Newsletter May 2105

Unley in Rapid change

Unley Central has no height restrictions

I am after a cool green and light city but the State Government is in control of the rules.
There are no height restrictions....I am after a 30 degree envelope so the surrounding area is light,
not overshadowed.... cool means trees and gardens.....
We need a centre with community resources for all, entertainment, fitness, medical, shopping, ....
watch this space...

Unley Oval

Plans are continuing.... email me to be kept up to date.

 

High Rise Rules Tested

The Result   Suburban sprawl  Governance  and Corruption.

Result  FAIL

244 Unley Road is in a five storey zone. A seven storey development was approved by the State Development Commission in a five storey zone.  This is not close!  See blog below. Our rules are blown apart. Seven is the new five for the whole of Unley Road.

The Commission discussed the application.

RESOLVED

1) RESOLVE that the proposed development is NOT seriously at variance with the relevant provisions of the Unley (City) Development Plan”

Result   40% Wrong

Adelaide’s sprawl

The SA Government should undertake planning for the state and should stop the bituminising of our food growing land around Adelaide. Unley should be given the population targets by the State  to plan for. Unley should develop the rules within this to gain State Approval.  An Unley DAP should consider applications in Unley. The developer should have a right of appeal to a State Development Commission.

Governance

Good governance would separate the approval process from the appeal. The umpire should not be the player. The inner suburbs Development Assessment Commission  is beholden to the STATE Government for its creation. The Appeal process is also beholden to the STATE.

Corruption

In the long term a separation of powers will inhibit corruption.  Councils should make the rules for approval within state objectives. Councils should consider development applications. If refused the developer should have the right of appeal to the State.  

The SA Government has taken over planning for Unley.

http://www.dac.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/161778/IMDAC_Minutes_260315.pdf

Rates Stop Press

Rates Stop Press

For the first time Council has agreed to set a target rate first and to cut our cloth to fit. It was Unanimously passed when a division was called.

"

ITEM 54 MOTION ON NOTICE – COUNCILLOR HEWITSON RE RATES MOVED Councillor Hewitson SECONDED Councillor Hughes That: in framing the 2015/16 Budget, council requests the Administration to provide options and their implications within the target rate of up to the average LGPI for the past five years average plus one %.

If followed through a rate increase will be half of the amount above inflation over the past 10 years.

Dear Colleagues,

Celeste from the Eastern Messenger gave me a call to say that another Councillor has claimed that motion 54 about rate rises would make no difference as the staff have now a long termed plan for LGPI plus 1%.

In response I sent the attached data to Celeste to show the difference it would make if we as elected members stick with a rate rise of up to LGPI plus 1%.

I explained to Celeste that our council without a target rate rise can approve projects and then set the rate afterwards. Money is unlimited? Without the motion being followed through by the Council, the rate could be way above the 3.92% maximum.

This years rate rise would be up to 3.92% if set now because from the first attachment the LGPI average over the past five years is 2.92%. This already 1% below the increase of 4.95% last year.

 Over the years covered in the attached graph the increase in rate rise would have been 30% less. If we follow through over the next four years with a target rate to approve new projects we will need to review our prior expenditure. Money is limited and our expenditure valued and focused. Much more with just little more.

With my good wishes
                             Michael

Unley High Rise planning Rules Challanged

Unley High Rise Rules Challenged

7 Storeys High?  Rules are challenged! 

Submission to Development Assessment Commission

244-248 Unley Road, Hyde Park

Cr Michael Hewitson AM

  South Australian DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1993

  REPRESENTATION ON APPLICATION – CATEGORY 2

Applicant: Xinyu International Group C/- Trice Project and Development Managers

Development Number: 090/M003/15

Dear Alex,

          I am asking the DAC to reject this application in its current form because it is at significant variance to the Unley Development Plan covering 244-248 Unley Road.

 The Urban Corridor Zone – High Street (Unley Road) Policy Area, allowing for mixed use development up to five (5) storeys, was introduced into the Development Plan on the 31 October 2013 via the Corridors Development Plan Amendment.

1.     This plan allows for a 2 metre boundary and a 30 degree building envelope.  This plan is (30 degrees from 3 metres above ground level at the rear/zone boundary).  This is 50% above the rule and is significant for the following reasons

a.     It will set a precedent for every future submission making a mockery of the years our community has spent in negotiating a 2 metre rule with the State Minister of Planning.  (See attached newsletter history from Cr Michael Hewitson demonstrating the sincerity and good faith of our negotiations. I was the Presiding officer for the Unley Strategy and Development committee and argued against expanding our metropolitan footprint obliterating our most productive agricultural land but also for a set of rules the Community of Unley could live with given the State Government's overall control.)

b.     For the residential zones abutting Unley Road including heritage Zones setting a 3 metre rule by precedent reduces the sunlight hours in mid-winter significantly as well as the residence next door feeling they are living with overshadowing for light, sound and vision.

c.      Restriction of views from rear two storey townhouses but no overt treatment of main apartment building given substantial separation distance.

d.     Retaining wall and fence above (3.2 metres above adjacent ground level) for majority of rear site boundary.

e.      Unley has a vision for “green space, trees and sunlight. The removal of a number of regulated and significant trees exist upon the site, most notably on the south eastern corner accentuates the need to enforce the 2 metre 30 degree rule.

2.     A Seven storey building is breaking the Unley Development plan for a maximum of five storeys.  A 40% overbuild is again a precedent setting a significant variation to the plan and zone.

I share with my co councillor for Unley Ward the following concerns.

3.      Traffic management with particular reference to impacts on residents of Hart Avenue and Opey Avenue, and access to Unley Road.

4.      Separation of private and commercial vehicle movements on site. The developer should be responsible for any local traffic mitigation costs for work required to control traffic during and after construction directly due to the project.

5.      Lack of a Construction Statement detailing how building work, including the excavation of the deep underground carpark and removal of spoil will be managed while maintaining access for residents and the adjoining Metro carpark to the south.  Issues that need to be resolved as part of a construction management plan need to include heavy vehicles routes/queuing/standing areas (this will be a significant issue given the extent of excavation)  car parking for tradespersons and construction hours

6.      Failure to commit to a dilapidation survey by an independent consultant of all existing properties adjacent to the site, say within 60 metres, including public infrastructure.

Conclusion

You are addressing the first plan under the new planning rules for Unley Road. If this development is rejected in its current form you will ensure the planning rules agreed to after much discussion, consultation and compromise become real and enforceable. Our Unley community would feel cheated with less.

With my good wishes

                             Michael

Michael Hewitson AM

Councillor City of Unley 

08 82719731 

http://michaelhewitson.blogspot.com.au/

Wattle street changes on the way! 15/12/2014
A cyclist will be able to fit through

Cycling safety and utility

It was all so innocent. I made a commitment in my election flyer to improve pedestrian and cycling safety. I knocked on every door once and ask those at home what issues they had for local government. Some comments included......  "I carted my bike down to the dump after being hit" "Cycling isn't safe in Unley."  and many more including "our cycle paths are a joke, you have to stop and start" "Riding down Unley Road is safer and quicker!" and so the comments came. I received emails and photos of a cycle accident aftermath in Unley! 

Charles Street Unley cyclist and a slow moving car!

Cyclist is taken away by ambulance with broken bones and injuries

As a result, my first notice of motion straight after the election aimed to change this. It was passed UNANIMOUSLY by the whole council.

                                             CYCLING ROUTE AUDIT

“That Council carries out an audit of Unley’s cycling transport routes considering both safety and utility as a transport corridor. The audit should include considering priority when cycling transport routes cross garage entrances or dead end streets.”

Background:

Unley is within the ideal 10 km cycling range where cycling into the city should be faster than all alternative modes of transport into the CBD. Yet only 2% of trips into Adelaide CBD are by bicycle compared to 13% in Melbourne in 2011.

We have a long term plan which removes cycle paths from Unley Road yet our alternative Porter/Rugby Street route is slower than cycling on Unley Road and has a number of unsafe points for cyclists.

Our developing cycle transport routes are encouraging more cyclists. The latest in connecting Charles Pathway across Unley Road up to Porter/Rugby Street route has encouraged access to Unley Primary and into the Eastern part of Adelaide CBD as well as King William Road from Parkside. Yet a single driveway has priority and a dead end street that is only 10 metres past the bike route also completely stops each side of the street!

A single car garage ends a cycle path.
Imagine if every driveway onto a roadway
 stopped the road with a give way sign!

Dead end street with just three car parks
stops the bikeway

Wattle Street Fullarton in Unley
There are six of these forcing a cyclist into the path of cars travelling behind.

Looking back at the cycle crash in Unley
compare our mother and daughter with the Melbourne father and son.
Cars travelling at 10 KPH on a lane have right of way.

A Melbourne cycle way
The cars  give way on serious minor roads

Conclusion:  We should be able to remove over 10% of cars off Adelaide roads by motorists using their bicycles.  Adelaide is drier and  flatter  than Melbourne! If we make our cycle paths safe and enable 25 KPH cycling speeds, we will.
I hope at our next meeting we will set up an Unley Cycling Audit Committee made of of real cyclists.

Our routes are

Unley Formal cycle transport corridors

 Council’s Pedestrian and Cyclist Plan identifies the following as significant cycling routes that are maintained by Council:

1. Mike Turter Bikeway (predominantly runs along tram corridor)

2. Adelaide – Marino Rocks Greenway (predominantly runs along the train corridor)

3. Rugby Street / Porter Street Bike Route

4. Glen Osmond Creek bike route (Through Culvert and Charles Unley)

5. Young Street bike route

6. Wattle Street, Park Street and Mitchell Street bike route

7. Weller Street, Wood Street and Victoria Avenue bike route

8. Duthy Street bike lanes

9. East Avenue bike lanes

10. Leader Street bike lanes

Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

Thank you for your vote of confidence in the election. Together we have achieved so much and yet there is more to do.  I hope following the election we will continue to do so. It is a privilege to provide representation and support when it is needed.
 The election results from the web page for Unley are,

  UNLEY

          Election of Mayor

                   Result

                   CLYNE, Lachlan                                                                            Elected Unopposed

          Election of 2 Councillors for Clarence Park Ward

                   Candidate                       First Preferences Votes                        Result

                   BOISVERT, Jennie                                                                        Elected Unopposed

                   PALMER, Don                                                                              Elected Unopposed

          Election of 2 Councillors for Fullarton Ward

          Formal Votes  1373       Quota    458

                   Candidate                       First Preferences Votes                        Result

                   KURTZE, Peter                                      142

                   HUGHES, Peter                                     387                                   Elected 1

                   LAPIDGE, Anthony                                348                                   Elected 2

                   CENTRELLA, Dario                                261

                   FENDER, Megan                                   235

          Election of 2 Councillors for Goodwood Ward

          Formal Votes  1069       Quota    357

                   Candidate                       First Preferences Votes                        Result

                   SMOLUCHA, Luke                                  355                                   Elected 2

                   SCHNELL, Bob                                      465                                   Elected 1

                   HOLLAND, Ben                                     136

                   JONES, Tom                                        113

          Election of 2 Councillors for Parkside Ward

          Formal Votes  1086       Quota    363

                   Candidate                       First Preferences Votes                        Result

                   HOLLAND, Bruce                                   197

                   PUDNEY, Ben                                       106

                   KOUMI, John                                       224                                   Elected 2

                   GOODWIN-SMITH, Ian                           184

                   HUDSON, Mike                                     375                                   Elected 1

          Election of 2 Councillors for Unley Park Ward

          Formal Votes  1377       Quota    460

                   Candidate                       First Preferences Votes                        Result

                   PUDWELL, Jeff                                     151

                   SANGSTER, Rob                                   434

                   LYNCH, Imelda                                     257

                   BLEBY, Elizabeth                                   261

                   RABBITT, Michael                                  274

           

Election of 2 Councillors for Unley Ward

          Formal Votes  1182       Quota    395

                   Candidate                       First Preferences Votes                        Result

                   SALAMAN, Rufus                                   283                                   Elected 2

                   NG, David                                           236

                   WIECZOREK, Teresa                              49

                   HEWITSON, Michael                              614                                   Elected 1

Thank you.
                                            Michael Hewitson                        Nov 2014