Dents Paddock
Waiting for options about renaming of park. Lee James will be starting a Friends Group
Groves Reserve (SCOPE)
Regarding the large scale removal of trees from the site. Adrian Hyland looked into it. This is Crown Land under lease. Council will be issuing an infringement notice as no permit was given for removal of trees. Will they be required to replace 3 for each one lost?
Key points
Updates for bushland team
Tristan spoke to us about ACTIVE Kingston.
Peter Scullin plans have been passed by Council as is. There was generally positive feedback. In fact there were requests for more built structures. Supplied us with plans.
Future plans – there will be a Master Plan for Peter Scullin & Hazel Pierce Park between the bridge and pier. Plan will be released and we will be able to comment.
Other topics discussed were the positioning of the Electric Vehicle Charging Station in Peter Scullin carpark, palm trees and the use of plants of local provenance plans in future projects, the placement of 1,000 picnic tables around Kingston and the need for BMX trails and appropriate skate parks.
We have copies of images of the cliffs before they were removed (thanks to Stephen and Google). Continue reading
Summer Edition of Kingston Residents Association, Brad Lewis report received.
Consumer Affairs have been contacted and KCEC is dormant at the moment and as Stephen is retiring as the Treasurer it was suggested that KCEC funds be transferred to MBCL and the money used for donations to other groups. This is allowable if donating to a similar group and under $10,000 There was no decision made.
Plans have been altered but unavailable. Will ask Tristan Smith Senior Landscape Architect to bring them to the April Meeting.
Letter to Age/local paper regarding removal of cliff and extension of footprint.
Brad explained his role as Team Leader of the two branches of Foreshore and Bushland.
Main points –
We thanked Brad for his attendance and invited him back on a quarterly basis. He has offered to send us a monthly report.
Plans have been passed. Susannah Kenny Council Officer informed Judy that a Electronic Vehicle charging station is planned for Peter Scullin Reserve Carpark. Concerned about solar panel recycling and Raid Antigen Test packaging waste.
DELWP have allowed the removal of a large section of the cliff to allow vehicle access to beach.
We met with coordinator of the project Brad Lewis (Team leader Bushland and Foreshore), he will be attending our February meeting.
Mordialloc Creek Wetlands work to commence soon.
Project of Parks Victoria for the whole precinct including Pompies Landing and Attenborough Park.
Mordialloc Creek DELWP/GHD urban design for the future use in view of population increase. Comments from boat owners :
Opportunity to comment on Tim Richardson web site and Your Kingston Your Say. You can also register with LXRA for a Community Consultation and Engagement Session.
Your Kingston Your Say during September & October. Using a shared digital mapping tool you are able to contribute to mapping out a pedestrian and cycling- friendly Kingston.
Guest Speaker Tony Collins presented a comprehensive report on the work of the NRA team commencing with the loss of Rob Jones to Bayside Council and his replacement with Lee James. A Green Corp Project, a training scheme for ten 17-18 year old students on work experience aims to fence the spinifex area at Bay Street. Work continues on the south bank of Mordialloc Creek with funding provided by Melbourne Water. Mordialloc College Years 9/10 students are involved in this project supervised by the NRA team. Plans include extending the riparian zone. Friends of Mordialloc Creek will assist with a planting day 5th June. Friends of Chicquita Park met with Tony Collins, David Digby and Jeff Yugovic as part of the community consultation to cost a vegetation management plan for the park. Concern at a statement made at an open council meeting that, “there should be a councillor on the committee who is opposed to the retention of the park in order to provide balance!” There is also reluctance to including the 2.4ha per 1000 people ARCUE measurement in the Open Space Review to give an accurate estimate of the lack of open space in Kingston. Met with Catherine Costello from Biosis on site to plan for the hand over of Epsom’s Herb Rich Grassy wetlands in January. 8000 plants per year are planted on the foreshore from Carrum to Mentone. A trial with geo-textile sand bags is planned to attempt to arrest erosion at Bonbeach. Still concern at the vandalism of foreshore vegetation in Kingston and Bayside. Request to write to Council asking for signs to be erected at the scene of tree vandalism. Discussed the siting of the Bay Trail Bicycle Path. This will involve a consultation process June 7th at Brindisi Street. Thank Tony for keeping us informed of the valuable work of the NRA team.
VCAT Hearing re four town houses in an Incremental Change Area in Chelsea. KRAMMED was an objector on behalf of residents. This development is 800 metres from Chelsea Station.
1259 proformas collected during the campaign opposing the 5 storey development were sent to Mary Delahunty and presented to council by Nina and Brian. The architect /developer of 541 didn’t waste any time, the precedent having been set. A similar application is now before council for 334-337 Station Street, Chelsea. None of the three State Government reps. have shown any interest in preventing inappropriate development in either Mordialloc or Chelsea. The June edition of the VLGA Bulletin asks a pertinent question. “Do we want activity centres or congestion centres? Certainly traffic congestion will be increased both in Mordialloc and Chelsea shopping strips if these developments proceed with 21 apartments and four retail outlets proposed for Chelsea and 16 apartments in Mordialloc.
Pitrones Retirement Village in a Green Wedge was supported by Council’s Strategic Planner but opposed by Councillors so will now go to VCAT.
We wish to express our sincere thanks for the Melbourne Water Newsletter Grant which will assist with the cost of mailing, p/copying, faxing information to MBCL members.
Friends of the ABC Mordialloc Branch, Metropolitan Transport Forum, Victorian Channel Authority meeting Chelsea Town hall, KRAMMED Resident Action Group.
Green Wedge Defenders, Duck Inn 6th July, Green Wedge Farmers meeting at Bangholme Soldiers Memorial Hall August 9th, Kingston Conservation and Environment Coalition Mordialloc Neighbourhood House 7.30pm 20th August. KRAMMED AGM Parkdale Uniting Church 17th September. Guest Speaker Nigel Kirby President SOS.
Following representations from KRAMMED, Mordialloc Village Committee and local residents Kingston Council agreed to hold a public meeting to allow Mordialloc residents to express their concerns at GHD Consultants plans for the area. Watch for information about the time and place for this important meeting.
After an exhaustive consultation process the report was presented to Council July 9. Congratulations to Chris Dance consultant, Lindsay Fraser and Environment Officers on the outcome of the landscape study of Kingston’s fragile foreshore strip.
There is concern at Council’s approval of ‘tearooms’ for both lifesaving clubs. A 20 seat facility at Parkdale LSC and a 60 seat ‘tearooms’ (open 7am-11pm) at Mentone LSC. There is inadequate parking in the car parks or on Beach Road. Already there are reports of cars parking around the War Memorial at Parkdale. Penny will report to the Mentone Village Committee to seek assurance that the Village committee will be included in discussions.
Congratulations to Tony Collins and team who have been employed by Kingston Council to maintain our Natural Bush Areas. Welcome Back to MBCL president, Brian, who visited his family in Vienna. Hullo to former MBCL president, Dr Len Warren, who called to catch up with Mara and Mary. Len lives in Perth and works for the CSIRO.
Submissions have been sent to the Environment Assessment Review and the EPA Road Traffic Noise Strategy.
Workshops attended:- Economics for the People, the second reclaiming Australia Conference at Trades Hall. The focus was on the General Agreement on Trade & Services which could see the Howard Government agreeing to privatisation of our service
industries. such as postal, water, telecommunications, with protection for the environment reduced.
It was felt that there should be a public meeting prior to the Council agreeing to the consultants report. A request has been made to the Mayor for a public meeting to allow the community to express their concerns over the proposal to permit four storey developments in the study areas as well as other important issues. Thanks to the Rowan Woodlands committee for their submission to the Mordialloc Structure plan.
Guidelines have been strengthened in the second Draft policy document. The funding of a coordinator to oversee the management of the guidelines was queried given the heavy debt burden which the City of Kingston has.
A very successful Forum was held at RMIT involving delegates from all eleven Met. Green Wedges. Each delegate gave a thumbnail sketch of the issues and pressure for development in their Wedge. As a result of work by the Wedge Defenders efficient press officer, two excellent front page articles appeared in the Age 3rd and 4th June.