Minutes of the November Meeting of A.R.A.G held at Alexandria Town Hall, 14.11.12.
Chaired by Ben Aveling.

Agenda: Parking, Planing, Crime, Transport

Parking

Joy spoke on the AECOM follow up study. The AECOM study was initiated by the ATP and accepted by council without considering the impact of ATP on parking and it only recommended resident parking restrictions. Submissions are due 19.11.12.  See

Visitor parking scheme is to be reviewed after 6months (February 2013) and 12 months.

There are a number of issues that will impact us:

• The new developments at Ashmore Estate, which are likely to encroach on the streets about Erskineville and Alexandria.
• The Bunnings development with its 527 parking spots. We are promised that this is unlikely to affect us, but we are skeptical.

• Mike has been monitoring availability of Belmont and Lawrence Streets in the middle of the day and 70+ parks are generally available. This may change with development in Fountain St.

• Woolworths at Erskineville will complete before December.

There are a number of issues that may be worth raising in February:

• In areas of North Alexandria, such as around Henderson Rd and Kingsclear Rd, parking is very tight because so many Tech Park workers are prepared to move their cars every 2 hours. Tighter restrictions would help. Parallel parking, where possible, might help.

• Streets which did not opt for restricted parking, such Buckland St, may choose to to review that decision in February.

ARAG will send a reminder closer to the date.

Planning

The government is looking to overhaul Planning regulations, a green paper (ideas paper) has been released and and a white paper (draft legislation) is being prepared:

Under the new legislation:

• reduced power for councils.
• Communities will only have input at the ‘strategic phase’ – guidelines must be set in advance, and anything that meets those guidelines will be approved without the community being notified or having an opportunity to comment.
• The number of things that can be restricted will be reduced, and non-compliant proposals will find it easier to receive acceptance than under the current legislation.
• There are proposals that might lead to better matching of infrastructure to development, or that might only lead to reduced developer contributions to the cost of infrastructure.
• The only opportunity to influence the legislation will be when it reaches the upper house. Residents will be advised to contact the premiers office, the shooters party and Fred Nile with concerns.

Moved and passed that ARAG will affiliate with Better Planning Network.

Crime

There are anecdotal reports of a sudden increase in the number of burglaries in the area, including a home-invasion.

Residents are advised to keep security doors locked, even when they are at home.

Transport
Lyn T will formulate a plan for residents to ask for a metro bus to have their route altered from Newtown to Sydney Park Rd and Mitchell Rd and Redfern station the George St to the Rocks, as in the past.

Jim mentioned the need for a (possibly small) bus for the elderly to RPA, libraries, medical centres, etc.

Concerns raised that are issues with traffic speed and volumes on Fox Avenue, between Erskineville Park and Erskineville Oval.

Meeting completed at 8pm