A WARD meeting will be held on 11 July for Kingston resignets in the Central Ward. Residents are invited to attend and discuss council’s housing strategy and neighbourhood character study with councillors Ron Brownlees, Rosemary West, and Geoff Gledhill.
The housing strategy was discussed at council’s 24 June meeting, when Cr West moved a motion to request that a flier go out to Kingston residents stating that “about 25 per cent of Kingston’s residential area is proposed to be rezoned from the interim General Residential Zone 3 (GRZ3), with a 9 metre height limit, to a new GRZ, mostly with an 11 metre height limit” and that “in the roughly 50 per cent of Kingston’s residential area that will keep its 9 metre height limit in the new Neighbourhood Residential Zone (NRZ), the provision that has discouraged two-storey development in the backyards of the former Residential 3/GRZ3 areas is proposed to be removed, and the provision for only two dwellings on an average sized lot, (with proportionally more on larger lots) is proposed to be removed.”
That motion failed with Crs West and Steve Staikos voting in favour.
Kingston mayor Georgina Oxley issued a statement last week that read “to meet demand, Kingston Council is planning to accommodate our share of population growth generally around key activity centres, close to public transport, shops and services.”
“This would allow us to protect the neighbourhood character and amenity of our quieter residential streets,” Cr Oxley said.
“Nothing proposed here is set in stone yet. We will take on board feedback through our official consultation process, which will be used to inform the preparation of a planning scheme amendment, which we will again consult with the community about.”
The statement read that under the draft plan “93 per cent of residential land within Dingley Village has been designated as limited change and is proposed to be included in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone with a mandatory two storey height limit.” It also read that “7 per cent of residential land within Dingley Village has been designated as incremental change and is proposed to be included in the General Residential Zone with a mandatory height limit of three storeys” and that “the very small area of residential land in Dingley Village proposed to be included in the General Residential Zone (seven per cent) is located along Centre Dandenong Road to capitalise on proximity to the local shopping centre, parks and bus routes.”
The consultation period for the housing strategy and neighbourhood character study will be open until 2 August. The ward meeting will start at 6pm, 11 July. Visit kingston.vic.gov.au to register attendance.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 10 July 2019