Foundation Boroondara – a community foundation established to further develop the social connection within our city – is seeking a new chairperson. The Foundation is seeking someone with key business/public sector expertise, relevant networks, enlightened leadership and a clear passion to work with Foundation Boroondara to achieve its goals.
From the Boroondara council website
More information on the foundation website.
Having a look through the Boroondara online planning register I can across this application to for the Glen Arcade to “Change of use to a restricted recreation facility and associated buildings and works and a waver of the standard car parking requirements in a Special Building Overlay”. I’ve got no idea what this means and the online planning register has no information at all. If you know what this is about, please leave a comment.
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There is also some good news regarding the West Hawthorn Urban Design Framework. Thanks to strong representation by the previous mayor, Coral Ross, the CEO and the head of Strategic Planning, the Minister has now agreed to accept the mandatory height controls and setbacks along Burwood Road between Power Street and Glenferrie Road in the amendment to the Planning Scheme to be exhibited.
On Monday night, the Council’s Urban Planning Commitee resolved to proceed with the Urban Design Framework amendment on the basis acceptable to the Minister. It is expected to go on exhibition in the next three months.
The final version of the above study is on exhibition with comments invited. A copy of the report can be seen at the Hawthorn Library or at the service centre at Hawthorn Town Hall.
This is a good news story for a change! The study proposes a West Hawthorn Village Precinct to be subject to a Heritage Overlay under the Planning Scheme. The proposed Precinct extends from the railway cutting to Power Street, on the north side of Burwood Road, and from Morang Road to No. 86 on the south side of Burwood Road. That covers everything except the new buildings associated with Hawthorn Square.
This proposal for added protection for the heritage buildings in the Centre is particularly timely as the height controls for the Centre sought under the Urban Design Framework have been diluted by the Minister. He has not accepted mandatory height controls here, only “general” height controls. These will be vulnerable at VCAT, so Heritage controls would be of great value as an extra form of control.
If you favour this overlay I urge you to submit comments indicating your support for the proposal. Comments should be submitted to Katherine White at the council by Friday, March 20, although submissions received next week will probably also be accepted. Email address is Katherine.White@boroondara.vic.gov.au Her phone number is 9278 4535.
The Heritage Study also proposes an Precinct for almost all of Manningtree Road and extensions to the existing Morang Road/ Evansdale Road Precinct.
I have had a 3 month battle with Boroondara traffic section to remove the signals over the footpath in Burwood Road. They totally contradict the Australian Road Rules by removing the pedestrian’s right-of-way on a footpath. The officers and VicRoads have finally agreed that it is not a good precedent and are meeting with body corporate to arrange for them to be removed. But they haven’t agreed to replace them with a flashing light which is the usual and desirable warning measure in such a situation. I am told it will be monitored for three months but have not been able to get an answer on what will be monitored and by whom?
If you see any event at this location indicating that the arrangement is not satisfactory please let me know with as much detail as possible. I have had a report of a car entering the building using this ramp. It is supposed to be an exit ramp only, so any other observations of vehicles entering here would be of interest.
Thanks, Don Glasson 9818 1993