By Tyler Wright
Families in the Yarra Ranges could have the rebuild of their homes damaged or destroyed in the June 2021 storm streamlined, with Yarra Ranges Council proposing an amendment to the Erosion Management Overlay provisions in the planning scheme.
The amendment would see the tolerable risk to house damage increased to moderate, rather than the existing provision requiring an assessment of low to very low risk.
After the storm event, the council received $300,000 in grant funding under the National Recovery and Resilience Agency’s Preparing Australian Communities Program – Local, to review the EMO planning scheme provisions, with an expert geotechnical consulting funding the current EMO schedule should be streamlined.
Natalie and Lee Guest are an example of a family unable to rebuild due to planning provisions, with their Kalorama deemed a moderate landslip risk after it was destroyed in the 9 June 2021 storm.
The planning scheme amendment may allow them to proceed with their plans to rebuild.
“So many of us still experiencing the daily struggles with all types of issues created by the storm,” Natalie Guest said at the council meeting on Tuesday 9 May.
“We thank the geotechnical experts involved in the latest reporting for more relevant information has been collated for this report which greatly affects our properties and the whole Hills region.
“We recognise this is a very important step to my family getting home, and we look forward to receiving council’s continued support and advocacy throughout the rest of this process until my family are back home.”
Councillors voted unanimously at the meeting to seek authorisation from the Minister for Planning to prepare and exhibit an amendment to the planning scheme consistent with Australian guidelines; namely the AGS 2007.
Streeton Ward Andrew Fullagar said the existing EMO applies to 100 squared kilometres of the Yarra Ranges, with more properties in the Dandenong Ranges affected than elsewhere in the shire.
“The AGS 2007 has been adopted by some other councils in the state already to provide exemptions for minor or essential works,” Cr Fullagar said.
“It allows council to exempt applications and differentiate between subdivisions, new works, and better informed assessments generally.
“There’s increased opportunities to allow development or redevelopment or rebuilds at the moment that is quite complicated and daunting.
“In the future, there’ll be a review of the mapping and we’re using LIDAR [high-resolution 3D scanning of topography] which will make it much better informed decision.”
Chandler Ward Councillor David Eastham said he was looking forward to seeing the positive impact the amendment will have on families within the municipality.
“This is bringing things up to what is currently accepted as the Australian standards,” Cr Eastham said.
Billanook Ward Councillor Tim Heenan said rebuilding homes has been an “ongoing process of stress and anxiety” for residents that either lost their homes or experienced severe damage after the storm .
“I have really hated the fact that our hands have been tied at council under the red tape of certain planning restrictions that we’ve had in relation to these people going forward at a much, much earlier date, and it’s gone on for so long,” Cr Heenan said.
“I whole-heartedly support this tonight and I sincerely hope that it is fully supported, Mayor, and that It’s expedited through to the relevant Government authorities.”
The motion was carried unanimously.
