Following from some recent Council bashing in the Advertiser and other media my reponse is as follows. Councils only exist at the pleasure of state government: state government makes the rules and regulations and Council must implement them, often without any additional funding.
When it comes to outdoor dining a clear path must be left for pedestrians to pass and most places seem to do this well. However, for a vision impaired person who uses a cane they need to be able to use the cane to hit a solid surface to be aware that there is a corner (hitting the cane on random chairs doesn't give any guidance). Hence the tables and chairs must be nearer the roadway and away from the shop front; it makes sense and generally works. Councils did not make this rule but must comply to it.
The state government decided what trees are significant and under what circumstances and Council must decide (or their Development Assessment Panel) which can be removed. If they fit the government gudelines they're gone. It is clearly eveident that most residents think they are too easily removed and developers who still think the regulations are restrictive.
Even in today's paper one person was commenting on the LeCornu site in North Adelaide. It is not Council who is preventing development, they have approved many proposals and more recently the Development Assessment Commission approved a plan. It is the developer, the one who says you can't make any money in Adelaide, who is not moving forward and always has been. Please direct blame where it lies.
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