02 May 18

Zoning Letter Writing Campaign

Hi Everyone

After the last ECRA Meeting, where the members agreed that we should continue to fight the densification of our beautiful suburb, we said we would give you a guide on how best to support our efforts through actively engaging the Politicians, both at State level and at the City of Joondalup, through sending emails and letters expressing your thoughts on the matter.

It is important that these letters are your opinions and your words. A form letter just doesn’t cut the mustard and will be ignored; we have received this advice from Emily Hamilton MLA.

RECENT ACTIONS

Our Local MLA Emily Hamilton spoke on 6PR the other night, you can hear the conversation here : https://www.6pr.com.au/podcast/residents-left-in-the-dark-over-infill-planning

WA Today has also published a very good story on how “Joondalup “deserves better” than infill planning “mess”:Saffioti”.This article outlines many of the issues we have with the current planning mess at the City of Joondalup. This article follows on from Emily’s Grievance speech and Minister Saffioti’s letter to the Mayor. You can read the article in full here: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/joondalup-deserves-better-than-infill-planning-mess-saffioti-20180427-p4zc46.html

ECRA has also written again to the Mayor and Councillors seeking the Council reconsider the motions passed at our Special Elector’s Meeting, i.e. to return the zoning in the HOA to the 2010 level of R20/R30.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Below you will find some suggested ideas for inclusion in your letters as well as the names and email addresses of the people you should connect with. Again we reiterate, write from the heart, if the lack of true consultation, and the way the council went about hiding the change of zoning is your biggest issue, let the powers that be know. If trees and wildlife are your concern, express yourself!

Letter Ideas

1. Identification: Include your name address and how long you have lived in Edgewater. You may like to add that you live here because of eg the natural beauty, the safe community feel, the great location or the style of homes, good schools, close to family or friends, whatever is your reason. You may add, if it is the case, that you have no intention of leaving because you love living here. If you purchased to subdivide don’t be afraid to say so, but if you don’t want apartments please say so too!

2. Housing Opportunity Areas: Let them know that you live inside the Housing Opportunity Area or not but that you stand with all of Edgewater as part of a united community.

3. Consultation process: Remind them that in 2010 we were consulted on becoming part of the HOA, but at a level of densification presented to us as R20/R30 and described as an opportunity to downsize our blocks through subdivision and granny flats.

Then in 2017 the City of Joondalup chose not to inform us of their decision to up the zoning to R20/R40, because, as they have advised us, the City “would not have listened to our objections”. The City expected we would object once we understood the ramifications of R40, (the poor quality flats and apartments that so far have been before the Council for Development Approval). You may like to add that this has made you feel disenfranchised from the process, misinformed by the City of Joondalup and deceived by their conduct.

The Effects of Densification:

1. Tree Loss– the suburb has always been a haven for native wildlife thanks to the large number of parks and well-preserved older trees on blocks and on street verges. These trees will be significantly fewer if the full uptake of densification is achieved. Blocks are clear felled by developers and they also will take street trees in order to provide parking bays on verges where they are unable to fit the required bays within the property itself. The loss of trees will not only have a significant effect on the bird life we all enjoy, notably the endangered Carnaby Cockatoos, but also create a heat sink in summer, increasing the ambient temperature of the suburb. Ironically this runs contrary to the City’s Leafy Streets Program, where the value of street trees providing protection from the summer sun and improving the landscape of new suburbs is recognised by the City and is currently in progress.
2. Streets not designed for higher levels of traffic- Our streets were never designed with high volumes of traffic in consideration. Edgewater itself has only 3 exists from the suburb, only one of which has traffic lights to provide greater safety in leaving the suburb onto two major arterial roads. Our main streets have adequate footpaths but the majority of streets lack footpaths and street lighting. Currently traffic volumes are small, and neighbours know each other, so it is Ok for children and dog walkers to walk on the streets, ride their bikes and play games in the quiet caul de sacs. Increased traffic from a transient population will have a dramatic impact on the amenity of each street affected, especially if cars are parked in street parking on the verges, making a more congested traffic situation.
3. Traffic volumes– with only 3 exists, one of which is heavily congested every school day, just getting in and out of our suburbs with the projected increase of traffic will become an issue. The City of Joondalup has confirmed that no traffic studies have been done to determine the level of increased traffic predicted.
4. Loss of enjoyment of our own properties- We purchased our homes because we knew what the neighbourhood was. To have the house next door removed and a 14 unit apartment block built next door is a significant change to the enjoyment of our property. With these new buildings being built to the boundary line, with significant bulk providing increased shade and overlooking into our back gardens, our potential enjoyment of our own property will change. Our community members are not rich; we can’t just sell up and move to somewhere else, there truly is nowhere quite as special as Edgewater.
5. Property values– With an apartment block built next door our property values will fall. The years of decorating, gardening, improving and maintaining our homes will have been wasted, as the value will simply fall to how much a developer is willing to pay for the land alone.
6. Community Feel & Heritage– Many of the Edgewater Community have lived for over 20 years within Edgewater, raising their families and becoming friends with other members of the community. Many children have left home and also purchased their home in Edgewater, to be closer to elderly parents, or enjoy the babysitting services of grandparents. The suburb has a strong sense of community; it’s a small village rather than a large suburb. Transient populations brought in through development of rental units will have a negative impact on this community feel, bringing safety and trust issues.
7. Amentity– The City of Joondalup has confirmed that is has no plans to provide any additional amenity to the neighbourhood. They have also determined to not require the developers to contribute to the kitty to provide for any future improvements. An increase in population will put strain on the current amenity of the suburb. The small local shopping centre, situated at the southern end of the suburb, has inadequate parking already; we have no public toilets in the parks despite having a bbq in Picnic Cove Park. Our aging community hall will become inadequate to meet the demand for its use.
8. Infrastructure– Ageing water pipes, sewerage systems, telecommunications and electricity supply, parks, playground equipment, footpaths, street lighting. All will feel the strain of increased use, but again the developers are not being asked to contribute, instead the City expects the ratepayers to pick up the difference.

Please feel free to write from your heart, with your concerns; make this real to the politicians. The more voices they hear the better. Remind them we are not against some increase in density, we’ve asked to go back to the R20/R30 proposed in 2010, but it must be done within community expectations and with full, open and respectful consultation with the community. We also seek provisions that will ensure our enjoyment of the suburb is at least maintained and our trees and wildlife protected.

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO

Honourable Rita Saffioti MLA

Minister for Transport; Planning; Lands

Address: 9th Floor, Dumas House​

​​​​2 Havelock Street

WEST PERTH WA 6005​​ ​

Telephone: (08) 6552-5500

Fax: (08) 6552-5501

e-Mail: Minister.Saffioti@dpc.wa.gov.au

Honourable David Templeman MLA

Minister for Local Government; Heritage; Culture and The Arts

Address: 7th Floor, Dumas House​

​​​​2 Havelock Street

WEST PERTH WA 6005​​ ​

Telephone: (08) 6552-5400

Fax: (08) 6552-5401

e-Mail: Minister.Templeman@dpc.wa.gov.au

Emily Hamilton MLA:

E: emily.hamilton@mp.wa.gov.au

Ph: 9300 3990

Address: Unit 2/1 Wise Street, Joondalup WA

Hon Albert Jacob JP

Mayor of Joondalup

Ph:0417 254 422

E: albert.jacob@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Councillors

Russell Poliwka

Deputy Mayor of Joondalup

Ph: 0428 926 846

E: Russell.poliwka@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Our Ward Councillors

Nige Jones

Ph: 0468 562 099

E: nige.jones@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Philippa Taylor

Ph: 0400 777 794

E: philippa.taylor@joondalup.wa.gov.au

The Other Councillors

Christopher May

E:christopher.may@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Christine Hamilton-Prime

E: christine.hamilton-prime@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Michael Norman

E: mike.norman@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Kerry Hollywood

E: kerry.hollywood@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Tom McLean

E: tom.mclean@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Russ Fishwick

E: russ.fishwick@joondalup.wa.gov.au

John Logan

E: john.logan@joondalup.wa.gov.au

John Chester

E: john.chester@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Sophie Dwyer

E: sophie.dwyer@joondalup.wa.gov.au

Media

Joondalup Times

Tyler Brown

E: Tyler.Brown@communitynews.com.au

WA Today & the West Australian

Kate Emery

E: kate.emery@wanews.com.au

Emma Young

E: emma.young@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Good Luck, Please cc ECRA in on your letters and responses!

E: edgewatercra@gmail.com

Together we can force change!

Thanks again for your support!

ECRA Committee