STOP PRESS
We have had a number of people stepping off the median strip opposite the village store and looking the wrong way. It happened again recently when a visitor was taken to hospital.
The Shire's Flinders study group hearings is concerned with traffic flow and safety issues.
Also - of considerable local interest - the caravan park was sold by auction on July 25 for in excess of $6 million.
Big site - big dollars - but for what will it be used for?
FCA MEETINGS & MEMBERSHIP
Monthly meetings are held at 7.30 on every third Wednesday at the Flinders Pre-School Centre.
To cater for weekenders, we meet four times a year on Saturdays - the next weekend one is scheduled for October 23, the next regular Wenesday meeting will be September 15
Note - Please either send your annual sub ($25 per family) to the FCA Treasurer c/o the Flinders Post Office or use the PayPal facilites set up on this web site. There are now two local business categories which ensure listings of small and larger businesses on our web site for the information of residents and visitors.
FLINDERS COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
More than 120 people came to the Flinders Hall to put forward their thoughts on the future of our village (see below for background to the event). Here are a couple of pictures of some of those attending with our President Neville Wale in the picture on the right.
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The long-anticipated Flinders design study, commissioned by the Planning department at the Mornington Peninsula Shire (MPS), staged its "community consultation" at the Village Hall on Saturday afternoon, August 28. The FCA conducted a seperate survey on issues of concern to Flinders residents and visitors.
Michael Smith and Associates - Landscape Architects and Urban Design - presented in graphic form its preliminary ideas for the future of our village. It used the expertise of the Traffic Group as subconsultant on traffic issues which formed part of the presentation.
The FCA, residents and visitors filled in a detailed questionnaire which will be analysed by the study group trying to determine what we want of Flinders in the future from a planning perspective.
Then, on Saturday, October 23 the First Draft will be given us for comment and a six-week submission period will be allowed for formal written presentations so that the Council should be in a position to act on the report (and submissions) at its February meeting next year.
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It is hard to underestimate the importance of this process and its potential to establish priorities for landscaping, for issues such as traffic flow and speed limits, pedestrian crossings, on all matters raised in the 10-year plan proposed by local architect Bruce Allen for the Flinders Community Association - which, incidentally, it may be worth revisiting to recall what he put forward. A copy of it is in the village guidelines document.
Everything was and is up for discussion - roundabouts, lavatories in the park, a median strip, how to best use the land which is beside the Village Store and owned by the Council, a new flagpole, barbecues, future tree planting programmes etc. etc.
These and other matters are referred to in the minutes of the FCA meetings recorded under the Community Association heading on the left of this page.
PIER RECONSTRUCTION
Work is commencing ("soon") on planned improvements and modification to the Flinders Pier.
Sadly, the new piles will be concrete and not the wooden ones which represent the real character of the old pier which have been declared as unsafe.
What is to happen is that the 325 metre long section from the shoreline to the "midpoint" will be widened by one metre with a reconstructed and enlarged landing to allow for commercial vehicles to turn around. Its overall area will be 18 metres by 20 metres.
The work is scheduled to be completed by Christmas.
FLINDERS COMMUNITY NEWS - overview
The escalating pace of development in Flinders Village Centre was noted at the well-attended Meeting of the Association held on Saturday 22 May in the Hall. President, Neville Wale, reported that the important Amendment 101 for the Flinders Village Centre setting design requirements and guidelines was still awaiting the Planning Minister’s approval (details are listed in an earlier article below).
Meanwhile Council had proposed to amend policy for caravan parks in rural areas which would encourage enclaves of 300-400 caravan park residents to be located in the Green Wedges more than 2 km from urban areas. The Policy fails to consider the adverse impacts on farming activity and lack of utility services.
Vice President Mark Holland also reported on a meeting he had attended concerning policy covering dwelling permits on existing lots of less than 40 hectares in the Green Wedge. There are 715 such sites in the Shire. The inability of these owners to obtain building approval is creating valuation and financial problems. The Association will be seeking a change in the green wedge policies to remedy this anomaly.
Peter Hall reported on developments in Flinders Village centre. Alterations to the Hotel design and excavation of rising ground by half a metre will result in a lower roof line for the 40 new units. Agreement has been reached on a reduction in size of proposals at 37 Cook Street. Unfortunately the Lolabout development for town houses and shops is now underway. The Cipriani plan for a retirement village in Wood Street still appears unsatisfactory. More action can be expected soon with the Balin site for sale again.
The Shire advises that the Design Study for Flinders Village awaits the appointment of a consultant. This study will review the Bruce Allen concept plan for the village centre, and the Association’s 'wish list' of projects.
The Sustainability Sub committee has discussed the possibility of installing solar panels on the Flinders pre-school with its committee. Under the current rules and costings the proposal seems out of reach. The large cypress tree nearby on Shire land may also create shading problems.
The proposal for an Annual FCA Dinner following AGM in January as a social event and possible fund raiser has been supported. Focus for fund raising could include a gazebo, barbeques and toilets in the town park as part of the master plan due by the end of the year. A new flagpole by the monument is not seen as a priority project.
Minutes of this and previous FCA meetings are listed under Community Association on left; or click here.
Flinders Pub Expansion Plans
The revised plans (architects impression below) were discussed earlier at a meeting open to all interested parties on 11 May at the Shire Offices in Mornington. The FCA, which has already been party to discussions with both the shire planners and the owner of the Flinders Hotel, was well represented at the meeting.
The proposal is to expand accommodation to 40 rooms and to build conference facilities within the main building. The plan below shows the expansion plans in various shades of yellow. While recognising its undoubted benefit to Flinders, the FCA has suggested some modifications to the planned additions, including improved landscaping to reduce its impact on the village scale.
Sustainability Issues
For those of you with PV solar cells and connected to the grid, Victoria has introduced a feed-in tariff of about 60 cents per kw hour. You should contact your retailer to make sure you receive this rate. You may be interested to read Moreland Energy Foundation's assessment of the various electricity retailers' offerings.< http://www.mefl.com.au/documents/Vic_FiT_Survey-Dec09.pdf>
Since the FCA's AGM, at which a loose-knit group of more than 100 people called "Power Partners" was mentioned, we have been in touch with the Convenor, Peter Strickland, of Balnarring. There were articles in the Age recently which dealt with some of their concerns.
Google
To join the "Power Partners" email list, just write to Peter and Kathie Strickland: kpstrick@westnet.com.au
As you will be aware, there are plenty of problems with the federal energy effiency and renewables programs at present.
The federal Household Roof Insulation Program has been suspended. The Solar Hot Water rebate has been reduced. There are problems with the Green Loans scheme as well. We will keep you informed as reliable news comes to hand. For more information, or if you would like to join the Flinders Sustainability Group, please ring Peter Monie 59890539 or email to: p.monie@bigpond.net.au
Cook Street Developments
Flinders residents will have seen the reduction to rubble of the former Lollabout Cafe at 41 Cook Street to make way for a two storey apartment building. There have been long-running discussions over the development, with the FCA hoping that the design plans, as approved some years ago (and given an extension), would be improved so as to fit in with the design guidelines and special Flinders planning requirements. Sadly, unless changes are made to the original plans, the building will be another Cook Street eyesore totally out of character with our historic Flinders village.
Also, Boss Properties is attempting once more to gain approval for its plans to develop 37 Cook Street into a restaurant and two lots of two storey apartments. The problem for the FCA is the plans still do not respect the planning requirements for Flinders.
PLANS FOR CARAVAN PARKS IN MORNINGTON PENINSULA GREEN WEDGE ZONES
Mornington Peninsula Shire recently placed Amendment C133 to its Planning Scheme on public exhibition. It proposes to regulate Caravan Parks in the Green Wedge zones. Currently there are no policy guidelines to assist Council consideration of any permit applications in the rural areas of the Shire.
Your Association submission to the Shire supports the need for policy guidelines but says that the Policy needs strengthening and clarification. In particular it expresses concern that the proposed decision guidelines are inadequate.
Existing rural uses that make up the valued Green Wedge landscapes of the Mornington Peninsula must be protected. The policy clauses, however, set out to promote tourism and caravan parks in Green Wedge areas further than 2 Km from defined urban areas.
Under the proposed Amendment, the Council is only required to consider three things: contribution to tourism; impact on flora and fauna; and the visitor capacity of nearby tourist facilities.
The need to ensure that farming is able to operate without hindrance from tourist attractions and caravan park residents is ignored - indeed the policy proposes the opposite. Nowhere is there recognition that the policy will encourage enclaves of 300-400 people in what are essentially rural areas. These enclaves will inevitably demand urban services and infrastructure and we may well see the emergence of more resort development proposals like the one only recently contested and discouraged near Greens Bush.
Submissions to Council closed on 29th March – Amendment C133 may be viewed on the website www.mornpen.vic.gov.au”
CIPRIANI DEVELOPMENT REJECTED
VCAT has posted its decision on the Cipriani plans for a block of apartments and has rejected the application stating that it doesn't fit into the "neighbourhood character" of the Flinders community.
This is seen as a significant ruling by the two person VCAT tribunal (Michael Read & Jane Homewood) with intriguing implications for our village - and has been welcomed by FCA president, Neville Wale.
For full text of decision, go to Flinders Village News (left).
The Tribunal Conclusion
"For the reasons set out above, we have concluded that the proposed development is not respectful of the desired neighbourhood character due to excessive building bulk together with inadequate opportunities to provide offsetting landscaping around the site’s perimeter, particularly to the north and parts of the eastern and southern boundaries. Whilst we acknowledge that the proposal would increase housing diversity in Flinders, we have noted that there are other policies that clearly work against optimising housing diversity. In that context, we do not consider the benefit of increased housing variety outweighs other policies placing greater weight on maintaining the prevailing character of Flinders as one of modest housing set within a more dominant landscape."
FLINDERS AND ITS FUTURE
The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has unanimously supported the Independent Panel Hearing's assessment that Flinders should be given permanent protection from insensitive planning. It has recommended to the Minister for Planning that the special character of our village should be recognised as being important for both residents and visitors.
Our president Neville Wale said that the Council's backing for the panel's recommendations at its Monday night meeting on November 9 was really good news for Flinders. He said that the Shire planners had given tremendous support to the FCA over the last 10 years attempting to work out constructive and sensible guidelines for future development at Flinders.
Now that partnership has resulted in statutory planning rules which - providing the Minister for Planning signs off on them - mean that the future of Flinders as a special heritage coastal village appears assured.
What is required, though, are continued efforts by the FCA with the active support of Flinders residents, visitors and the MPS to ensure that the new guidelines are adhered to. Then, and only then, will its, the planners and architect Bruce Allen's vision for a vibrant, friendly, successful and attractive community environment able to be steadily developed.
Neville Wale thanked the Council planners and the MPS as a whole for supporting Flinders and the FCA in recognising its special needs and said that there was a lot to be done once the planning rules and guidelines have been given statutory support.
Special tribute was paid to the contribution made by our former Cr. (and long time Flinders resident) David Jarman at the MPS Council meeting which approved the new planning requirements for Flinders.
MPS Chief Planner (Allan Cowley) in introducing the Planning Amendment for Flinders told the councillors that "The Panel Report is considered a fair response to the submissions and the issues which led to exhibition of the amendment in the first instance i.e. the need to protect the Flinders Village Centre from excessive and out of character development.
You will need to read the full Design and Development Overlay as recommended by the Independent Panel and supported by the MPS. You can find it and the Panel's reasoning on the Shire's web page - under Planning and its A-Z index, C101 - Flinders. The link is Flinders C101
The wording of the conclusion by the two panel members (Ian Gibson and Gaye McKenzie) gives us real encouragement that we can maintain in an ever-changing world the character of our coastal village. The Panel determined that a strengthened Amendment C101 to the Mornington Peninsula Planning Scheme (applying to Flinders) was “strategically justified” and said: "Having considered the written submissions and those made to it at the hearing, and having visited the town, the Panel has formed the view that Flinders does have the qualities that support adding local detail to the Business 1 Zone (Cook Street) and that the DDO is the tool best suited to achieve the desired outcomes.
Applying DDO14 only to the Business 1 zoned land is appropriate in the panel’s opinion as it will complement DDO2 that applies to neighbouring residential properties, where the mandatory height control is 8 metres (two storeys).
The fact that the Village Centre Design Guidelines for New Development will be a reference document under Clause 21.12 of the Scheme means they can be consulted in dealing with any redevelopment on those residential properties" (writer's emphasis).
What is clear is that that the new Design objectives for Flinders with its list of objectives, general requirements and mandatory requirements allow sensitive development in the main street while ensuring substantial landscaping, limits on the amount of a site used for building, second level setbacks and a requirement to “create a sense of space around and between buildings”.
No. 43 Cook Street could not have been built under the new rules (once the Minister signs off on them) and the revised version of No. 37 Cook Street would surely fall foul of the new requirements.
Most important, though is the link established with the detailed Design Guidelines document and the flow on to the whole village for new building works. You can read them in full or copy them by using the following link
EARLIER REPORTS
What good news! VCAT has refused the developer's application for approval of the plans for 37 Cook St, Flinders. This decision can be read in full by clicking here.
FOR PREVIOUS REPORTS & MINUTES - See Community Association sidebar
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