News from
Residents’Association of
rahb@houtbay.org.za
www.houtbay.org.za
February 2006
Our Association has had a number of
interviews with the Council’s Spatial Planning, Environment and Land Use
Management (SPELUM) committee during this past year. We are increasingly concerned that SPELUM is
repeatedly disregarding existing Development Plans, Guidelines and Policies
without replacing them with sensible alternatives. While we do have sympathy with the need for
change, we are appalled at the ad hoc manner in which ‘decision making’
is proceeding and the lack of consideration of the cumulative effects of these
decisions on the sustainability of the local infrastructure and the valuable
‘sense of place’ that typifies much of Hout Bay, which is, itself, a declared
‘Special Area’. The policy on
densification, for example, is being ignored and the committee is making
decisions in a thumb-suck manner without considering the cumulative effects of
densification on the roads (congestion and safety) in particular. Rezoning for dense developments is being
allowed without any commitment to improve infrastructure – the lowest priority
having been allocated to the proposed
If justice could be applied, these
councillors should be held accountable for the potential damage that they are
inflicting - however, it is likely that once the real damage manifests itself,
they will be comfortably in ‘another position’ while residents will have to
shoulder the consequences of this lack of foresight. Nonetheless, the Council may well be laying
itself open to litigation, especially with respect to road accident victims.
Council: Comments and
objections may be sent (before the specified deadline in each case) to: The
Municipal Manager, Urban and Environmental Services, South Peninsula Admin,
City of
DEADP: Comments to be sent to Dept
of Environmental and Development Planning: Land Development Management, Private
Bag X9083,
Erf
Erf 1491 - Disa River Farm, Main Road:
Application from ‘Lets Trade
1044 CC’ for the removal of restrictive title conditions on an
agricultural erf for a departure for commercial use by owner and tenants for
earthmoving equipment hire, landscaping company, making compost, storing soil,
parking and servicing equipment and trucks, and storage of trucks. This will involve approx. 60 people working
on site. We believe that the scale of such activity is not appropriate to the
area and would be more suited to an industrial area. Deadline
for comment (send to DEADP, cc SPA) – Friday 10 March 06.
Erf 1827 - No 4 Helgarda Road, off
Victoria Ave: Application for (1) the removal
of restrictive title conditions (preventing subdivision of properties in this
township and the development of more than one third of the property thereby
protecting the character of the area); (2) for the subdivision of a single
residential erf into five erven of between 545 and 628 sq.m which are all less than the
general minimum size for Hout Bay (650 sq.m) as specified in the Zoning Scheme
Regulations and much less than the minimum in the development plan for this
township; (3) to relax the 8 m street building lines from 8 metres to 3 m, 4.8
m and 2.1 m on portions 1, 5 and 3 respectively, (4) to waive the street
building line for the refuse room on portion 4.
We believe that these various restrictions were specifically imposed to
protect the character of the area and the sustainability of the infrastructure
particularly now when land is at a premium. Deadline for comment (send to
DEADP and SPA) – Friday 10 March 06.
Erf 652 - between Empire and
Comments
to Ms B. Isaacs, Property Management Services, Private Bag X2, Plumstead 7800,
fax 021 710-8375 (tel.-8382)
Erf 3074
Erven 1592 &1630 Linden Farm,
Kronendal Farm
(erven 673,1286, 1792, 4029, 5627, 669 & 1297): The Council planning committee
(SPELUM) has recently (11 Feb 06) recommended, for approval by the Province,
the multi-faceted LUPO application to develop the old farmlands. This follows the Province’s positive Record
of Decision on the Environmental Impact Report on the environmental aspects of
the proposal, subject to numerous conditions.
We have followed (and inputted into) the various proposals very
carefully over many years, and do acknowledge that the earlier plans,
many of which were most inappropriate, have been changed and modified
considerably so as to meet various community concerns. However, we were disappointed, when, at the
SPELUM committee meeting that we attended recently, the councillors did not
even try to deal with some remaining issues that needed attention, and that we
were given very little time to study the final detailed official
recommendations. We do, however, welcome
the decision not to split the application into the ‘retirement village’ and the
‘rest of the property’; we shall continue to participate in whatever structures
are available to try and ensure sustainable and appropriate development of this
very precious ‘heart’ of Hout Bay.
Erf 4851,
Erf 1813,
Erf 4558, Saddlers Row: Application for departure and subdivision was recommended for REFUSAL by City officials due to non-compliance with Victorskloof Development Plan, but was approved by SPELUM. Appeal pending.
Erf 1492, Franciscus House,
Erf 7754, Panache,
As
you can see above, we are dealing with many applications at present. We would, however, like to point out that
this is good news because many of these applications have been in the pipeline
for a long time and are finally being processed – this is positive for
both the applicants and the official planners.
We would like to commend those applicants who attempt to develop within
the existing zoning scheme regulations and parameters laid out in guidelines
and policies as this will help achieve some sort of sustainable balance to the
long-term benefit of the community.
Unfortunately there are others who appear to be more interested in
short-term gain.
Chairperson, Residents’ Assoc of
Tel: 790-0268, Email: lens@telkomsa.net
Please note that subscriptions are now due and that
our AGM will be on Mon 8 May.
(R50
per couple, R30 per individual)
Forms from
Chairperson or Library.
Feb 2006