Decision delayed

By Kath Gannaway
YARRA Ranges Council will ask the Minister for Planning for more time to consider his invitation to make a submission on changes to the Urban Growth Boundary.
With Cr Tim Heenan absent, the eight councillors were equally divided on whether to make a submission – those in favour arguing that it was an opportunity not available to the council previously to look at changes, and those against arguing the UGB issue was firmly established as part of the planning scheme, and that raising the issue could spark development speculation.
Mayor Terry Avery’s casting vote means the council, given an extension of the government’s 28 November deadline, may get the chance to consider the issue.
The UGB which identifies urban and green wedge land and is part of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme, drawing on the 1996 Upper Yarra and Dandenong Ranges Regional Strategy Plan.
The Minister of Planning wrote to the council in August asking for submissions to be considered by an independent advisory committee with the aim of rectifying anomalies.
Among the criteria for consideration were that any land must be adjacent to or on an existing Urban Growth Boundary, and be proposed for residential or employment development.
“A critical government objective is to encourage new housing development as well as land supply for local employment opportunities,” the criteria states.
It also stated that any property proposed for inclusion in the UGB must be assessed against a range of criteria including agricultural activities, biodiversity, land use, and wildfire.
The council is waiting on a consultants report on the costs and benefits associated with any expansion of the UGB in an unidentified “limited area”.
Cr Dunn said any consideration was “a waste of ratepayers’ money”.
“We don’t need consultants for this; we have a clear policy in relation to Green Wedge and strategies that support it,” she said.
Crs McRae, Cox and Cliff argued also that the council had strong community support for retaining the Urban Growth Boundary for the protection of the rural areas of the shire.
Cr Warren said, however, that existing policies were “a moot point”. “When these (policies) were constructed, this offer was not on the table.
“I would be surprised if there was a big push to change the UGB, but this is not about changing anything, it is about giving more time for what is an important decision,” he said.
Cr Higgins, Templer and Avery also argued for the opportunity to consider a submission.
“We are not going to be extending the UGB out into the bush, and we know we have to protect farmlands, but the status quo is not sustainable forever and we need to look at this,” Cr Templer said.