Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

My last blog showed how the Black Forest/Clarence Park community responded to the Government’s Planning & Design Code (PDC). In numerous other posts, while I have trusted the Government’s intention I have questioned their ability to get the Planning reforms right.

In this blog I wish to highlight what Council is doing. I can say the City of Unley is leading the way and speaking up in analysing the Code.

 

Planning & Design CodeWe (Council) have devoted significant resources to analysing the PDC. We found this was necessary due to the size and detail of the draft Code. Likewise because it is full of errors & omissions. Errors & omissions that do not uphold the Minister’s promise of transitioning like for like. Errors & omissions (on reflection) that must be inevitable in transitioning 72 Council Development Plans into the Code .

Our administration have provided an in-depth analysis into the entire document. Our City, Strategy Committee unanimously approved my motion supporting that work as our submission to the Government. Council last night endorsed the committee’s recommendations.

 

This submission goes well beyond the issues I have recently raised in this forum. It certainly mirrors my observations of the problems in the draft code but goes further.

 

It replicates also my observations as to how to address these problems. That is to transition the current RB350 zone into (not the General Neighbourhood Zone but) the Suburban Neighbourhood Zone. Likewise, to transition the current numerical values contained in the RB350 Zone into the Technical Numeric Variation Overlay of the Suburban Neighbourhood Zone.

It mirrors (as one would expect) my belief that Council’s should not only be re included as a contributor to future Code changes, but they should take a lead role. It also highlights the sense in delaying the introduction until it is ready for implementation.

There is so much more, the detail of which is too great to simply highlight in a blog post. Should you want more information on Council’s submission you can find it here.