Central Ward Meeting April 2020
An invitation from Cr Rosemary West:
I am inviting you to a virtual Councillor Ward Meeting, via zoom, to discuss Council's revised housing strategy and neighbourhood character study before Councillors are scheduled to vote on it.
Council has responded to the overwhelming 'no' vote you gave the first housing strategy draft, released last May, when only six out of 1603 submissions – less than 0.4% - were in support.
Most of the feedback opposed:
• The up-zoning of about 25% of Kingston residential areas from a 9m, (two storey) limit to an 11m (three storey) limit
• The proposal to phase out policies to discourage two storeys in the backyard
• Limit the number of dwellings on an average-sized lot to two, (proportionally more on larger lots.)
While the project has been put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to make sure the community is kept informed about the new plan before Council progresses any further.
I'm pleased to report that the consultants working with Council on the new Housing Strategy have agreed with community feedback, and now propose to include much of the one and two storey incremental change areas – which were originally proposed for General Residential Zone (GRZ, 11m, 3 storey limit) – in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone (NRZ, 9m, 2storeys).
We hope to have new, more up-to-date maps reflecting this work on-screen at the virtual ward meeting. Officers have produced a table proposing 75% of Kingston's residential area to be NRZ.
But this includes the Coastal DDO areas, which are already limited to two storeys, in the NRZ. And I am very concerned that about 10% (of the 25% that was previously going from GRZ3 to GRZ) will still be going to GRZ (3 storey). And that an estimated 2.89% of Kingston's residential areas are proposed to be up-zoned from a three storey maximum GRZ2 (11m height limit) to the Residential Growth Zone (13.5m, four storeys).
What can you do?
• Take part in an online Zoom meeting on Thursday 23 April
• Share this with your friends and neighbours to invite them to take part
What comes next?
When the project resumes, Council will vote to adopt a final draft version of the Housing Strategy and Neighbourhood Character Study to go out for consultation. Council's vote will be followed by notices to all households and further community consultation for a planning scheme amendment. In 17 years on Council I have never seen much change in any Planning Scheme Amendments once they go to exhibition. I am holding this meeting on the last day that ward meetings are permitted before the Council election in six months' time, to keep citizens up to date with where we are up to now, and to hear your feedback.
DATE
Thursday 23 April from 6.30pm-8pm
LOG IN AT:
https://zoom.us/j/91246802077 or go to https://zoom.us/ and 'join a meeting' with the ID number 912 4680 2077.
If you have trouble logging in, please contact Governance Manager Phil DeLosa on 0400 508 214 for help.
