31 December 2012

Rate Overpayment

Thought you might find this story interesting? Broken Hill Council have been ordered by the Court to repay a single ratepayer $7,000,000 in overpaid rates. It seems that the Council have been in dispute with their biggest ratepayer, Perilya mining, over the value of the land that it uses to mine lead, zinc and silver. The result being that after another court decision to determine the correct value  of the land ($4.9 mil and not $21mil) the above amount has been over paid. This has occurred between 2007 ans 2010. The result could well be that other Broken Hill rate payers will see a rise of 50% in their rates in one year.

29 December 2012

Community Update #5; Goodwood Junction

The latest update was released on Fri. The news to be found at;(this is yet to be uploaded) describes the continuing 'early works' programme.
  • The culvert for the Brownhill Creek diversion. Night works for this will continue from 28th Dec to 31st Dec 2012, continuous construction activity will occur.
  • SA Power Networks trenching in Aroha Tce, Lyons Pde and Railway Tce South.
  • Overhead power lines installed in foster St.
  • Reconfiguration of the Victoria St pedestrian crossing.
  • Removal of the rail tracks (7am to 10pm) from the 9th Jan 2013
  • The continuation of the Cromer Pde sewer installation
  • Completion of the site storage at Wayville Showgrounds.
  • Demolition of houses in Devon St and Victoria St (at this stage 2)
  • Culvert installation from 9th Jan 2013
Please remember this project is a state government project, the information hot line number is 1300 443198 and email address dpti@sa.gov.au

27 December 2012

Council Electoral Review

I reported earlier the changes that could be made to the way we distribute our ward  boundaries, the number of wards we have and even if we should elect the mayor at large or allow Councillor's to select a mayor from among themselves. After spending at least $15,000 on this review only one member of the public had any ideas for change, this coming from within Goodwood South. Given this person's involvement in Local Government I'm not surprised they had their say. I can only assume from this that most people are happy with the current arrangement. However, Council still has to consider is they are over governed (too many Councillors) and make some minor boundary adjustments to make the wards the same size. This may mean Kings Park being in Goodwood South again. Once Council has made a decision ( and I suspect we will not recommend anything other than boundary tweaking) this will have to again be consulted.

Keeping You Healthy; Council's Job?

The new Public Health Act that has been in force since Sept should see some changes in the way that Unley manages to provide opportunities to improve your health. Of course, you won't have to take them up! The link below will take you to the article in today's Advertiser. Council is currently responsible for immunizations and environmental health. Under the new legislation Council will have to take a far more active role, first of all  be developing a Plan and them gradually implementing it. Changes Council have already seen is this is the non-smoking initiatives. The new plan might also include education, identifying risk factors in the Community,continuing to provide open space where there is none (pocket parks) and improving bike paths and walkways.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/councils-new-job-is-to-keep-you-healthy/story-e6frea83-1226543799092

23 December 2012

Haulage Routes

This information is now on the DPTI website and worth having a look at. The map now shows haulage routes on East Ave travelling south (this is not new but effects a new group of residents) as well as Dryden Rd, Gordon Rd (south of the train line), Byron Rd and Kelvin Ave (west).
Have these new streets been letter boxed or door knocked?

**NEW UPDATE** HAULAGE ROUTES AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT**
Removal and delivery of materials are essential to constructing the Goodwood Junction Upgrade project as part of the Rail Revitalisation Program. Approximately 40,000m3 of spoil will need to be removed from the rail corridor in order to construct the new rail underpass. Some additional material (including old rail, sleepers, ballast and poor subgrade material) associated with the separate Seaford Line track upgrade and track electrification projects will also be removed from the corridor.
Determining haulage routes and associated traffic management plans has been an ongoing process balancing the needs of establishing efficient routes whilst considering impacts on the community and the local road network. Haulage routes are being trialled during December to finalise the preferred routes and identify any impacts; however alternate routes may be used from time to time depending on traffic conditions and flows on adjacent local streets. This will provide some flexibility in the use of haulage routes in emergency situations or other unforseen events. A separate Fact Sheet describes the routes to be used for deliveries to the site. For further information please click here.

21 December 2012

Brownhill Creek Diversion; Fact Sheet

http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/URPS1973_A4_BrownHillCreek_FactSheet_5HR.pdf

The fact sheet distributed at last Tuesday's meeting can now be found at this location. This describes the current proposal but does not give a lot of detail about proposed future works that  are pending as the Stormwater Management Authority starts on their flood proofing programme.
This detail can be found at
http://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Brown%20Hill%20Keswick%20Creek%20Stormwater%20Project%20-%20ByPass%20Culvert%20Feasibility%20Assessment%20(Hampton%20Street%20To%20Forestville%20Reserve)%20-%2026%20April%202012.pdf. (the Devon St diversion is what is currently being constructed).
This is part of a detailed list of reports that are at;
 http://www.mitchamcouncil.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=1593.
The Mitcham website seems easier to work with on this one!

Christmas Wishes

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas with friends and family. I have enjoyed the opportunity to keep you informed on local issues (mostly Council) and interacting with you from his site. Please keep posting comments, sending emails and picking up the phone to chat. (0416818768). Council opening hours for next week  can be found at http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/sitedata/unity/resources/files/xmas%20hours%20posters3.pdf. If you need some light reading you can also find the Annual Report at http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/sitedata/unity/resources/files/Annual-Report-2011-2012.pdf.pdf

20 December 2012

Residents' Meeting Update

The following is the feedback to DPTI of  concerns from the recently formed Resident Action Group. If you would like to add to this please leave a comment or communicate by email with Luke Faulkner at

Six Areas of Primary Concern

Safety
Residents would like to see further information of the level of land contamination of the site to be
excavated and the rail corridor down which the soil will be removed. They want to see a detailed
management plan for this work and know that it complies with EPA and Safe Work SA guidelines.
They want to know who to contact to stop the job if there are perceived failures or lapses of safety in
the work. The current experience residents have with major works down Devon St is that dust
suppression is lax and there have been reports of uncovered trucks leaving the site.
Noise
The DPTI consistently claims that they have a Noise Model that determines there will be a net
improvement in Noise Levels. They seem to be using this to deny Residents who may now come into
direct contact with the rail corridor specifically and other residents in general any compensation for
soundproofing of homes. Residents want to see details of this modelling before coming to agreement
that soundproofing is not necessary.
Vegetation
DPTI uses vague terms of Corridor Width that have not been defined to residents when they talk of
vegetation removal. This is creating a heightened level of concern and the perception that tree
removal is arbitrary.
Residents would like more definition of what is to be removed, when. They would also like input into
the rejuvenation of the area.
Where areas are substantially affected by vegetation removal, there is an assumption by residents
that they will have imposed on them a substantial value loss on their properties. Residents would like
to address this and seek compensation via increased public amenities such as improved roads and
footpaths.
Works impact
Residents close to the works are worried about the impact of vibration on their homes. Again, the
DPTI claims it has modelling to suggest the work will be inviolate, but has failed to show residents this
modelling. A further concern from residents is the legacy of bigger, more frequent and faster Freight
Trains and the level of increased vibration they may bring.
Again Residents want to see this modelling.
Traffic Management
Covered somewhat in the Communications Attachment, the community would like to see an
advanced communication of traffic restrictions while the works are progressing.
Specifically, people who have to enter the flow of traffic on Leah St. and East Av. already have trouble
during peak periods. With the addition of Trucks, the lack of train signals at Clarence Park and the
rerouting of traffic due to the works this has the potential to be both very inconvenient and dangerous.
A detailed plan for this is desired.
Furthermore, it is noticed that improvements of Leader St Crossing have been dropped from the
original plan. This will leave the Leader St Crossing with
more train traffic (with increased domestic
trains and planned increase in freight trains). This can only have the effect of making Leader St less
desirable to traverse and increasing the traffic load on Victoria St. A plan to manage this is desired.
Amenities
The residents of Forestville and Goodwood value their amenities highly. We live in a close knit inner
city area. As a consequence, we as a community value highly the amenities that exist in our suburbs.
Places like the Forestville Reserve act as gathering areas for community events and provide valuable
open space for residents.
We believe large funded projects offer an opportunity to improve amenity for the neighbourhoods in
which they are located. Beyond the development of a bicycle pathway for two short sections (from
Chelmsford St to the Goodwood station and between Clarence Park and Emerson St stations), there
is little in the way of improved amenity for local residents in the current plans. The DPI submission to
DAC (page 19) stated that there should be established 'a process to ensure stakeholder issues are
incorporated into the successful tender's designs and construction management plan'. However there
has been no such process in respect to improving amenity along the rail corridor in the
Goodwood/Millswood area. Instead much will be lost with the ecological damage occurring with the
removal of significant trees, loss of shade and loss of habitat for native animals and birds. Residents
want to see a greatly increased focus on improving the amenity for local residents in addition to
increased public amenities in lieu of the loss of value of property (see above). Improving
neighbourhood amenity would include improving native habitat, a more attractive landscape
overlooking the rail corridor and the establishment of a continuous dedicated bicycle pathway along
the whole of the corridor in this area.

Communications feedback
Residents are seeking communications about these works that
are timely, accurate, and appropriately distributed.
Timeliness
Perceptions of what is
timely clearly vary. Information is
often provided after works have happened. For example, the
bulletin which arrived on 17 December contained notification
of site establishment in Forestville Reserve which commenced
on 13 December. A significant tree to be removed in Devon
St Sth was notified i in the same bulletin and will happen on 19
December—2 days away. The date of the public meeting
about Forestville Reserve was notified to residents 5 days
before it was to take place, and after the removal of a large
number of trees and shrubs. Many residents wanted to know
about these things and have the chance to have a say about
them prior to their taking place.

Suggestions:
  • Establish a guaranteed response time for the 1300 line.The faster answer times on the line are appreciated. People are still being told to call back in a few days and ask again if what they asked for has not been acted upon.
  • Offer more detailed information on the www. Organise iso that it can be accessed by locality.
  • Distribute bulletins to the local library, post on local notice boards. Set up notice boards at key points like the Victoria St/Railway junction where passersby arecurious.
  • Optimise existing bulletins to residents so that they are easier to follow. For example, organise them by locality or street rather than the type of work being carried out (using the categories residents use not the ones DPTI uses). Instead of listing them in a dot point list of undifferentiated importance, offer more clues about how undifferentiated importance, offer more clues about how much impact the works are likely to have. Offer an executive summary on the bulletins so people who want a one paragraph summary can find it and those who arecurious or worried can access more.
Accuracy
The level of information has been increasing from what many
residents perceive as an initial low base. Residents have
found street gossip more accurate than contacting the 1300
number or speaking to DPTI employees. The provision of
conflicting and incorrect information which has not been
corrected has led to residents having a low level of confidence
in the information provided. For example, this week three
residents of Devon St Sth discovered that between us we had
been given 4 different dates for the demolition of number 48,
which will have significant impact on the street, exposing
houses to the railway l line, noise and dust. DPTI and residents
have quite different senses of what residents should be
informed about. For example, Devon St Sth was closed at one
end with no prior warning.

Suggestions
  • Offer one-stop issue management at the 1300 number instead of referring residents to other sources.
  • Ensure that collaboration between all parties involved in the works is sufficient to allow accurate information to be provided to residents.
  • Correct information if it emerges that it was incorrect or that it has changed.
  • Where final information is not available, indicate when it  is likely that dependable information will be available.
  • Assess whether information provided is meeting resident needs.
Appropriate distribution
It appears that residents of the local area who are not living in
the streets immediately affected sometimes feel they have not
been adequately informed. It also appears that community
facilities such as Forestville Reserve are seen by DPTI to call
for communication with the surrounding streets, while many
for communication with the surrounding streets, while many
residents walk through the park and use it regularly, seeing it
as a community facility in which they have a stake.
It also appears that street signage is directed primarily toward
car drivers and offers little accurate information to pedestrians
and cyclists (for example, it is hard to tell on approach along
Victoria St from Goodwood Rd that pedestrians and cyclists
can cross the railway at Victoria St on foot).
Residents are aware of what the traffic does when no one is
directing it manually, as well as what our friends, visitors and
families tell us; some of us have had experiences such as
couriers taking urgent parcels back to the depot without a card
being left because our addresses are seen as ‘undeliverable’.
Frustrated drivers are making unsafe and complex
manoeuvres to get out of blocked off streets. Yet, we have
had real difficulty in getting responses to suggestions for
improvement acted on via the 1300 number.
Communication with people who are renting is not working as
well as it might, w with renters being asked to approve work that
only their landlords can approve, while renters are not being
given warning of works which affect their residence in very
significant ways.
Suggestions:
  • Wider use of local media.
  • Publicising key works through local facilities like libraries, shopping centres, community centres and schools: people who use these services travel through the local area and are affected by what occurs here.
  • Street signage to be responsive to the full range of travellers (pedestrians, cyclists, drivers).
  • Street signage to be responsive to residents’ feedback when it isn’t working as anticipated.
Suggestions for improvement to the DPTI www site
There is a clearly visible link to Goodwood Junction from the
front page. This is a great start! So is the overall information
presented about the project, the rationale for it and the video.

From that point:
  • Contact Us’ tab has no point of contact for Goodwood Junction and does not even list the 1300 number. Noemail contact is listed.
  • ‘Community Interact’ tab has no survey for GoodwoodJunction.
  • The project is called ‘Goodwood Junction’ in som places but is not linked up to ‘Railway Revitalisation’ of which it seems to be a part. Can links be made? Can references to Goodwood Junction be inserted with appropriate links?
  • The feedback form on the ‘Community Interact’ tab does not list ‘Goodwood Junction’ in the drop down list of projects, and ‘Rail Revitalisation’ may not be selfevidently the same project from the perspective of residents using the site.
  • The localised works notices are just pdfs of the material being letterboxed in the area. This is better than nothing,but could be made more accessible. For example, by organising materials in the way most relevant to residents, by affected area: a map of the local area with links to the works in each street/locality, perhaps.

Is Your Swimming Pool Kidsafe?

I saw this reminder in the Eastern Courier.
Now is a good time to inspect the  pool safety barriers such as gates, fencing, doors and windows for legislative compliance.
Maintaining your pool safety is your responsibility. If you need assistance or advice please contact the City of Unley Building Department on 83725111.
Nothing substitutes for parental supervision in addition to all of these requirements.

19 December 2012

Forestville Reserve Meeting 18th Dec

Early works in the creek channel
Consultation at last, this seems to be the greatest
difficulty with the Goodwood Junction project and the
 associated works. Don and I have called for public consultation as we saw last night from DPTI right from the inception of the project. You need to get the concerned people together in one room to be really consulting, even if you may not like what they had to say.
In the case of Forestville Reserve these are associated works that are being completed now because of the Goodwood Junction project's tight timeline and because the project cuts directly through the current course of Brownhill Creek. The creek must be diverted before any work can start on creating the cutting for the Noarlunga line.
Devon St works have commenced with today being the day to remove the largest of the significant trees. We have been reassured that the wood will be retained by Council and reused in landscaping after the works are complete.
Council has promised to continue to consult with residents on the placement of the culvert in the Reserve, the location of the outlet to the creek and remediation of the Reserve when the works are complete. This sector is the responsibility of Council and forms part of a larger body of works being undertaken by the Stormwater Management Authority.
Peter Tsokas, Council CEO, offered to form a small working party for the  final design works. If you want to be part of this then please let him know. (ptsokas@unley.sa.gov.au) . I'm happy to walk anyone through the project if they wish.

Xmas Lights in Goodwood South



Clearly I'm not the world's best photographer. Given that, Fairfax Ave is a treat to look at and and if you have time there is a great display at the end of Ormond Ave. This one has been put in place by one of my students.





16 December 2012

findyoureverything.com.au

This new initiative of Council is one element of the new digital strategy being used to to develop a new Mainsteet focused Digital Economy Strategy . The website will be officially launched at the Tour Down Under in January.This is costing both the ratepayers and the traders and will, hopefully be seen to be both innovative and successful. To have a look go to www.findyoureverything.com.au . This will be upadted as more businesses take up the initiative.
 

12 December 2012

Kelvin Ave; The Eastern Courier's Final Word


Park bid
canned
CLARENCE PARK
JOHN STOKES
THE on-again, off-again, onagain
plan to close part of a
Clarence Park road to build
a ‘‘pocket park’’ is off – again.
But this time it is for good.
A fortnight after Unley
Council decided to close
Kelvin Ave, between Frederick
St and East Ave, to
create the park, elected members
abandoned the idea last
month – meaning the street
will remain the same.
The decision came after
passionate presentations
from residents.
Residents said safety would
be compromised if traffic was
forced to use George St or
Mills St.
Francis St resident Inara
Gehling was delighted with
the decision after a saga lasting
three years.
‘‘It makes you believe in
democracy again,’’ she said.
‘‘We’re not against parks or
greening but the location was
a safety issue.’’
The plan was first mooted in
late 2009 but abandoned after
more than 200 people signed
a petition calling for the road
to remain open.
The council instead backed
a plan to make the stretch of
road between Frederick St
and East Ave a one-lane, twoway
thoroughfare. The decision
prompted a second petition
for the road’s closure.
Elected members decided to
make it a park again at a
committee meeting on November
12 this year.
Unley Mayor Lachlan
Clyne said the council would
improve the way it consulted
the community so the drawnout
issues surrounding the
future of Kelvin Ave would
not be repeated.
Picture: Noelle Bobrige
Patch Theatre
Company artistic
Its good that John got some of the facts right. There are certainly many lessons to be learned from this.

11 December 2012

Full Council: 10th December 2012

The last meeting for 2012.
The following items were on the Agenda;
  • CEO  Recruitment policy;This was adjourned last month. The main changes from the existing are to ensure that as far as practicable the selection committee of 4 plus the Mayor has equal numbers of men and women and at the very least have at least one man and one woman. The panel would have 5 members which is nearly half of members. However, the final decision allowed just enough wriggle room to enable Councillors to choose an all male(or all female) panel if they wish. After all, according to the debate, some women are incompetent (despite being elected) and should not be on a Panel !!!
  • 671 South Rd, Black Forest; This was also adjourned last month.The motion passed in an attempt to ensure the annexed Council land at the location is rented for a fair price rather than for free as is the current arrangement.
  • Conservation Grants; Over$182,000 of project applications were received. Council budgets $50,000 each year or this initiative. After extensive review the staff have recommended $38,000 worth of grants to eligible homes. Only one application was from Goodwood South and this has been recommended for refusal. Staff will address the flaw in the policy that does not allow for retrospective tree pruning. Passed.
  • Goowood Community Garden; A signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with The Education Dept will allow this project to proceed further. Passed.
  • 39 Oxford Tce-Lease Options; This report attempted to justify why the Unley Community Sports Club  (Sturt)should pay as little as $12,000 per annum to lease a lesser portion than the currently do at Jack's Bar. The independent assessed rental is $45,275 and the current rental $30,000. I'm going to find it hard to support this one?While I did not support this most of my colleagues did. The missing $100,000 in revenue is unlikely to ever be realised, that which can be will be the subject of a further report but not until April. Passed.
  • Road Closures- for street parties;There have been recent questions asked by persons wishing to have street parties or other similar events. The current hurdles put in place are now so complex (think risk management) that most people decide not to proceed. In the old days we simply lined up the rubbish bins and blocked off part of the street for an hour or two without Council consent. A propose structure to do this will make the process easier and Council will carry some of the costs. Given the few number of requests each year this is unlikely to be a huge financial burden. Then again if you live on Goodwood Rd your application is not likely to be approved.
  • DAP Delegations; These are set to be simplified to reduce the workload of the Development Assessment Panel. Public notification will still occur and unresolved representations will still be heard by the DAP.
  • Leah St Speed Cushions; I  put a Motion On Notice for these to be reviewed and data collected as to their effectiveness. There is widespread community concern that the timing for the installation of these was flawed and that public notification did not occur over a wide enough area. Council will hear a Deputation from one very concerned resident. The debate on this was lively and the deputation excellent.Passed.
  • Road Rule198; Motion for the Local Government Association endorsement; This affects the rules regarding parking in front of your own driveway in some circumstances. Passed
  • Disposal of Stormwater; This would be an amendment to our current Development Plan to have more stringent rules around the disposal of stormwater on site.Passed.
  • Australia Day Awards; CONFIDENTIAL
  • East Waste Kerbside Waste Contract; CONFIDENTIAL
The full agenda can be found at;
http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Council%20Agenda%20December%202012.pdf

08 December 2012

DPTI Update

After having my argument with Luigi Rossi, Manager of the Goodwood Junction project, at last Tuesday's meeting  the following have been resolved;
  • The Leah/Aroha/Victoria  intersection will be manned on Monday morning (Victoria St will be closed at 6am) and during peak hours for as long as required.
  • DPTI are considering a temporary pedestrian activated  crossing on East Ave, opposite Chelmsford Ave
  • Workers at the site will be reminded that their vehicles must be parked at the showgrounds and not in the street nearest where they will be working. If one is regularly parked near you and it is causing inconvenience then please let me know the location and registration.
  • The demolitions of property in Victoria st and Devon St may start as early as Tuesday 11th.

Dressed Up For Christmas




The streets are looking great and it's good to see so many homes dressed for Xmas. I hadn'd seen the lavender ribbons before but they couldn't look better on the jacarandas. Next week I'll take some photos of the homes at night, if you think yours look good then please send me a photo to put on the blog.

Forestville Public Meeting; 18th Dec 2012

The public meeting about Brownhill Creek will be held at the Unley Swimming Pool on the 18th December at 6:45pm. This meeting should have been called much earlier but it is now scheduled. Information will be given about why these works are occurring and which authorities are responsible. The main focus of discussion will be the path of and treatment of the water that flows through the new culvert diversion that starts at Devon St South from where it enters Forestville Reserve until it joins the current creek bed. The lack of information and consultation has left many people angry and anxious. Hopefully the meeting will alleviate some fears and allow residents the input they need into the project and an opportunity to retain the pleasant ambiance of the park,

06 December 2012

Does This Sound Like You? Expression of Interest


If you have the skills and interest in being part of this new initiative then Council would like to hear from you.
http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/site/page.aspx?c=24363

Independent Members for Section 41 Council Committees
The City of Unley is seeking to appoint three (3) people to three (3) Section 41 Council Committees in the roles of Independent Members. The three (3) committees are Community and Culture Committee, Development Strategy and Policy Committee and Infrastructure and Capital Projects Committee.
In addition to Independent Members, each committee will include four (4) members selected from the Elected Members of the City of Unley.
Applicants are required to have expertise relevant to the Committee to which they are applying. Terms of reference are available below.
Community and Culture Committee Terms of Reference
Development Strategy and Policy Committee Terms of Reference
Infrastructure and Capital Projects Committee Terms of Reference
Residents of the City of Unley who possess the required knowledge and experience are particularly encouraged to apply.
It is expected that the Committees will meet for approximately two (2) hours, every three (3) months. Independent members receive a sitting fee.
Please submit your confidential application outlining your qualifications and experience to:
Carol Gowland, Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
City ofUnley
PO Box1, Unley SA 5061
Applications will be received until 5pm Friday 21 December, 2012

05 December 2012

Public Meeting ; 4th Dec

About 100 people met last night at Goodwood Primary School to
  • select a committee for a newly formed Residents Action Group
  • to hear a presentation and to ask questions and seek answers  from DPTI about ongoing concerns regarding the Goodwood Junction, rail electrification and Greenways project.
The meeting was organised by Stephanie Key. This is something that Don and I had been trying to get since the project was first conceived and funded. So thanks to Steph for managing to get this.
I was disappointed that Luigi Rossi, the Manager of the project, had not updated his slides in lieu of recent changes. Residents need to understand that this has been, and will probably continue to be, a moving feast. that is changes in detail can still be made if enough people who don't want it complain. This is evidenced most recently by ;
  • the change in haulage routes so most soil will be removed via the train corridor
  • dust management
  • noise abatement measures both during construction and on completion if the current noise levels are not diminished
  • the design of the Brownhill Creel diversion as it enters Forestville Reserve (there will be public meeting just on this topic next week-I don't have the date or time yest)
  • potentially the addition of screens (noise and visual barriers) at some locations
I was definitely the angriest person at the meeting when Luigi directly contradicted what he had told Councillors at a briefing on Monday night. This was concerning the Leah/Aroha/Victoria  intersection when Victoria St is closed to traffic next Monday. He will get back to me on what will happen; either manning the intersection to allow traffic to flow safely regardless of direction or chaos.

04 December 2012

DPA 3 Released for Comment

Further to previous advice regarding the draft DPA 3A, it is confirmed the commencement of consulation will occur on Tuesday the 4 December 2012 with notices to appear in the print media (including the Eastern Courier).  Advice in the Eastern Courier will be repeated during the consultation period.

The Department of Planning Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) are coordinating the release of a package of similar inner metro rim Council and Ministerial DPAs, including a link to a DPTI web-site to explain the broader context.  The minimum 8 week consultation period will be extended with a closing date for submissions on the 22 February 2013.  A public hearing for representors will be held by Council on the 18 March 2013.

There will be information on our web-site (Have Your Say) including the DPA, an explanatory brochure, a fact sheet about the new zone, background documents and community forums will be held on the 31 January and 3 February 2013, in accord with the engagement plan approved by Council in February 2012. David Brown

This only affects planning changes for Unley Rd and Greenhill Rd.  
The link to the Council website is below.
http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/site/page.aspx?c=24326

Haulage Route Wn

Following a briefing last night from Luigi Rossi, the manager of the Goodwood Junction project, last night it seems that those letters and complaints have worked. The haulage route for the majority of the removed soil will  now be within the rail corridor to either Leader St or East Ave. It will still travel along East Ave and Leah St although some will be trucked south on East Ave to Cross Rd. Victoria St and Fairfax Ave will still carry some as well.
We also had an undertaking that the Leah, Aroha and Victoria intersection will be manned initially to ensure safe traffic flow when Victoria St is closed on the 10th December. After the public meeting 4/12 I was left wondering if this is the case!!
The other win was that as far as practicable pedestrian and cycle traffic will be enabled at the Victoria St level crossing as much as practicable and will be sign posted when this is not an option.

02 December 2012

Forestville Reserve;concerns of residents

As the Goodwood Junction project proceeds the area of influence and people affected by the changes has increased. This week DPTI staff were door knocking in the Foresetville Reserve area to inform residents of changes and how they will affect them. From Monday a large area of this park will be sceened off and work will begin on providing access to the areas in which the culverts will be laid so that Brownhill Creek can be diverted. This project must be completed before the bigger project begins or any amount of rain has the potential to delay the project. Their main concerns are about the location of the culvert that will deliver the water back to the original creek bed (near the pool). This location, where the creek has been laid back, is now quite beautiful and enjoyed by people of all ages. One of the suggestions is to naturalise the area  from where the culvert enters the park until the water reaches the current creek location. It is important to note that no changes are proposed to the current creek bed in the park. While this will carry significantly less water it will still drain the local area and in time, when other stormwater measures are completed upstream,  more water.

December Update 2012


November seems to have been busier than usual with many resident questions and queries and a busy schedule of meetings
Of interest are;
  • The Public Meeting on Tuesday 4th December at Goodwood PS; 6pm for the resident’s meeting followed at 7pm with a Q and A with DPTI personnel about the Goodwood Junction and Greenways project.
  • Local Area Traffic Management Plan for Black Forest. This hasn’t been forgotten. A consultant will be employed shortly to get this project on its way.
  • Langdon Ave; residents have requested that Council replace trees that are either missing or in very poor health with one of the selected species and that the streetscape is improved. Staff will undertake a visual inspection of the trees and verges to progress this.
  • The Unley Gourmet Gala that coincides with the Tour Down Under in January will be Smoke Free. Patrons will be asked to butt out when hey enter and signs will remind people that the area is smoke free.
  • Clarence Park Community Centre held its Xmas party on 30th November. This was attended by the children and their families that use the centre for childcare, playgroup or Moving Madness and those that live close by.
  • There have also been numerous activity around the Goodwood Junction and Greenways project. I have had several conversations with DPTI staff on a number of matters and continue to ensure that concerns you have let me now about are on the table to be discussed.

30 November 2012

No Case To Answer


 PRESS RELEASE FROM  UNLEY CITY COUNCIL

Today the Mayor of the City of Unley, Mr Lachlan Clyne, faced court for the final time and emerged the victor.

Defending himself against charges relating to the last Council election, Mayor Clyne presented to court today to restore his reputation and protect his integrity.  Deputy Chief Magistrate Cannon delivered a strong judgment in Mayor Clyne’s favour, finding that he had no case to answer.

“Whilst I have maintained my dedication and focus on my role as Mayor of the City” said Mayor Clyne today after the adjournment, “I feel a profound sense of relief that I can now operate freely and with full confidence.”

The Mayor was represented in court today by Michael Abbott, QC, and was accompanied by his family.  “I have been very humbled by the support I have received from friends, family and the community” he said.

Bike Path Changes?

A resident recently met with both the Bicycle Institute of SA and with Colin Boulden, Goodwood Junction Engineering Manager They discussed the affect of the proposed works on bicycle access. She was pleased to secure this meeting and feels that DPTI  are making steps to improve their consultation processes. She was pleased that she had been able to secure a meeting and feel that DPTI are now making steps to improve their consultation processes.
Issues raised include;
  • The DPTI plan to extend the current bike path the show grounds to go under Anzac Hwy to connect with West Tce
  • That Keswick Station will be moved south of Anzac Hwy and named Wayville
  • The DPTI plan to build a bike overpass at Goodwood Station in the next few years, beside the tram overpass (ideally on the southern side)
  • Consideration of an active level crossing for bikes and pedestrians at Goodwood station, at the southern end of the platform, which is to be shortened during the current project
  • Discussion of the need for switchback on a cycle crossing if it has automated gates.

29 November 2012

Public Meeting

Stephanie Key (Member for Ashford) has now organised the meeting for all  persons who wish to attend to ask and hear answered questions on the Goodwood Junction Project.

Time : 7pm
Date: Tuesday 4th December
Venue: Goodwood Primary School
            140 Goodwood Rd, Goodwood
Prior to this, at the same venue, will be a meeting to establish a Residents Action Group meeting from 6 pm to 6.45pm. The purpose of this meeting is to establish an active interim executive committee and to elect an interim chairperson.
As the forum will be run with  a question and answer format can you please forward questions to Stephanie as soon as possible (ashford@parliament.sa.gov.au) , if possible can you cc them to me as well. I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity for follow up questions and new questions at the meeting.

Greenways Project Clarification

For many people this worthwhile project has been left to one side as the Goodwood Junction project has been more immediate and obvious. However, this project still has some improvements that can be made and DPTI have listened to at least two residents on this matter just this week. Hopefully they will take on board the comments and offer the residents of Cromer Pde and improved outlook and a dedicated bike lane. The letter written after the meeting follows;

Hello Jeanette
Thanks to you and your colleagues for coming to our home on Monday to discuss our concerns regarding the impact of the rail electrification project on Cromer Parade and our thoughts for improving the amenity along our section of the corridor.
As promised I am attaching the three photo posters that we were looking at on Monday. These illustrate our concerns with the current situation as well as some ideas for alternative ways that would actually improve the environment experienced by local residents.
To again summarise our concerns briefly. They are:
•    Visual environment. There are approximately 32 houses along Cromer Pde that overlook the train line. The existing appearance of the rail corridor is appalling. The fence is disintegrating. Weeds are overgrown everywhere. All houses have a view of the ramshackle back fences on the other side of the train line. The new electrical posts and wires will add to the visual mess.
•    Community amenity. The is a extremely large number of cyclists who use this part of the cycle route from the city. It is currently proposed that the Cromer Pde road will continue to be the path for cyclists. We see this as inadequate and possessing several problems. No provision has been made for walkers. It also fails to provide continuity with the Greenway shared path project plan. 
•    Noise. The existing level of noise when trains are passing is extremely high. While the electric trains are likely to be quieter they also will be very much more frequent. There currently appears to be no proposal to provide a sound barrier to protect residents in the rail electrification project. Other DPTI projects such as the Northern line project appear to have done so.
As we discussed at our meeting, our proposal is that these visual and community amenity issues be resolved by:
•    keeping the existing tree line adjacent to the curbing on Cromer Parade. 
•    constructing a 3-metre wide bicycle/walking pathway on the inside (i.e. on the rail corridor side) of the tree line
•    constructing a significant, visually attractive (and preferably effective sound barrier) fence on the inside of the bicycle/walking pathway to create continuity with the Greenway project. 
We also discussed the need to improve the view Cromer Parade residents have of the ugly back fences on the other side of the rail corridor and while we don't have an easy answer to this problem it is of great concern if a sound proof (and opaque) fence is not possible on our side of the corridor. We would appreciate hearing DPTI's proposal on how this problem is to be addressed.
As we have noted previously we were pleased to see that in its submission to the Development Assessment Commission, DPTI states that the Goodwood Upgrade project offers an opportunity to ‘create an opportunity to physically enhance the rail corridor and its immediate environs through ... new vegetation and screen landscaping in adjacent streets. These are positive changes directly related to the project that will enhance the outlook of neighbouring properties and the general appearance of the areas as a whole’ (p37). We assume the same aspiration applies to the rail electrification project as well.
The three photo posters attached illustrate the proposal outlined above:
•    Photo Poster 3 of the Glenelg tramline shows the sort of construction we are proposing with a 3-metre wide dual bike/walking pathway between the tree line and the fence
•    Photo Posters 1 and 2 of Cromer Parade and Canterbury Tce demonstrate that such a construction is possible in Cromer Parade as what we are proposing for Cromer Pde is already scheduled for Canterbury Tce and the entire distance between Clarence Pk and Emerson stations. The photos demonstrate that the space available along the two corridors between the tree line and the rail tracks is virtually identical.
So thanks again for engaging with us about these matters. We are keen to hear the result of your discussions with your colleagues about these issues and ideas. You may be aware that the inaugural meeting of a newly formed Goodwood Junction Rail Project Resident’s Action Group will be held on Tuesday 4 December and we would like to report any progress to that meeting. We will also of course continue providing information about developments to other residents in Cromer Parade.

28 November 2012

East/Aroha/Leah Intersection

Road needs traffic lights'
Eastern Courier Messenger, Adelaide  by  John Stokes28 Nov 2012

TRAFFIC lights or lollipop guards should be put in place on a busy Forestville intersection when the Victoria St level crossing closes for nine months, Unley councillors say.

The crossing between Goodwood and Forestville will be closed from Monday, December 10, until August next year as part of the $110 million Goodwood Rail Junction upgrade.

This will mean drivers will be forced to detour off three streets Victoria St, Leah St and Leader St to make it to Goodwood Rd or Anzac Highway.

Goodwood South Cr Don Palmer said this would lead to congestion of the Leah St intersection.

"The potential is that locals are going to be disadvantaged," Cr Palmer said.

"They’re not going to be able to break into the traffic from the southem rat-run." Fellow Goodwood South Cr Jennie Boisvert has called for 20 years for the intersection to be fixed.

Proper signage about the closure and a lollipop man or woman would be needed during the closure, Cr Boisvert said.

"That corner needs work in any case," she said.

"People will find alternative routes fairly quickly and people will get used to it but the goodwill that’s been extended could wear thin (if the closure takes longer than expected)." Councillors will approach council management to lobby the Transport Department to put extra controls in place.

"It’s not for me to tell them what’s the solution they’re the experts but temporary traffic lights would make sense," Cr Palmer said.

Pedestrian and cycle access will remain open for most of the ninemonth closure as an underpass is built near Victoria St so Noarlunga Line trains can travel below the Belair Line and freight lines.

Signs will alert people when the crossing is completely closed.

A Transport Department spokeswoman said the contractors would consider setting up traffic controllers at the intersection to ease congestion when their trucks were using it. She said the department understood the inconvenience to residents and thanked people for their patience.

For more information or to register for project updates contact the Project Information Line on 1300 443198 or email dpti.rr@sa.gov.au

Caption Text:
UPGRADE CALL: Unley Cr Jennie Boisvert near the Victoria St level crossing, which will close for nine months. Picture: Sam Wundke H0413892