Well planned?

Well planned?

“In your face” issues such as locating a crematorium in a quiet rural residential area are outcomes of a City Plan that is poorly designed with inadequate community input. If you think that the new Redland City Plan won’t affect you, think again!

The City Plan 2015 will set out what kinds of things can be built and done in all parts of the Redlands. It determines building density allowed for each block of land and decides where commercial, retail and industrial activities can be carried out. Areas of “green” space should be preserved for community enjoyment and environmental conservation. Future requirements for roads, powerlines and other infrastructure should be anticipated and land set aside.

Seemingly minor changes in the wording of planning rules can have a huge impact on what developers can do with their land. Activities which Council has not been able to approve in recent years may suddenly be allowed by the new City Plan. Overnight, bulldozers could start clearing land for high density housing estates in areas that you thought were open space or rural residential.

Who pays?

Who pays?

As well as the prospect of unattractive “in your face” developments, the City Plan 2015 will also affect your hip pocket. This is because when developers turn a peaceful rural area into a busy new housing estate they only pay for a small part of the costs for things such as new roads, water pipes, sewage treatment, parks, libraries and so on. So who pays for most of these costs?

Existing residents like you, will subsidize the infrastructure for new developments through the rates you pay each quarter to the Council.

Why you should attend a consultation activity

The Redland City Council is undertaking a limited amount of preliminary consultation while it prepares the new City Plan. If you have a home in the Redlands you should be concerned about the City Plan 2015. Make sure that you know what changes are being proposed and ask lots of questions about why they are necessary. How will the City Plan affect your rates bill over the next few years? What impacts will proposed changes have on your neighbourhood? What about other areas that you currently enjoy?

Examples of questions that should be asked

Redlands 2030 Community Plan

Redlands 2030 Community Plan

  1. Is the draft City Plan consistent with our published Community Plan?
  2. Are the Council’s population growth forecasts credible?
  3. Will new housing areas be developed where infrastructure costs will be minimal?
  4. Will the plan provide enough open space and shared recreation facilities in all areas of the Redlands?
  5. Will environmentally important areas be conserved?

Community consultation activities coming soon

Council’s original intention was to develop a draft City Plan behind closed doors (with ongoing input from major land developers). Then they would get a blessing from the LNP Government and have the minimum amount of public consultation that is required by law.

As reported in the Bayside Bulletin, on 19 March 2014 Councillors Bishop, Boglary, Elliot and Ogilvie proposed to have community involvement in the development of the draft City Plan but the majority of councillors (Hardman, Hewlett, Talty, Beard, Edwards and Gleeson) voted against the motion, with Mayor Williams absent.

Take a few minutes to view Cr Paul Bishop’s Notice of Motion (NOM) for community engagement.

Instead of seeking widespread community input into the draft city Plan, Council has opted for a tightly controlled flow of information with limited feedback opportunities. This consultation process appears to have been carefully designed to ensure that there is minimal real community engagement while enabling Council to produce Mayoral statements that it has consulted extensively. Just like it did with “consultation” about the Toondah Harbour scheme.

Council has set up a web page to inform people about the City Plan process and obtain feedback.

Information about the Redland City Plan 2015 is on display at Capalaba, Cleveland and Victoria Point Library from Monday 14 July until Saturday 9 August 2014.

City Plan 2015 consultation forums have been scheduled for the period 14 July to 9 August 2014 at the Capalabah, Cleveland and Victoria point libraries.

Attendance at these forums will be limited by the size of the venue (20 people per session) and the mandatory requirement that people book tickets (free of charge) via an on-line booking system.

The draft Economic Development Strategy will be the subject of City Plan 2015 Community Forums held at Council libraries. People must book tickets on-line if they wish to attend.

Session 1 – Capalaba Library,  Thursday 24 July 2014,  from 6:00 to 7:00 pm

Session 2 – Cleveland Library,  Saturday 26 July 2014,  from 2:00 to 3:00 pm

Session 3 – Victoria Point Library, Thursday 31 July from 6:00 to 7:00 pm

Then there will be three sessions at which people will be provided with information about the Redland City Plan 2015 and the land availability study. People must book tickets on-line if they wish to attend.

Session 4 – Capalaba Library,  Saturday 2 August, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm

Session 5 – Cleveland Library, Thursday 7 August from 6:00 to 7:00 pm

Session 6 – Victoria Point Library,  Saturday 9 August from 2:00 to 3:00 pm

There may also be displays in other parts of Redland City but details have not yet been made available..

Make the most of this very limited opportunity to find out how the City Plan will affect where you live, work and play.

Of course if you want to have your say about the City Plan or the process being used to develop it you can always contact your local Councillor or send an email to all Councillors and the Mayor.

9 Comments

Martin Hunt, Aug 31, 2015

At the commencement of the process for the development of the new planning scheme, Council officers put forward plans for extensive public consultation during and after the the development of the new plan. Planners wanted to ensure that the public was engaged in the plan making at an early stage and travelled along with the process. Unfortunately a majority of Councillors rejected this outright and opted for the absolute minimum requirement required by law so that there was the minimum amount of public input. It is unlikely that the public will even be able to digest the proposed changes in the new planning scheme in the minimum public notification period let alone mount an effective response .. and of course this is the objective.

This will be a plan for the Mayor and the development industry not for the people of the Redlands. Already the development industry and particular high profile local developers have had far more consultation on the new planning scheme than any community group or member of the public. That will be particularly evident once the plan eventually comes to light.

Toni, Sep 06, 2015

Martin oh so very true, your skills and professionalism is sadly missed in Redland City Council. Your knowledge and understand of good planning and ethical outcomes is also a huge loss to Redlands. The community should acknowledge the work you did in trying to get the best outcome for the greater good yet now it is the best outcome for those who donated to the last election campaign, Now the words should be Williams Will destroy what we came to enjoy.

Felicia Jackson, Jul 08, 2014

I can speak from personal experience that a lack of community consultation results in development applications being approved that totally deviate from what you would have expected in your area. Perhaps community consultation will assist at developing planning outcomes that provide better certainty when purchasing your dream property.

Dave, Jul 09, 2014

Planning certainty in the current system is about development certainty. Any form of “no” to development is not seen as an acceptable form of certainty. It seems to many only a “yes” to a DA is an acceptable form of certainty.

Community consultation followed by eternal vigilance. Sure the Mayor now claims to have listened to the people and reduce the Toondah Harbour heights and Marina, but what mind set started the “good” idea to give up planning powers to the state, the sell a park, to foster an 800 bert marina and 15 story development. Why didn’t the planners listen to the community views going back to late 1980’s and then again in August 2013? What happened to all the “other” people said to support the original scheme….were they real given there is no mention of these submissions in the formal consultation report
So community consultation …yes, absolutely but some open process to be satisfied that community input is heard.

Then we need leadership and commitment by politicians to stick to those values (and their election commitments). I could go on, but development decisions are forever, the legacy cannot be undone.

Paul Bishop, Jul 06, 2014

For so many reasons, at this time, I urge absolutely everybody in local, state and federal territories to do much more than just ‘pay attention’ to unfolding events, I urge you to:
• actively engage with one another about matters and issues of importance,
• maintain with conversations with elected representatives (followed by observations of their choices and subsequent follow up conversations),
• consider whether your long-term future will be served by short-term political promises
• encourage local discussions, meetings, gatherings and community conversations about what matters to your future
• foster understanding about the difference between local, state & federal government responsibilities and their impacts on Your life and future
• support local, understand local, engage locally and make human connections in as many transactions as possible…
• remember that when democracy becomes a spectator sport, you are paying with your future as others plan theirs, with all likelihood, at your expense.
• work with positive people who love what they do (as opposed to negative people who hate others work)
• enjoy living in this wonderful city and know that unless you can define what you love about this place, it will likely be sold in the name of economic growth and prosperity…
• respect self and others

Tomt4u, Jul 06, 2014

Well said Paul.

Peter Turnbull, Aug 11, 2014

I agree with these sentiments but I don’t see any corresponding action from Council.

One other thing Council has not picked up on is the high number of development professionals willing to be involved in proactive action (refer Toondah Harbour Workshop). Council has in the past made polite noises about “really wanting to engage with interested people” but these words have just been spin for the media.There has been no follow up by Council. In past Planning Scheme Reviews I have been involved in (either leading / delivering or participating as a industry group representative) the Councils’ established technical working groups or encouraged “community elders” as mechanisms to provide advice to the Council and act as information conduits with the community.

It would appear Council may as well be undertaking the Review in the Mayor’s office with “friendlies” without wishing to engage people who might have different or dangerous ideas that don’t correspond with the Mayor’s blinkered views (refer “the community”).

Instead of the “People’s Plan” this one with be the “Mayor’s Plan”.

Please note: Offensive or off-topic comments will be deleted. If offended by any published comment please email thereporter@redlands2030.net

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