Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

Please enjoy the Summer news with many varied stories and your feedback. Love your letters, which provide the stories…. Thank you.

 

Planning for Growth

Why?  We were asked by the SA Government to plan for 3,440 new dwellings to our existing 17,650 dwellings by 2051. The Unley Council Plan for consultation shows the capacity across the city to accommodate an increase of over 6,200 new dwellings.  We believe that we shouldn't just be building out and extending Adelaide forever across our agricultural farmland, our food bowl.  Nor should our next generation be needlessly financially forced to the outer reaches.

 

Will Unley become unlivable?

Council unanimously approved “Planning for Growth” for consultation and congratulated our staff for the work undertaken with us, and this is now for you to consider. Council has to work within our State Planning Code. Council has sought progressive changes to the State Planning Code. The Plan recognises that action is needed and seeks to address our current problems 1. Tree canopy loss   2. Lack of open Space, and then much more. 3.4.5.6.7… The Plan aims to support new dwellings that better accommodate all ages within our community, with opportunities for increased population, greater housing diversity, local employment, and services.

 

Will Unley become unlivable?

If we continue with current practices, with the current rate of development, then the answer is yes. 2,750 new dwellings are being added by 2051. An example of current practice in play is development at 290 Unley Road, which is following all of the existing rules and practices, and demonstrates why. 290 Unley Road has removed a significant tree, a regulated tree, and a third tree, as pictured. The new building leaves no space for a single tree. On hot days, it’s now a radiator, not a cooler! In 2024, we are still removing two trees for every one planted. An area the size of Unley Oval is lost each year. Council is planting trees equivalent to 1-1½ Unley Ovals each year. We run out of plantable Council land in 2028. Then gradually, yes. Unley will be like the suburbs in Sydney with 10% tree canopy and 55°C days.

 

Council Action

Please find attached the letter that the Council sent to the Minister for Planning seeking his approval for a 10-year financial incentive tree offset trial.

The Trial: ONLY new developments that increase the built-up area will either have >15% tree canopy or be required to pay 10% higher rates. I have also attached letters of support from the other political parties and the candidates running for the seat of Unley. With Labor in Government, we now await the Minister’s response to our request.

 

When discussing the King William Road north 10-storey code amendment on the corner of King William Road and Mary Street, we went to the Minister for Planning to advise that we needed three inclusions for new code amendments, to ensure that Unley remains liveable, cool, and green. We need more open space!

The three inclusions, especially if you live next door, are:

1.             30 °angle to the zone boundary, to provide for winter sun and privacy.

2.             >15% tree canopy cover – our tree canopy offset incentive is needed, or $54M annually to buy land to plant trees on. This is more than our rates each year!

3.             That new development fits in with the City Plan, e.g., considers parking, traffic congestion, waste, energy, flooding, etc.

I have also attached answers to questions that I have been asked over the past 7 years about our Plan, and if you have a new one, your question is very welcome.

Please let my assistant, Amanda, know if your email has changed or if you wish to be removed from my newsletter email group abates@unley.sa.gov.au.

Focus has invited our Manager for Development and Planning, Don Donaldson, to share and discuss our “Planning for Growth” on Tuesday, 11^th November at the Unley Community Centre located at 18 Arthur Street.

 

I hope that Unley’s children and grandchildren will have a liveable, cool, and green City in the decades to come.

With my best wishes,          Michael    

Mayor Michael Hewitson AM

 

Winter 2025

Dear Friends and owners of Unley,

I hope you enjoy the winter news.

If alive, We all get old

Rate Rise +1% CPI

Justin’s rate notice

If alive, We all get old

Rate Rise +1% CPI

Justin’s rate notice

Museum is closing 2026 to expand!

The Neighbour’s tree

Fire Fighting Bicycle

Strong support 40kph

Weekly green bins 1/5

Young St Cross Unley Bikeway

 

In July we are undertaking a public consultation on the ‘only option’ to ensure our Tree canopy may achieve our target 31% by 2045. 668 individual residents in our Shaping Our Tree Strategy on Private Property Consultation all came up with the same idea. “There should be a minimum canopy for new developments that increased the building footprint.”

Council unanimously approved consulting on our policy that all and only new developments that increase the built form, will either have 15% tree canopy or pay 10% higher rates into a fund to buy land to plant trees. Across Unley, including private property we remove two trees for every one planted. We will eventually lose our canopy. With less and less land to plant trees on, we will never be able to regain it. Some Sydney Suburbs with 10% tree canopy now have >50°C days, over 10°C more than their neighbouring suburb with <40°C.

Grade four students at Goodwood Primary School (GPS) visits Council and asked lots of questions. They learn how a debate with information can lead to a different understanding.  After workshops, and a debate, the Council makes lots of unanimous decisions.  However, Council also makes many decisions where there is no right answer. (“Unless it is the one that agrees with my opinion!”) Both Councillors and the community are divided. Black Forest PS students debated, “Should dogs be allowed off leash on Goodwood Oval” their answer by majority was, NO’ Without DEBATE 85% of the GPS said, Yes.

I invite your comments and concerns. Thank you to Justin, Elizabeth and Kathy for your feedback.

Michael Hewitson AM Mayor of Unley

 

Dear Friends and owners of Unley,

I attached an $80.00 tree canopy voucher application that opened on the Monday and closed on Thursday. Hence, this slightly early newsletter. (The newsletter was sent out to 3,000 recipients just before 5.00pm and the all the vouchers had been taken up by 6.19pm. )

If alive, we all get old

Rate Rise +1% CPI

Justin’s rate notice

If alive, we all get old

Rate Rise +1% CPI

Justin’s rate notice

The museum is closing in 2026 to expand!

The Neighbour’s tree

Fire Fighting Bicycle

Strong support 40kph

Weekly green bins 1/5

Young St Cross Unley Bikeway

 I hope you enjoy the winter news.

In July, we are undertaking a public consultation on the only option to ensure our Tree canopy may achieve our target of 31% by 2045. 668 in our shaping our tree strategy on private property, all came up with the same idea. “There should be a minimum canopy for new developments that increases the building footprint.”

Council unanimously approved consulting on our policy that all and only new developments that increase the built form will either have 15% tree canopy or pay 10% higher rates into a fund to buy land to plant trees. As we remove two trees for everyone, we plant we will eventually lose our canopy and never be able to regain it. 

I invite you to comment and concerns. Thank you to Justin, Elizabeth, and Kathy for your feedback.

With my best wishes,

Michael

2025 Autumn News

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley, 

           Parking Changes 

 

            Yesterday at a Birthday Party a Forestville resident asked, “We are about to be done in with Parking changes in March. What’s going on?” I had already done the newsletter, so I have attached the changes. Bottom line, those with on-street residential parking permits pay $22.50 each year will now be able to pay $30.00 a year for a parking overstay permit. Why? Parking is limited, and, some streets are half empty all day. We can’t park there. We need to ensure that our parks are able to be used and not empty. The unanimous new policy was recommended by our community shaping committee, hundreds were involved in consultations over 18 months. Thank you to all who participated. 

           Wrong trees in the wrong spots 

             45 years ago, Unley Council planted street trees, some have proved to be the wrong trees in the wrong spot. One problem for some is tree roots… Increasingly we are now putting in tree wells that draw the roots down over 1.2 meters. But that only works for new plantings. Council had a briefing on some problem cases and we are now working on innovative solutions. With houses on the Bay of Biscay soil and no, or inadequate foundations, cracks occur without trees. The street tree is a natural suspect.

             On Monday's Council meeting, Deputy Mayor Jack Gaffey is moving a motion for staff to explore opportunities for the Council to assist residents to retain and manage existing trees. We already cover up to 50% of the cost for residents with regulated or significant trees to safely maintain these trees. One idea to be explored, including the legals, is expanding our conservation grants to also pay 50% of the cost of putting in root barriers to protect buildings from possible root damage from existing trees. 

        Australia Day 2025

This Autumn news is a bit early…. However, 72% of the 842 responding to our Australia Day wanted the Council to hold an Australia Day event. It’s a new event and it’s on this Sunday, Jan 26th, The details are in the attached 2025 Autumn News. 

Topics once again include your feedback and more… 

•     290 Unley Road 
•     Status of Teaching 
•     JP service Australia Day 2025 
•     NEW Cultural Centre 
•     Can existing owners of batteries join? Joining a book club? 
•     Greater ADELAIDE REGIONALPLAN 

    With my best wishes, 

         Michael                                    

  Mayor Michael Hewitson AM

 

 

Dear Friends and owners of Unley,

 

How often have you heard: “Everyone agrees with me”?  We live in a world where we are living in our own echo chambers. The Summer News discusses controversial matters that divide us as well as our Council.  I hope you enjoy the attached Summer 2024-5 Newsletter.

Rates

I went on ABC radio to discuss our Council’s decision to go to public consultation on our policy to have a financial incentive for new developments that increase the built form to achieve 15% tree canopy cover. The incentive is a 10% rate increase until the 15% is achieved. No owner of an existing property will ever pay higher rates for a lack of trees.

 I was asked; “Is Unley discouraging the development of new housing by applying a 10% rate incentive to achieve a 15% minimum tree canopy?”

Unley has been lowering our rates against CPI over the past five years by 6.72%. I postulated that Unley was a great place to do business because of our rate, even for those new developments without 15% tree canopy paying the 10% higher rate, we would be competitive.

The result: We are.

Unley was found to have a lower minimum residential rate in the dollar than all surrounding council areas.

Simply put, the Tree Offset Scheme does not make it more expensive to purchase a high-rise apartment in Unley, in fact, even with the extra 10% charge incurred, rates are still lower than the average of all surrounding council areas.

Comparison of Unley residential rate and average rate of surrounding council areas

From this, it was concluded that the rates payable on a new property in Unley which does not have 15% tree canopy cover (therefore incurred the extra 10% charge), were still comparatively cheaper than rates would be in surrounding council areas without the extra 10% charge.

These figures present a strong argument that it is not unreasonable to include all high-rise buildings and apartments in Unley’s Tree Offset Scheme proposal. Our Unley Central development will have >15% tree canopy, so rates will be more than 10% lower than the average of surrounding councils.

With my best wishes,

                          Michael

Mayor Michael Hewitson AM

 

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

 I am hoping that 2,000 Unley people will tell us what you wish us to do for Australia Day, 2025.  Ctrl/Click here Australia Day 2025... Three yes/ no questions

Please have your say. Your Council voted unanimously asking just three questions.. Your responses are confidential, and I am so pleased that Unley Council you to have your say.

I hope you enjoy the 2024 Spring Newsletter and I thank you for the many emails from you sending pictures and ideas.

Unley Road is a traffic jam. Cars turning right block the RH lane, and buses and others parked block the left-hand lane. Some cyclists are concerned because of a premature news release of a 2001 plan. This plan removed the gutter bicycle lanes from Unley Road.

If we can implement the plan, I believe it would be a win for all, cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.  Please find attached the plan, and why we all win.

Yes, if you disagree, I would love to know why.

Mayor Michael Hewitson

 

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

I hope you enjoy the winter news with just a taste of things happening in Unley…. Including Free event on Unley Oval May 4^th.

There is so much happening in our budget that all I have done is indicated that for the fifth year our rate rise is below expected CPI. Yet we are delivering so much that I encourage you to open the link and explore. (Right Click and then open the link.

2024 2025  Budget for Consultation

The residential rates across Unley have decreased by 5.5% after inflation over the past five years. This year the budgeted rate rise is 3.75%. We believe this may also be below inflation. Our Council costs and salaries are very much tied to inflation so the reduction of debt from around $14M to $4M whilst providing excellent services underlines the great management here in Unley.  My thanks and congratulations to  our to our staff, volunteers and my fellow Councillors. 34% of our residents are renters, and not so because they are rich. With high inflation, rising electricity costs, I am proud that our Council is presenting the budget for consultation.  

2019 -20	2020 - 21	2021 -22	2022 - 23	2023-24	Financial Year
17001	17072	17514	17569	17638	Number of Residences
$32,006,234.00	$32,268,792.00	$33,233,654.00	$34,892,919.00	$37,040,475	Total rate paid
$             1,882.61	$          1,890.16	$      1,897.55	$         1,986.05	$             2,100.00	Average
113.7	114.6	117.8	122.7	132.4	CPI for year	March -March
2.90%	0.40%	0.39%	4.66%	5.74%	Average rate rise
1.80%	2.40%	2.79%	4.70%	7.91%	%CPI	March -March
1.10%	-2.00%	-2.40%	-0.04%	-2.17%	Rate rise after Inflation	-5.50%

 

However, the bottom line is Councils are about people and the future liveability of Unley. We are developing our plan to 2050 and our shaping Unley tree canopy on private property shows that we received 668 individual submissions from you asking for a minimum % tree canopy on ALL development sites that increase the building footprint. Our planet is getting hotter, and people die when the temperature is in the 50’s and you cannot afford air-conditioning.

With my thanks for your involvement and concern,

best wishes,

                          Michael