambers, other community buildings). This would encourage members of the community to sit in on various hearings and observe our justice system at work.
I would like to indicate I am deeply concerned at the practice of developers making a donation or a contribution to Council along with a Planning Application - is this a common practice?
ReplyDeleteClearly this activity may have a "Community Benefit" BUT it can place Council officers in an invidious position, lead Council Officers to make a decision which is extremely "coloured" , lead to lack of attention to Objector concerns who maybe merely "Joe Citizen" and be open to other unsavoury activity.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar with the above comment at all and the first I have heard of it. I have asked advice from TheShire on the issue and will post the answer. Please contact me at mornpencouncilwatch@gmail.com as I would like to have a very confidential discussion with you about this serious allegation.
ReplyDeleteJoe Lenzo, Editor