A NEW report on Kingston’s Green Wedge has been called a waste of ratepayers’ money after councillors decided to press ahead with a contentious report to investigate the possibility of rezoning part of Kingston’s Green Wedge. Earlier this year, a narrow majority of councillors voted to hire a consultant to advise whether land – located between Kingston and Heatherton roads and Lower Dandenong Road and on the eastern side of Tootal Rd in Dingley Village – could be rezoned to a Rural Living Zone. The minimum lot size in a RLZ is 2000 square metres, effectively opening up any rezoned…
Author: Neil Walker
A COMPROMISE has been reached over a parking permit scheme for Chelsea traders with a 12-month trial set to begin early next year. Some shop owners were unhappy with the details of a scheme due to begin in September so Kingston Council has decided to make “significant” changes to the plan. Traders had criticised an “excessive” $268 annual fee per parking space and questioned whether 80 car parking spaces behind the behind the Chelsea shopping centre near the Woolworths store was a sufficient number for small business owners and their staff (‘Backlash over parking permits’, The News 13/8/14). At this…
THE Mahogany Neighbourhood Centre’s management committee have decided to hand over the keys to Frankston Council and walk away before Christmas. Council had indicated it would take control of the centre’s operations in August next year after alleged complaints were made against the centre (‘Centre takeover slammed’, The Times 29/9/14). Council CEO Denis Hovenden said in September that the nature of the complaints was “confidential”. The centre’s management committee are six unpaid volunteers but committee president Toni Burton said six full-time and part-time staff will lose their jobs as a result of council’s takeover. Ms Burton said the committee were…
WHEN Brian McMannis was Frankston SES controller for nearly three decades, emergency services volunteers did things the McMannis way. Now, the McMannis way will be immortalised after Frankston councillors backed a move to honour the former SES chief by naming a street near the organisation’s Seaford McCulloch Ave headquarters as McMannis Way. Mr McMannis told The Times he is “shocked but privileged” to have a street named in his honour. “It’s blown me away that they considered me for this,” he said. At this month’s council meeting, councillors unanimously backed the street name plan. Cr Glenn Aitken said Mr McMannis…
A BOATING marina at the base of Olivers Hill is no nearer to becoming reality despite a petition with more than 2000 signatures being handed over to Frankston Council. The petition signed by 2052 people asked council to commit funding to a “regional boating facility” at Olivers Hill but several councillors said other major projects – such as a waste transfer station – should take priority. Consultants GHD previously presented four concepts for a marina to be built at Olivers Hill, with the estimated cost ranging from $38 million to $51 million. At this month’s council meeting, Cr James Dooley…