Vincentia Ratepayers and Residents Association Inc.

Some the Current Issues the Association is dealing with are summarised below:-

Climate Change

Shoalhaven City Council has put on exhibition a draft Development Control Plan (DCP118) in relation to development in coastal areas. A public meeting will be held on Thursday 18th February 2010, 7 pm at the Vincentia High School to discuss the issue.

Water Restrictions

Level one water restrictions are currently in force in Vincentia and the Shoalhaven generally. See Shoalhaven City Council website for details.

Stockland Bayswood Shopping Centre

Woolworths Ltd. have announced that they have purchased from Stockland Ltd. the land for the proposed shopping centre on the Bayswood Estate. Construction of the Centre is to start mid 2010 and will be built in stages. We expect to have further details available at our General Meeting on Thursday 25th February 2010.

Shoalhaven Community Plan - Future Directions 2020

The Council is preparing a plan to guide the development of the Shoalhaven through to 2020. Public comment is invited and the Association has made a submission. Our recommendations are summarised below.

Our favourite recommendation is that:-

The Shoalhaven must provide some unique tourist experiences if it is to continue to be a favoured visitor destination and a World Class tourist attraction would be the extension of the cycleway from Huskisson through Vincentia and on to Hyams Beach and then to Booderee National Park; and Council should actively explore joint Council/State/Commonwealth agreement and funding for this project.

Other recommendations are:-

The target for population growth should be restricted to 1% per annum, until deficiencies in the provision of local services has been rectified;
Development should be managed so as to blend with the existing character of the surrounding environment and emphasise the lifestyle of that particular area;
Growth projections of a need for 400-500 new dwellings per annum,in the whole of the Shoalhaven do not justify Council’s push for increased urban density;
Nowra needs development that will make it a vibrant regional centre;
The rezoning of the existing Vincentia shops at Burton Street for mixed use as proposed in SLEP 2009 should not proceed;
Medium density and dual occupancy subdivision in Vincentia should be restricted to within 800m of the Burton Street shops;
Maintaining foreshore vegetation to mitigate erosion must be a priority.
In Currumbene Creek a broadwalk to the Lady Denman Museum and a boat maintenance facility will aid tourism.

Further details can be obtained from our Assocaition or Council.

Tomerong Tip

A meeting was held on Thursday, October 1 in the Vincentia High School Hall to consider a proposal for a major landfill operation at Tomerong. Over 300 people attended and the overwhelming sentiment was that a major regional waste tip was not appropriate in the Bay and Basin area.

The VRRA has put in a submission to Council against the development of the grounds of increased traffic on our local roads with over 10,000 extra truck movements a year scheduled, presumably along Island Point Road and into Gumden Lane, but we are concerned about the increased highway traffic and maybe also on Jervis Bay Road. Leaching out of the tip into Duck Creek and then into Moona Moona Creek and then into Jervis Bay could become a major problem and there is also the concern about Tomerong Creek which flows into the St Geoges Basin.

Our submission dealt mainly with the effects on Vincentia but the Tomerong residents have very real concerns right on their doorstep and would appreciate support from all of us. Send your comments to Council quoting DA09/2077.

Dual Occupancy Subdivision

Dual occupancy has been allowed in Vincentia for many years and there some good and some bad examples. Council are now considering allowing the subdivision of lots over 700 square meters(m2) and possibly smaller lots. The two blocks resulting are to have a minimum lot size of 350m2. This changes the economics of dual occupancy as the owner or developer can now sell the second block. In our opinion this will be very attractive to builders and over time will lead to a significant increase in dual occupancy developments. Effectively this policy reduces the minimum size block on which you can build a house to 350m2. We do not believe that this sort of density, equal to inner Sydney, is what people sort when they moved to Vincentia and we will continue to oppose the proposal.

There was a Councillor briefing on the issue on Thursday 16/7/09. The briefing was also attended by the development consultants and invitations went to CCBs who had made submissions on the issue. Huskisson, Hyams and Vincentia CCBs accepted the invitation. Council is revising the policy and a draft proposal can be seen in the papers for the Development Committee of 7th April 2009, on Council’s website..

The policy does not apply throughout the Shoalhaven, the reasons for which are not clear although when asked why Berry was not included Clr Ward stated it was a “political decision”.

The key issues discussed were;

Lot size – proposed to reduce the size of a lot that can be subdivided from 800 sqm to 700sqm and the minimum lot size resulting to be 350 sqm. The consultants suggested the minimum lot size should by 250 sqm.
Set backs – the proposal requires the front set back to match the streetscape, which in most cases is 7.5 m, but consultants requested this be reduced to 5 m. The rear setback was to be 4 m but the consultants requested this to be negotiable i.e. generally less than 4 m.
Floor space ratio – It is proposed to increase the density of construction from 0.4:1 to 0.5:1 plus 50 sqm for a garage. For a 700 sqm lot this means the allowable building size goes from 280 sqm to 400 sqm an increase of 43%. By comparison under DCP 71 for medium density development on a similar size block the density allowed would be less than 0.4:1. The lower density originally set for dual occupancy and medium density was to allow for the extra driveways, paths etc. required in such developments.
Landscaped area - currently 40% of the site area to be reduced to 30%. This means 70% of the site can be covered in concrete. So much for stormwater control.
Car parking – basically one on site car park be unit, but 2 per unit required for 3 bedroom units or in a cul-de-sac.
Adaptable Housing – the second unit to be designed for wheelchair access etc but not to the full standard of Adaptable Housing required by Australian Standard 2499. This is not expected to add significantly to the cost. Previously Adaptable Housing was only “encouraged”..
Clustering of developments – it is proposed to strengthen the language to discourage the clustering of 'Dual Occupancy Subdivision in a street or locality. However, Council admitted that once this policy is in place, legally Council cannot stop clustering and any lot that meets the requirements can be subdivided.
Location – the previous bonus for locating near a shopping centre is deleted. Dual Occupancy Subdivision can be anywhere in the nominated villages. In the case of Vincentia this could be up to 6 Km from the District Centre. This is at odds with normal planning practise where increased density is concentrated near facilities.
Construction – The requirement that building of the dual occupancy must be underway before the lot may be subdivided is retained although consultants had requested that the subdivision take place before the building commenced.

Dual occupancy developments without subdivision are not that common the reason being that the house owner has to find the money to build the second dwelling. However, Dual Occupancy Subdivision allows the owner to sell the second property which during construction he can finance by a loan from a bank or a builder. It dramatically changes the attractiveness of dual occupancy developments. However not all owners will want another dwelling in the back yard and the main push for this type of development will come from developers who will buy a property, demolish the existing home, build two houses and subdivide the land into minimum 350 sqm lots. The policy was adopted in November 2006 but due to the downturn in the Real Estate market its full impact has not yet been felt. As the market picks up we will see an increasing number of DA’s for this type of development.

Dual Occupancy Subdivision was introduced by the NSW Government in 1992 and was such a disaster that it was abandoned in 1995. It did not produce the Granny flats as hoped, but proved to be a bonanza for developers who bulldozed existing homes and gardens and built two new expensive houses on the site.

The policy is most unfair to residents who bought property in an area of Vincentia zoned for single dwellings, who could over time, find themselves surrounded by Dual Occupancy Subdivisions with a density greater than that allowed in the usual medium density zones. We believe this policy should not apply in areas zoned 2(a1) designed for detached housing with gardens.

Plantation Point Reserve

Shoalhaven City Council is currently formulating a Plan of Management for the Plantation Point Reserve, Vincentia. The Plan of Management will seek to protect the Reserve's values and will provide a framework for ways that the Reserve can be best used, conserved, enhanced and managed for the community into the future.

The Plan of Management will provide for the management of the Reserve and provide a framework for future operational and planning decisions for the development of infrastructure within the Reserve. A Plan of Management also provides Council, and other users of the Reserve, a basis for seeking funding applications for identified projects,

If you would like additional information, please contact Lindy Sandrey, Recreation & Strategy Officer on (02) 4429 3372.

Footpaths/Cycleways

Our pressure for more footpaths in Vincentia has borne fruit with a path along Elizabeth Drive from Burton Street to Holden Street has been completed and is agreat asset. The next phase to Minerva Avenue cannot be funded until 2010/11.

With Commomwealth money an extension of the shared path along the foreshore to Holden Street was completed by September 2009 but not in the form previously discussed with Council. Further discussions are proceeding.

Heritage Estate

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, The Hon Peter Garrett MP, has rejected the application by Shoalhaven City Council to allow the re-zoning of the Heritage Estate for residential development. The Association strongly opposed the rezoning for the reasons outlined in the Minister's media release (see below). This is a win for the local environment and the future of the Booderee National Park.

" MEDIA RELEASE
The Hon Peter Garrett MP
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
PG/226 13 March 2008
MINISTER REJECTS REZONING PROPOSAL
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has made a decision to ensure the future protection
of the Booderee National Park by refusing a rezoning and development proposal at land
near Jervis Bay, NSW.
Shoalhaven City Council proposed to rezone up to 1200 “Heritage Estates” allotments
which were sold up to 20 years ago as rural land that could not be built on. The council
proposal also included public infrastructure works.
“I know there is a long history to this proposed development and I’m aware of
allegations that a number of landowners were led to believe they would be able to build
on this land despite its rural zoning,” Mr Garrett said.
“However, under the national environment law, I have decided that the proposed
rezoning and development cannot proceed because of the unacceptable impacts on
nationally threatened species and the ecological integrity of the nearby Booderee
National Park.
"If this development were to go ahead it would have isolated Booderee National Park
from important wildlife corridors that are critical to the survival of nationally protected
plants and animals in the park and surrounding areas. These include the endangered
eastern bristlebird, white-footed dunnart and the ground parrot.
“I am sympathetic to the many landowners affected by this decision and assure them
that this has been a thorough and open process in which I’ve taken account of the
formal scientific assessment, hundreds of public submissions and the expert advice of
my department. I note that the consultant’s report prepared for and submitted by the
council also recommended against the proposed rezoning on environmental grounds.
“Additionally, I’ve considered the final comments from the council and I thank them for
passing on informal submissions of landholders and other concerned residents.
“I understand this decision will disappoint people who purchased land hoping the zoning
might one day be changed, but my responsibility under national environment law is to
protect our environment and biodiversity, and that’s what I’ve done.
“I urge property investors to exercise caution when purchasing land that might not be
zoned for the purposes they intend to use it for or land that contains significant
environmental values.”
Media contact: Ben Pratt, 0419 968 734"

Conversion of the Shaolhaven Local Environment Plan (LEP) to the Department of Planning's Standard Instrument.

The LEP governs land use through zoning and details of the activities that may be carried out in particular zones. For example it defines the areas where only single houses can be built and those areas where apartments may be built, or areas where say boarding house and hotels can be built.

The The Shoalhaven City Council (Council) is currently converting the zoning's in the Shaolhaven LEP into the standard zoning's established throughout NSW by the Department of Planning. In many cases there is an exact fit between the old and the new zoning's, but where there is not an exact fit landowners may find their opportunities for development are expanded or reduced. The LEP in conjunction with the Development Control Plan (DCP) will also control height limits, building setbacks and similar restrictions.

The Association has made representation to Council about the zoning of certain sites and a draft of the new LEP should be available for public comment shortly (Watch this space). We will monitor this matter closely as there may be some unexpected consequences for residents.

Alcohol Free Zones for Vincentia

At its meeting on 22nd April 2008 following a close vote of 7 to 6, Council declared the following reserves to be alcohol free from 10 pm at night to 8 am in the next morning:

- Plantation Point

- Blenheim Beach

- Greenfields Beach

and at Huskission the White Sands Park and Moona Moona Creek Reserve.

Lack of Police Resources

There is a view that there is a lack of police resources in the Bay and Basin area. However if we are to convince the authorities that we need more police and a 24/7 police station we must get evidence. So, if you witness any criminal or anti social behavior you should report such incidents to the Police by ringing 131 444.

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