Council meeting recap - 8 June, 2021

A new sporting pavilion will be built in Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve, following a motion by Councillors.

Councillors discussed the planning application, which entails buildings and works to construct a replacement sports pavilion, use of land for a place of assembly (community hub) and associated vegetation removal at 45 Tramway Road, Mount Evelyn.

The proposal is for a replacement sporting pavilion at the Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve, removing the current pavilion and the relocatable changerooms at the site, replacing the building with a two storey sporting facility that features:

• four change rooms,
• gym,
• umpires and officials amenities,
• accessible toilets,
• first-aid room,
• kiosk,
• storage facilities,
• a community room,
• upstairs meeting room, and
• a multi-purpose room and foyer.

Two accessible car parks are also proposed in the application.

The building area under the proposal would expand from 487 square metres to 848 square metres, with 20 trees proposed for removal to accommodate the project (14 of these need a permit for removal).

The project is a result of the Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve Masterplan in 2017, which set out the vision for future use and development of the reserve, balancing recreation needs and aspirations and the environmental sensitivity of nearby Powerful Owl habitat.

Objections were received to the application, regarding the extent of tree removal and impacts on local wildlife.

Council officers reported that the applicant had undertaken negotiations with the CFA to ensure the building would meet defendable space requirements while reducing the extent of vegetation loss. The applicant offered to offset the vegetation loss via a third party, which became a condition of their planning permit.

This project is being funded by Council, the Federal Government’s Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, the Victorian Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund and local sporting clubs.

Councillors acknowledged the contributions of the various clubs, community groups and agencies engaged in the project and unanimously voted to approve the application.

Four double storey dwellings will be built in Winyard Drive, Mooroolbark, following discussion between Councillors at Tuesday night’s meeting.

This application proposed construction of four double storey dwellings, on a site where there is currently a single dwelling.

The site is located within the Mooroolbark Neighbourhood Activity Centre (MNAC) and is well-serviced by infrastructure, such as public transport, and community services. The land in question is within a housing consolidation area, where higher density living is encouraged, to enable efficient use of the available infrastructure.

The application was called in to a Council meeting because more than 10 objections were received – Council received two objections, one of which containing a petition of 20 signatures.

The objections related to overdevelopment of the site, landscape character, bin collection and car parking. However, the application met all requirements under the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme for site coverage, garden areas, accessibility requirements, car parking, flooding, bin collections and the preferred neighbourhood character.

Councillors voted to approve the permit as per the Council agenda.

An application for eight double storey dwellings on Victoria Road, Chirnside Park has been refused by Councillors.

This application proposed buildings and works to construct eight double storey dwellings and the associated removal of vegetation on a 2006 square metre block of land on the west side of Victoria Road in Chirnside Park.

Since the site was subdivided from a larger block of land in 2008, Council has refused two planning application for the site - YR-2014/135 for six dwellings in 2014; YR2018/573 for eight double storey dwellings in 2019.

YR-2014/135 was overturned at VCAT and a permit was issued, but the permit expired.

YR-2018/573 was appealed to VCAT, but VCAT upheld Council’s refusal of a permit.

Council received 11 objections to the application, based on neighbourhood character, development density, landscaping, traffic impacts and impacts on amenities such as bin collections.

While Council officers said there would be sufficient space for bins to be stored and collected, and traffic impacts can be addressed through permit conditions, they agreed with objector’s comments about neighbourhood character and development density for the site.

Councillors referenced the neighbourhood character of the area when unanimously voting to refuse the permit.

Council will extend its partnership agreement with Yarra Ranges Tourism for another 12 months, providing $489,016 in funding to the tourism body.

Council has supported Yarra Ranges Tourism through a partnership agreement since 2006. Through this partnership, Council works with Yarra Ranges Tourism, the Yarra Valley Wine Growers Association and the Yarra Valley Regional Food Group to promote the Yarra Valley, Dandenong Ranges and Warburton Valley as premier tourist destinations.

These groups have demonstrated, through achieving key performance indicators in their funding agreement, that they are successfully leading the development of a strong local tourism industry, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A report will come back to Council on the outcomes of the Victorian Government’s Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan – Visitor Economy Partnerships, and its impact on Council’s future Partnering Agreements with Yarra Ranges Tourism.

Councillors complimented the work of Yarra Ranges Tourism and its positive direct and indirect impacts on the local economy, then unanimously voted to extend the partnership agreement.

The land at 3412 Warburton will continue to be leased as a retail premises for seven years, following a motion by Councillors.

Council gave public notice in May that it proposed to lease the land for a retail premises for a seven year period, with an option for one further term of seven years.

No public submissions were received during this time, so Councillors unanimously resolved to lease the land as per the Council agenda.