Hout and About

News from Residents’Association of Hout Bay

PO Box 27031, Hout Bay, 7872

rahb@houtbay.org.za www.houtbay.org.za

Feb 2007

Result of BY-ELECTION on Wed 7 Feb

Voters in Ward 74: Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno and Hout Bay went to the polls on the Wednesday 7^th February 2007. Marga Haywood was elected with 5 980 votes - 1 121 votes coming from Hangberg, alone.

RECENT ISSUES OF CONCERN

Our Association has, in the past year, been increasingly successful in dealing with planning, environmental by-laws enforcement and health issues. As such, the City of Cape Town’s multi-party Council needs to be congratulated for their attempts at trying to balance the needs and desires of local communities with the overall needs of the City and long-term sustainable viability.

We understand that the City has not defended the court action by the Community Policing Forum (CPF) and other local bodies calling for it to carry out it’s responsibilities with regard to the lack of action regarding the orderly development of Imizamo Yethu (IY). However, we believe now that the election is over, the City will focus on this mammoth task. Mayor Helen Zille’s article in the Cape Times, 14 February entitled “The True Story of Imizamo Yethu” presenting the actual facts, gives us hope and shows a strong political will to now do something about this fast degrading situation.

Our Association has been invited by the City onto the Steering Committee, (to be established), for the upgrade and development of Imizamo Yethu.

The extreme health hazard (intense pollution of both the river and the sea) towards the end of last year, caused by too many people settling informally in IY and above it, was a wake-up call for many people.

Overcrowding needs to be dealt with sustainably, for the benefit of the whole community of Hout Bay. It would seem that the carrying capacity of Hout Bay needs to be assessed and used in planning decisions – and this applies not only to the situation in IY, but also to the rest of Hout Bay. Infrastructural limitations, in particular, overcrowded and dangerous access and egress roads (but also sewage, electricity, water) are vital considerations. Once these are exceeded, it will be very difficult to deal effectively with them at a later date. These are issues that the whole community needs to grapple with realistically with the Council and its advisors. Action is long overdue.

Sewage: Many people probably don’t even realise that Hout Bay’s ‘formal’ sewage (i.e. that which goes through the sewer) is macerated (broken up), sieved and pumped via a pipeline off Bad Tamboer, to be dispersed into middle of the bay. Original predictions (in about 1990) were that by 2011 pollution levels in the sea would have reached unacceptable levels and that a fully-fledged sewage system would need to be installed at that time. Since then, unprecedented development has occurred in Hout Bay with numbers far exceeding what was planned and so the predicted ‘2011’ is highly likely to have long-since been overtaken and the construction of a proper sewage system is long overdue and should be a priority. We have requested that this be put onto the Council’s budget agenda because such major infrastructure projects take time to be implemented. While some officials will argue that the pollution levels are often not unreasonable, one only has to take a walk on the beach and look for ‘beach snails’ – there are none, and they should be there.

Such animals are termed ‘biological indicators’ as they serve the function of integrating the effects of the pollution, whereas monthly water tests are effectively snapshots in time and space. The beach is suffering the effects of chronic long-term pollution.

NEW APPLICATIONS

Erf 547 (remainder of erf) on the dunes opposite Empire Ave: Application for Rezoning, Conditional Use, and Departures, to permit a Hotel: Objections must be lodged not later than Monday 19 February 2007. We looked at this application last year (when it came to us as part of the EIA process from which it subsequently was exempt for various reasons – this aspect also needs investigation). We intend submitting a very strong objection.

The planners who zoned the primary dune fields and beach precinct as “Amenities” obviously intended that one of Hout Bay's main assets (its beach and nearby dunes) should be preserved as such: although some development could be allowed in the less sensitive areas, the existing natural characteristics of the area would survive. Such piecemeal erosion of this area would clearly compromise the beach/dune interface that characterises the seaside of Princess Road. Here we are presented with the continuation of the systematic reduction of this asset – a section of dune is to be totally removed to the full extent of the site, with a freestanding edifice perched at ridge-top height, to form an extremely prominent structure.

In practical terms, there is concern at the probable effect on the surrounding properties of deep excavations in soft sand right on the boundary lines. There is no mention of who is responsible for the extension to Empire Avenue. Also, there is no indication of the effect on the flow of space wrought by the inevitable boundary and security walling.

We would like to point out that the existing “Beach Club” development on the estuary (not far away) has proved to be most unfortunate and that a bad precedent should not be repeated. Unit owners have had to suffer many negative consequences of development on the beach, such as intense wind and scouring – large windows and doors are pitted so severely that they have had to be replaced when the southeaster dominates (as is perfectly normal). But, more importantly, the development has compromised the estuary and the rivers natural path in violation of normal guidelines for development in sensitive areas. In the Financial Mail, December 22, 2006 on Environment/Property, it was stated “SA’s coast is a treasure and a new law makes sure it stays that way”. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environment Affairs, is bringing into law, new coastal zone definitions. “A Coastal buffer zone: sand dunes and other ‘littoral active zones’ that are not coastal public property, coastal protected areas, residential and commercial property up to 100m from the high water mark.” The above application defies the Government’s intended new laws.

Erf 8509 Hugo Avenue Hillcrest:

The application calls for a deviation from the approved design manual in order to permit a maximum height of roof apex above finish floor level directly below apex of 7m in lieu of 6m. Objections must be lodged by 19 February 07. We shall be lodging our objection to this enormous 3 storey structure on the mountainside.

Erf 5681 Cnr Victoria Ave & Oxford Street:

Application for land use departure to operate a Gym – known as “Curves”.This is in direct contravention to the Victoria Avenue Management Plan (VAMP) and we shall be submitting a very strong objection. Curves needs to be relocated to suitable premises appropriately zoned. See SPELUM decision on erf 3760, 85 Victoria Avenue, known as “Postklip” hereunder.

Comments and objections to these applications may be sent to: The Municipal Manager, Urban and Environmental Services, South Peninsula Admin, City of Cape Town, Private Bag X5, Plumstead 7801 or faxed to 021 710-8283 (tel.-8202); attention Mr. M. Barnes. The general telephone number for the SPA is 710-8000.

Planning & General Appeals Committee

We attended 4 appeals recently, which had come before the Planning & General Appeals Committee on 2 February 2007. Three were in respect of identical applications for erven 5490, 5485 and 8726 Park Avenue. All these erven are zoned Agricultural and have minimum erf sizes of 8000m2. They had been previously approved for subdivision by the Spatial Planning, Environmental, and Land Use Management Committee (SPELUM) in July 2006 by a narrow majority, wrongly in the opinion of this Association, as the Committee had based the decision on precedent from two previous applications in spite of the Council’s own officials (Director, Town Planning) recommending them for refusal. Because of this so-called precedent the Planning & General Appeals Committee upheld SPELUM’S decision, though not unanimously. It is, in our opinion, not desirable to allow subdivision of these Agriculturally zoned erven in a tranquil and rural part of Hout Bay without a general rezoning of the area, which has not, to date, been carried out. Consequently the decisions go against the Council’s own zoning policy. We therefore intend to further appeal these flawed decisions to Province in due course.

The 4th appeal was in respect of erf 4558 Saddlers Row. This application was in contravention of the Victorskloof Development Plan, which provides for minimum erf sizes of 4000m2 in this area. In spite of SPELUM approving this application in December 2005, also going against the recommendations of Council planning officials, the Planning & General Appeals Committee overturned SPELUM’S decision and upheld our appeal.

SPELUM (Spatial Environment Land Use Management Committee)

We were granted an interview on Wednesday 14 February, at which time we strongly objected to the Application for Departure: Erf 3760, 85 Victoria Avenue (PostKlip) to allow offices in a residentially zoned area and not in accordance with VAMP – Victoria Avenue’s Management Plan, which clearly stipulates that all commercial activity be below Oxford Street. The Council’s Planners had recommended that this application be refused. SPELUM Committee, after deliberation, agreed by 6 votes to 1 that the Application be refused. We shall be pursuing and lodging further complaints on other businesses operating unlawfully in a residential zone.

GENERAL

Hout Bay is well known for its natural beauty and setting between the mountains and the sea with a river corridor connecting the two. Over the years many people have seen the importance of conserving our natural heritage and the rural ambiance of Hout Bay with the result that it has long since been declared a ‘special area’ attractive to locals and tourists alike (people come from all over the world to appreciate the beauty and biodiversity of the fynbos kingdom!

Let us make sure that our children and grandchildren and theirs will also be able to appreciate this special place. Remember too that the ‘specialness’ of Hout Bay and its surrounds is what drives the economy of the area and that if we allow this to be damaged, we will reduce the ability of the area to support its inhabitants. We have received over 25 applications for new Membership in the past month. This is mute evidence that this Association is doing the right things.

Len Swimmer

Chairperson, Residents’ Assoc of Hout Bay

Tel: 790-0268, Email: lens@telkomsa.net

Feb 2007

Dear Hout Bay Resident,

Would you like warning of any of the following possibilities?

- Your neighbour is about to sell their house to a developer who will be bulldozing it and others in your street to construct a block of flats

- The beach is covered in raw sewerage following another failure by the pump station

- Your neighbour is going to subdivide their property and build four more houses

- Imizamo Yethu is going to expand or shrink

- A new hotel is to be constructed right on the beachfront

- Safety & Security issues which affect house values and desirability of living in Hout Bay

For many in Hout Bay, one or more of these possibilities is already a reality.

The Residents Association of Hout Bay tries to inform the public long before such changes adversely affect the value of your home or the well-being of those that live in it.

We invite you to join the Resident’s Association by sending an email to rahb@houtbay.org.za and we can send you details re membership and alert you to some of the important issues that might affect you as a resident of Hout Bay in our monthly newsletter.

You might also want to use your skill to help the Association operate and participate in community affairs

MEMBERSHIP

(R50 per couple, R30 per individual)

Forms from Chairperson or Library.

Association Banking Details: First National Bank, Hout Bay Branch (branch code 204 009), Account name - Residents Association of Hout Bay, Account Number – 5345 1027 173.

Subscriptions may be paid electronically (use your full name as a reference on the payment – to ensure that we correctly credit your membership as this information appears on our Bank Statement

If you prefer, payment can also be dropped into our wooden box at the Library (next to the Hall doors) or posted to our Post Office Box: 27031 Hout Bay, 7872.