Consultation

Consultation Program

Council is committed to enhancing communication with the community and is seeking input on a range of Council policies, projects and activities.  A Community Consultation Policy and Action Plan has been developed with a range of initiatives now underway to improve consultation.
Extensive research was conducted with the community and within Council's branches to establish where consultation improvements could be made and to explore new ways of consultation. In December 2005, a new Community Consultation Policy and Action Plan was adopted.

Proposed Bridge Road Special Charge Scheme Renewal

What is a Special Charge?

A Special Charge is an annual fee paid by businesses in a designated area for the encouragement of commerce and retail activity through activities including research, developing business plans, marketing, advertising and promotion.

Council would like to hear from as many businesses and property owners as possible in relation to this proposal, so that it is able to make an informed decision about whether or not to declare the Special Charge. You can tell Council how you feel about the proposal by making a written submission and/or objection.

A person can make a written submission in relation to Council’s intention to declare the Special Charge.
In addition any person who is required to pay the special charge under a lease has a right to object to the proposed declaration of the special charge and may also make a written objection.

An occupier is entitled to exercise the right of objection if they submit documentary evidence with the objection which shows that it is a condition of their lease that the occupier is to pay the special charge.

Written submissions must be received by Council by Thursday 26 June 2008.
Any written objections must be lodged with Council by Thursday 10 July 2008.

• Notice of Intention to Declare a Special Charge Bridge Road Precinct
• Bridge Road Special Charge info sheet

Helen Ruddell,
Coordinator Economic Development,
9205 5303 or helen.ruddell@yarracity.vic.gov.au

Proposed wetland for Edinburgh Gardens

Yarra City Council, with the support of Melbourne Water, has developed draft plans to incorporate an environmental wetland in Edinburgh Gardens.

The wetland has been designed to save 15 mega litres of water each year, normally used for irrigation, and to act as a stormwater run off filter, improving the health of Merri Creek and the Yarra River.

Forty percent of the project, valued at $915,000, is being funded by Melbourne Water.
The wetland will also create an attractive new habitat for native animals, birdlife, lizards and frogs through the planting of primarily Indigenous wetland plants.

Yarra City Council held a community information session about the wetland on Saturday 28 June. Feedback can be given to Council up until 11 July 2008.

A report outlining the community’s feedback will be presented to Council in August before a final decision about the wetlands is made.

• Community Information Session

Proposed ideas for buildings in Edinburgh Gardens and future options for North Fitzroy Library

Yarra City Council is conducting extensive community consultation on several ideas involving the Maternal and Child Health Centre and International House buildings situated in the northern end of Edinburgh Gardens, and the future of the North Fitzroy Library, situated at 240 St Georges Road.

Council seeks feedback from residents on the possibility of:

• Upgrading and combining the current Maternal and Child Health Centre and International House buildings in the northern area of Edinburgh Gardens
• Providing the Yarra community with a new and improved North Fitzroy Library
• Co-locating a new North Fitzroy Library as part of this upgrade or continuing to search for a suitable site for a North Fitzroy Library in the St Georges Road Precinct.

  What: Community consultation session
  Where: Edinburgh Gardens Maternal and Child Health Centre, corner St Georges Road and Alfred Crescent, North Fitzroy
  When: Saturday 19 July 2008
  Time: 11.00am to 1.00pm

These proposals are in the early stages and Council is keen to talk to residents about them before making any decisions. Residents can provide feedback in the following ways:

• Attend the consultation session on Saturday 19 July 2008.
• By making a written submission by email to info@yarracity.vic.gov.au or by mail to Yarra City Council, PO Box 168, Richmond 3121.
• By filling in a questionnaire and returning it by mail (detach and fold for reply paid) or dropping it into the Richmond Town Hall at 333 Bridge Road Richmond, the Collingwood Town at 140 Hoddle Street Abbotsford or to any of the Yarra Libraries branches,

All feedback is required by Monday 28 July 2008 and will form part of Council’s decision making process. Council will inform the community of the outcome of the consultation process in September 2008.

Fact Sheet and Questionnaire

Yarra Matters Panel recruitment

The Yarra Matters panel is made up of 700 Yarra residents who represent the community in terms of age, gender, neighbourhood and housing tenure. The panel was established in 2005 and since then has provided important input from the community on the development of a number of different policies and programs. The panel is recruited by telephone with resident called and asked if they want to join the panel. This recruitment is supplemented at festivals and events and from people who request to join the panel.

Telephone recruiting will begin on Tuesday 10 June and will take a few weeks however recruitment at festivals and events continues all year round.

If you have and questions about the panel or would like to become a member please contact Helen Jennings on 9205 5096

The future of the North Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct

Yarra City Council has been consulting on a draft Urban Design Framework (UDF) for the North Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct.
The UDF covers the area bounded by Alexandra Parade, Queens Parade and Smith Street and is largely taken up by the former Gasworks site which is owned by the State Government.
An Urban Design Framework (UDF) is a tool that planners use to guide any future development of an area to try and ensure that it is suitable (both use and built form) and fits well with its surrounds. It is not a set of development plans.

This large and important site in the City of Yarra is owned by the State Government, who has indicated that the site may be made available for redevelopment in the future.

The purpose of the development of a UDF for the site is to ensure that some guidelines are in place over built form and use before any decisions are made about its future.
The draft UDF aims to:

• ensure that built form along Queens Parade and Alexandra Parade contributes to their significance as boulevards;
• strongly encourage the use of tram services along Smith Street and contribute to the character and vitality of the shopping strip;
• improve pedestrian and bicycle access into and through the precinct;
• accommodate community facilities;
• create useful public spaces for the community and improve those that already exist; and
• capitalise on development opportunities resulting from the need to excavate the site for soil remediation.

The draft UDF presented a range of suggestions, put forward to give the community some ideas to think about when considering the future of the site.
During the public consultation period in May 2008, Council held an information session on to explain the draft UDF and gain community feedback.

Some residents raised concerns about the future of the park bordered by Napier Street, Queens Parade and Alexandra Parade. Council recognises the importance of providing good quality open space areas for residents, and is always looking for opportunities to increase the amount of open space. Council has already received a significant amount of feedback about retaining the location of the park and will take this on board.

• draft Urban Design Framework (UDF) for the North Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct
• North Fitzroy Gasworks Precinct Fact Sheet

Council will be considering all public submission received at its meeting in August. For more information, please contact Vivien Williamson, Manager Strategic and Economic Planning on 9205 5350 or vivien.williamson@yarracity.vic.gov.au.

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Further information

Regarding Consultation - Culture & Community Planning
Richmond Town Hall
333 Bridge Road Richmond
Telephone 9205 5160
Email info@yarracity.vic.gov.au

Links

Within this site
Yarra City Council home

The Future of the GTV9 Site - Community Consultation Meeting

External sites (Yarra City Council accepts no responsibility for the information or opinions contained within external sites)
pt4me2 is a public transport consultation project that uses new ways of communication, such as blogging, friend network websites, and SMS, to provide more ways for the community to have a say on public transport issues. It is a project of the Metropolitan Transport Forum, which represents 18 local councils across Melbourne, including the City of Yarra.

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