Fairy Hills Newsletter

Dear community of Fairy Hills and other concerned citizens of Ivanhoe and beyond,  

This issue of Fairy Hills News highlights the latest developments with the IGS Plan and the Council’s intended changes to the Parking Permit Policy – This policy affects all areas of Banyule – but especially near shopping centres, railway stations, hospitals and schools.

Ivanhoe Grammar School Plan

 The new Ivanhoe Grammar School Development Plan (approved June 9^th 2015), has recently been endorsed by the Council’s Planning Department, after IGS submitted some of the required changes during March 2016.

 Unfortunately some of the required changes were not made as per Council’s June 2015 Resolution and some of those that were made, sit further back in the document well after statements to the contrary appear in the Plan.

 The Fairy Hills Ivanhoe Resident Group representatives on the Council’s IGRIG (Ivanhoe Grammar Residents Interest Group) have been following the endorsement process keenly, and have made several submissions to Council staff regarding the errors and inconsistencies that still exist in the Plan. At this stage it is not known if these problems can be rectified, resulting in a Plan that in the future could be misinterpreted by Council staff and the School.  

 Resident Parking Scheme: The New Resident Parking Scheme around IGS got off to a measured start in February this year, with Council posting warnings on all cars in the permit area over 2 days. School Staff appear to be abiding by restrictions. For some School Staff, the scheme is quite inconvenient - due to a lack of existing on - site parking at the school and the fact that the school has exceeded the permitted number of students and staff under its planning approvals. (Relative to parking supplied) 

 As part of the IGS approved New Plan the school will increase on-site parking -  with a new car park under the South Oval. Staff will access the new underground car park from within the existing Fairy and Elphin St Car Parks and a new main entrance from Russell St. This entrance will also accommodate visitors on weekends and after school.

  The new Car Park will be a minimum of 128 car spaces and 160 bicycle spaces and will be connected to a vehicle turn around and drop off in front of a new Sports Stadium to be built on the school’s existing on site tennis courts.( Also part of the New IGS approved Plan ) -  School Tennis will move to Chelsworth Park.

 As part of a Council brokered, compact with the community, patronage for activities after hours will be limited to a number calculated from a planning tool called the “Place of Assembly” Ratio.  This ratio will be applied to the number of on-site car spaces supplied for after hours use. The spaces available for calculating this figure – will not include parking within the existing Fairy and Elphin St Car Parks, - except for 7 spaces adjacent to the oval  This is in keeping with previous Council approvals for the School which protected the properties on the west of the school from early morning and late swim school drop-offs.  

The new IGS Plan also partly protects adjacent properties to the east –where extra traffic will be experienced entering and leaving the new Car Park entrance (Which will be slightly further north in Russell Street than the existing Scott’s Parade car park entrance.)  Measures are included in the Plan to limit the effect of car headlights after hours - on residential properties in Russell Street.

  As part of the IGS transition-to-compliance with its New Plan, some extra car parking is expected to be allowed by Council in the School’s Merton Street properties. This permission is expected to be on a temporary basis only. - Contact Council planning staff (Andy.Wilson@banyule.vic.gov.au and joel.elbourne@banyule.vic.gov.au ) - for more details on having a say about these possible permits.

 The FHIRG reps have argued strongly for more measures to be employed by IGS to increase staff parking – including  its All for Pets Car Park and relocating marketing and other non teaching related IGS staff to the school’s Mernda campus – There will be a severe lack of parking for staff while the new Underground Car Park Sports Stadium and Senior Centre are under construction. Reducing the parking pressure on site as - would be a sensible move.

 Parking Permit Policy Review

 Recently you will have become aware that VCAT approved Parking Waivers for large scale Multi-Unit Developments around Fairy Hillsare now coming back to haunt developers.

 The ground floor of the new Marshall St development for example was given a complete parking waiver for the proposed restaurant and cafe functions and a partial waiver for residences. Businesses and Multi-Unit residences ( built after Nov 2010) are ineligible for Council supplied Parking Permits – under the current BCC Parking Permit Policy.

 The Parking Permit Policy is now under review. While the deadline is Thursday March 24 th – The weekend is usually allowed for extra submissions to arrive by Monday or in this case Tuesday  morning.

 Please send your thoughts to Council ASAP and include the issues below in your submission or responses to the online survey (- if you are doing that ..)

Issue:

• Cost of Permits ( Cr Mulholland and other Councillors voted in the policy review process -  with a reduction of the cost of the first permit to zero and the maintenance of the existing overall cost of the maximum no. of permits ( two rego related and two visitor permits) . But this was not the officers preferred position – They preferred and overall increase in cost. Make your voice heard on this issue – as anything could happen on the night Council adopts the Policy

• Number of Permits (It is proposed that dwellings currently ineligible for permits due to a dual occupancy or a 3 of 4 unit development, built after Nov 2010 ; now be given up to one permit ( for each of 4 dwellings and two permits for each of a dual occ.) Multi unit developments over 4 in size will still receive NO permits (if built after Nov 2010) and neither do businesses. ( Which are expected to provide their own staff all day parking)

•  Ease of application for special permits for functions such as book club luncheons and parties etc. The current policyallows for the application for extra occasional permits but it is not streamlined as part of normal council procedure and some residents have been discouraged from applying. Some suggestions of how this could be achieved would be useful.

•  Introduction of Permits – How will they be introduced? It is not clear whether the introduction of permits will still be done on a street by street, voting process. NEW much larger zones are a feature of the new policy. Have your say on whether permitsshould still be voted in with a street by street process.

•  The NEW ZONES - The whole of Banyule will be covered by new permit zones – see the maps for the new policy at the Ivanhoe library and the Council Offices.  Roger Fyffe has raised the issue of people in Fairy Hills who have permits but live further from the shops or station being able to park all day with their permits anywhere within the Fairy Hills Zone – including closer to the shops if they want to or right next to the station all day if they choose. This may seem great for those residents but it imposes an extra burden on residents who live in those closer to the station and shops (and even the school) locations. People within our zone are currently encouraged to walk to the station and shops and school because their permits only apply to their immediate street or streets (if on a corner). Should the large zones for permits by allowed? The other parts of Banyule will also be affected – for example residents with permits near the Repat.  Hospital will be able to use their permits to park all day at residential streets close to the Ivanhoe shops and station, and even all day near Ivanhoe Primary School – which has become a school with much depleted parking to the closure of other local primary schools and a huge influx of students and teachers in a small space. Should residents be able to transfer their extra priority for parking to places far from their home? ...And impose on someone else’s street if they choose?

• A PETITION will be supplied on the Fairy Hills website to down load and send into Council and will also be able to be signed at several cafes and businesses over this weekend and up until the matter  goes to a Council Meeting. The petition will seek to maintain the currentarrangements re permits being for near your own house ONLY.

• Issues of privacy – This is one issue that has encouraged staff to make the large Zones rather than have street names on the permits. However a system of area numbers (that relate to your street only) would also maintain privacy and reduce the size o the “Zone“.  The areas could be colour coded or a series of numbers that parking officers only can identify.

• Cost of administration. BCC transport planning staff have suggested that the larger zones will make administration easier. We are not sure if the enforcement department agree? However residents may wish to prioritise fairness?

• Residents could also consider that policing permits could be a worthless activity due to the large size of the zones causing some streets near stations and shops to be just as blocked as before – but with permit holders.   

To receive updates from the Fairy Hills Resident Group by email or to assist with letter drops, or discuss any issues in more detail, contact Robyn Roberts (0427949951) jroberts@alphalink.com.au or Paul Simmons (0411154914)

Eds Robyn Roberts and Paul Simmons - all information to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing.

FAIRY HILLS NEWS

Newsletter No. 21 – IGS Plan and BCC Resident Permit Parking Survey – 30^th Sept 2015

Dear community of Fairy Hills and other concerned citizens of Ivanhoe and beyond, this issue of Fairy Hills News highlights the connection between:

The new Ivanhoe Grammar School Development Plan (approved June 9^th 2015), the recently approved Parking Waivers for large scale Multi-Unit Developments around Fairy Hills and the recently received Resident Parking Survey

What are the problems we face with residential parking?  

v  The new IGS Plan involves building a new minimum 128 space Car Park under the South Oval - with new access from Russell St and indirect access from Fairy and Elphin Sts; The Car Park and other parking on site will NOT however completely meet the demand for staff parking due to allowances the school was given in the 2000 Plan...

v  Unfortunately we fear  the new Car Park, (- just like the other car parks at the south of the school,)  will not be fully utilised by staff – as the proposed pedestrian exits from it to the school - are far from the main buildings ( around Fairy St)  and thus will not be undercover. Members of the Fairy Hills Residents Group lobbied Council and IGS  heavily to have the NEW Car Park moved further north to join the new proposed 5 storey Senior Centre ( - on the site of the current Benson Hall ) - so that staff could access all of the senior and middle school more rapidly and undercover - but to date this hasn’t been an interest of IGS.

v  Currently we also have a problem with IGS street parking - because the staff numbers at IGS have been allowed to grow beyond the limits placed on the school by Council in the IGS 2000 Plan. Even with the Russell St, Elphin St and Fairy St Car Parks full (which they are not currently) there is not adequate staff parking capacity on site.

v   And when the new Underground Car Park is built - A shortfall in on-site staff parking capacity will remain ( - as the school population will increase 20% in size under the new Plan)

v  In addition, we seasonally now have a large number of students parking in residential streets to the point where residents are now finding it  difficult to have adequate vision to safely exit Latham Merton, Rose and Fairy Sts because of long lines of parked cars in Waterdale Rd.

v  The New Plan includes a major Sports Complex south of the south ground - which will be open to the public before school and until 9:30-10pm at night – The visiting public are intended to use the New Car Park –The capacity of the all of the facilities south of the south ground will be constrained to the levels which can be met by Car Parking on site – But will these early morning and late night users actually park in the onsite spaces?   If easy pedestrian access is available from street parking to the facility, the restriction times given in the survey will not protect residents from increased regular outside of school hours visitor parking – Whether at the Sports Centre, at the South Oval (evening adult football teams meet here ) and  at the north oval ( Adult sports teams meet here, as well as Saturday school Sport and a private educational lease of the Junior School for Saturday School ). ( This issue around pedestrian access has not been resolved )

REPLY DEADLINE OCT 9^th - for Parking Survey - But do we need a MEETING with Council Staff, before then, to resolve some issues? – SEE OVER

On the next page - there is more explanation and several queries and issues - which some residents feel need to be resolved before we commit to such a Parking Trial. -  If you feel we do need more explanation, please contact our Ward Councillor Jenny Mulholland – who previously agreed to such an explanatory meeting and suggested that traffic and parking officers involved in the survey should be present. Contact Jenny : 0413986912

Resident Permit Parking Survey and IGS Plan

FREE : 12 month Permit Parking Trial

Other Factors to Consider.......

Parking Survey Evaluation: 

• The council letter describes the evaluation as being on a street by street basis... Wouldn’t it be better to evaluate the east and west parts of Latham, Rose, Merton, Fairy, and Elphin Sts separately?( As they currently have, and in the future could have, different demands )
• Will residents be informed of the actual results of the survey?
• If IGS starts work on their proposed new Underground Car Park (minimum of 128 spaces) and large Sports Centre will residents lose parking spaces to construction vehicle Zones and how will this affect the Survey?

Timing of Trial :

• If we have the trial next year, will Council provide the extra parking officers at this time for enforcement?
• How will IGS cope with staff parking if the amount on site is inadequate (– due to the unauthorised increase in staff over recent years? - and the delay in building the new Car Park) Can it provide temporary extra parking somewhere (e.g. the land it owns behind the Lower Ivanhoe Shops?
• Will IGS construction zone permits override the resident permits when work begins on the Car Park and Sports Centre?

 Should options other than 2hr /  8am – 6pm restrictions be available?

• Would early morning school peak restrictions of 5/15/ or 30 mins parking over the peak  (1 hour), such as in The Ridgeway (east) be adequate to deter all day IGS parking?
• This type of restriction would mean less inconvenience for residents wanting to have gatherings at their home or to have more than two visitors or perhaps tradespeople. The maximum spaces granted by parking permits is 2 residents and two visitors.
• This type of restriction would also allow part time IGS staff such as music teachers, and ESL teachers to have parking if arriving after the morning peak.

Will it be possible to get extra permits for special occasions?

• What about stay at home residents having book clubs, playgroups and /or children’s birthdays and other meetings, lunches or celebrations during the day?

Will permits eventually be FREE – why should we pay at all ? (They inconvenience us as well as the school )

After 6pm School EVENTS and Weekend Sport Parking?

• Residents close to the school experience considerable loss of parking amenity due to after hours and Saturday school sport. This occurs at both the north and south grounds of the school (Saturday - IGS sport, and a private Saturday School at the Junior School; and weekdays after 6pm - adult football / soccer training /events?)
• In addition, The Ridgeway and streets close to it receive all the parking for after hour’s school events e.g. Parent Teacher and Information Nights, Performances, and Guest Speakers, and potentially after hours Community Use – Should these residents be given an extended 2 hour parking option in the survey? -  I.e. up to 10pm and on Saturdays? This could be useful especially when the Underground Car Park is built to capture some of this parent and visitor parking
• And should parking officers work these extended hours? What are their hours?
• While IGS will build a new Underground Car Park to service the increased staff and new Sports Centre Visitors at the south of the school ( new main entrance off Russell St ) won’t extended Parking Restrictions in Russell St / Scott’s Parade and Fairy and Elphin Sts be required to prevent a deluge of visitor parking Saturdays and weekdays between 6 pm and 9.30- 10pm ( The hours of opening for the new Sports Centre ) Surely some encouragement should be given to park in the Underground Car Park ?
• Ø Current unrestricted parking in The Ridgeway between Merton and Rose and the two spaces in Rose St near IGS ( will it change)

 Will IGS staff be able to “borrow “VISITOR parking permits from residents? 

• Teachers, who obviously need to park somewhere, will arrive earlier and earlier to school -  trying to secure a park – making Fairy Hills more saturated with traffic at earlier times as staff  readjust their schedules
• They will be desperate for a park and very cross when they miss out – Will they resort to borrowing? / buying?  Resident Permits – How does Council prevent this?
• It would be annoying for residents to have the imposition on limited parking in their street if the scheme wasn’t working

The Fairy Hills Ivanhoe Residents Group are happy to organise a weekend meeting to discuss all these issues

-          but ultimately some answers need to come from Council. If the Ward Councillor needs a weekday meeting this will be organised by Council - if you would like a meeting with staff and councillors in attendance - OR the time to complete the survey extended to allow for such a meeting

- Please lobby your Council.

REMEMBER

v  DONT forget you can also add your concerns to the SURVEY and call the officer in charge for more information. - Details in the Councils Letter and below

v  If you have not received or have misplaced the letter or would like another Survey – contact the Fairy Hills Ivanhoe Residents Group (as above) for a photocopy or a scanned version by email.

v  Brief comments can also be added to the Fairy Hills Ivanhoe website ( top of the page ) and longer versions can be sent to us by email - to be included if we feel new issues  are being addressed .

UPDATES – Fairy Hills Ivanhoe needs your Email

It is expensive to produce Newsletters every time there is a change in circumstance in issues being followed by the Fairy Hills News - To receive updates from the Fairy Hills Resident Group by email or to assist with letter drops, or discuss any issues in more detail, contact Robyn Roberts ( 0427949951) jroberts@alphalink.com.au or Paul Simmons  ( 0411154914)

 Eds Robyn Roberts and Paul Simmons - all information to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing

4. Availability: willing and able to consult with their neighbours, attend frequent meetings and act energetically to represent the best interests of residents.

 Selection process:  - to choose at least 10 representatives to be put forward to Council by the local residents as their preferred Representative Group.

• All residents within Fairy Hills (ie. all sides of the school between Heidelberg Rd , and Chelsworth Park and the Yarra) are invited to a meeting on -

Sunday 10^th Nov at 3pm at the Seddon St Uniting Church Ivanhoe

•  They provide their name, address and phone no. on entry and receive a ballot paper;
• Nominees briefly address the meeting and answer questions from those attending;
• Residents attending this meeting are eligible to vote for their preferred nominees (total of 10);   
• The appointed returning officer collects the Ballot Papers and records the result;
• Residents unable to attend - may vote in writing on a ballot sheet provided on the Fairy Hills Ivanhoe Group website, and sent it with a neighbor to the meeting. ( Only one proxy per attendee);

These “Proxy” votes will be accepted, by the returning officer, provided another resident at the meeting can vouch for that that person as being a local resident, only at the start of the meeting ; their paper must have the name, address and phone no. of the voter ;

• Voting is Optional Preferential ( ie. non exhaustive );
• Votes will counted at this meeting by either an independent returning officer or a resident approved by that meeting or both , and the results will be announced immediately;
• The selected nominees will be sent to the Banyule EIO process as a group selected by the residents of Fairy Hills;
• We assume they will have a good chance of success at being chosen as our representatives.

Feedback from the Residents’ Working / “Interest” Group

Once formed, the Residents’ Working Group will publish on the www.fairyhillsivanhoe.com  website its contact details, and any dates for meetings with Council Staff and the School, that it becomes aware of – so that residents can have input into those meetings with any new information or queries. It is expected that their details will also be on the Council Website

How to continue to be involved:

Its anticipated that the Residents Working / ‘Interest’ Group – will have other meetings amongst the community to discuss developments at the Council/ School/ Resident Meetings – These should be open to all residents. We encourage everyone to stay closely in touch with their representatives and to attend such meetings. Fairy Hills News will continue to update the community about important developments as well. If any major changes occur in the Schools Plans the Working / ’Interest’ Group will ask Council to provide a meeting venue suitable for all in the community to attend and hear updates from Council Staff

For further information contact:

Editors:  

Robyn Roberts jroberts@alphalink.com.au

Angela Harridge angelah@structuregraphs.com

OR via the contact page of the www.fairyhillsivanhoe website- leaving your email and / or phone no. and address please.

Suggested Letter to Council Re the Councils EOI Process

“Dear Andy

I must take immediate issue with the condition imposed on those intending to submit an expression of interest: that they are restricted to those able to meet “during ordinary business hours”.  Given the overwhelming importance of the proposed Development Plan to the people of Ivanhoe it is quite unacceptable that Council should exclude from consideration the many fine residents who just happen to go to work.  You will know that residents already have demonstrated their willingness to meet at almost time –weekday evenings and on weekends – such is the strength of their concern about this issue. I understand that the first working group for the IGS first Development Plan met exclusively on weekday evenings and had very good attendance - over two years!

Would you please rescind this condition forthwith, and notify all those to whom your letter has been sent. 

In addition I support the residents electing their own representatives for this panel / interest group / working group and forwarding to Council

I submit my own EOI now but will clarify further after this matter has been properly addressed “*

( * for those intending to nominate )

To Andy Wilson <Andy.Wilson@banyule.vic.gov.au>

ccCEO Simon Mc Millan  -  simon.mcmillan@banyule.vic.gov.au

c/o Banyule council

275 Upper Heidelberg Rd Ivanhoe VIC 3079
(03) 9490 4222