Dear Neighbour,

Well, we had a well attended community meeting on Monday night at Cubberla Hall. The feedback from those in attendance (including Cllr Prentice) who customarily are present at similar meetings, confirmed that this was indeed a success and very heartening to hear. Our thanks to those who attended and also to those who we knew were unable to attend for various reasons but who have given us their full support. The overall support in this issue has been quite dramatic. People from the Mandalay Association and the Walter Taylor South Action Group also would have come had we had more time to give them notice!

Thanks to Sharon Pie for your support on the night and the community proud residents in Thiesfield St, Karella St, Meta Place & Fig Tree Pocket Rd. Also Lorraine Patrick who has traditionally worked hard and long to help preserve our local community.

I believe most residents (including new ones to the area) appreciate that Community Support is a vital element in the protection of Fig Tree Pocket's core values. We also have a concern for the Western Suburbs in general and we have recently established contact with several other action groups in other suburbs such as Indooroopilly which are like minded and willing to offer their support as well. We in turn would no doubt wish to give them our support (which is naturally dependent on the merits of each proposed development) as we share a common goal of wanting to preserve our community as a living community.

One thing which has emerged from talking to tireless community lobbyists such as Wendy Donellan and Lorraine Patrick, is that it can be a lonely task running an action group and it does consume a lot of time (we are starting to learn both these things!) and we offer our special thanks to those who supported us at the meeting, or who in other ways have given their support, directly or otherwise. And thank you for the e mails we are receiving. Special thanks also to Cllr Jane Prentice who continues to work tirelessly on our behalf (I have spent many hours in the last week in her office and I get tired just watching her!!)

Please remember that the closing date for receiving objections is next Tuesday, 7th of August and so we urge you to get your submissions in to Council by that date. We attach to this E mail a suggested submission to Council (for the benefit of those unable to be at the meeting). This is an example only and you may choose to use it and re-state it in your own words. You can consider adding the following:
Robertson Place is not suited to on street parking;
Robertson Place does not have the local park and open space amenities that it needs.

Specifically refer to the fact that the Building Envelope (BLE) on the original approved sub division for Lot 6 was just 711m2. This will be increased to a total of 1,312m2 (an additional 601m2) for the proposed two lots (which includes an increase for the original BLE as well);

Call for increased parkland for the use of residents in the area;
The relaxation being sought to reduce the 6 metre set back to 4.5 metres for part of the BLE's;

Due to the necessarily small BLE (424m2), and close proximity to the road (i.e. 4.5m from Robertson Place), the dwellings on those BLE's would have to be built almost on top of one another and very close to the adjoining Lot 21 - not in spirit with original approval - also spoiling the open visual amenity provided for in the Riverlea application. 
Note point 2) and 4) above - it is worthy of mention that 10% of parkland is supposed to be handed to the community for park use as part of any development. We believe that with all the development which has taken place in Robertson Place, this figure of 10% has not been achieved.

Remember - Council must reply to ALL correspondence so each of your submissions is important.

Please note that there is a listing attached to the example submission providing the details of where your letter should be sent. Would you please also (if you are comfortable doing so) send us a copy of your letter so we can ensure that the correct number of objections, submissions and petition details are reported by council.

Feel free to forward names and E-mail addresses of friends/neighbours who understand the importance of this community issue and who would like us to add them into our database.

A powerful rule of life (ignored by many) is the relationship between CAUSE and EFFECT. In other words, for every ACTION there is an equivalent REACTION - whether it was in response to a good action or a bad action or a LACK of action. Our efforts today will reap rewards tomorrow. I would like to think that we can now harness what some of the pioneers of community action in Fig Tree Pocket started and carry this on (with their ongoing help ideally) adopting the philosophies of:

a) Establishing a system of Group Engagement with Council

b) Networking and pooling resources and expertise with other Action groups.

Please note that we are not a formal Action Group until one can be legally established. Accordingly no correspondence is being sent out in the name of any "Action Group" and I am using the term very loosely in the meantime. I do believe there to be a need for a formal action group to represent our local area within Fig Tree Pocket and this particular Riverlea development application highlights this.

An unfortunate feature of community endeavours and groups is that often the negative traits or resentment, jealousy, back biting and ego come into play. I believe the basic ground rule should be that we all try to recognise the WIDER OBJECTIVES of an action group and that its ultimate efficacy will depend on group synergy. This does NOT mean that everyone has to agree with each other and it is good when people DON'T all agree - strength lies in brainstorming and looking at things from a variety of angles. I believe "reasonableness" is a key word here.

There are a multitude of issues involved to grapple with in connection with the new City Plan which is governed by the Integrated Planning Act and it needs to be borne in mind that Council(s) are obliged to abide by the IPA. Accordingly Council may sometimes be in a position where it needs to abide by the act even though a particular application should strictly be rejected. Hence there are issues of a broad nature striking at the heart of the outworking of the City Plan which also will need addressing over time by Action groups throughout the whole of Brisbane City to bring about reform of the way the provisions of the City Plan and Local Area Plans are applied. It also emphasises the need for strong and united community action to take place on such issues as the proposed development application in Riverlea rather than simply assuming that it will be rejected.

Incidentally, steps are being taken to investigate the mechanisms to gain State Government amendment of the Integrated Planning Act to give residents the right of appeal against developmental approvals.

Please bear in mind that we should continue to not see Council in an adversarial light but rather to see them as a team of hard working people who themselves no doubt feel frustrated at times by the confines of the system in which they are working and the legal framework in which they are obliged to operate. Submissions should therefore be balanced and accord Council the appropriate respect whilst leaving them in no doubt as to the determination behind our objection.

Thank you again and remember that a development may not affect you directly today but it may affect you in the near future!!

Kind regards,

BRYAN GIBSON

32 Robertson Place
Fig Tree Pocket

Tel 3378 2299 (W)
3378 2282 (H)

Download Community Alert document

Download Objection letter

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