Council Elections

I've been informed on very good advice that ANDREW WALTER has been elected as the councillor for FRIBERG Ward. We look forward to working with Andrew for the betterment of Knoxfield and to ensure that any developments in Knoxfield meet with Knox City Council's policies and planning rules. And more importantly are appropriate to our suburb.
Congratulations to Andrew Walter, a resident of Knoxfield.
Ian

More success at Council

Last night was a most successful meeting at council for us, as all the lobbying paid off with three developments around Knox being refused. Our next door neighbor emailed all councillors about one development in Bayswater, which was a three storey development which did not fit the character of the area, open space provisions and height requirements, and her email was read into the motion of refusal.

The lobbying for No 32 Kathryn Road was also successful with our councillor, Debbie Field, moving a motion of refusal which was also enthusiastically supported by other councillors.

No 40 Kathryn Road was refused too, so overall a very successful night. We are making a difference,but we must ensure that council policy is adhered to with all planning applications. Councillors are directing their residents to us for advice, so our influence is spreading. Most developments though have gone to VCAT, where our fight will continue.

Our next battle is 10 Valetta Cres, where vegetation is planned to be removed for 8 double storey townhouses. 17 of these indigenous, canopy trees are 80 years or more in age. How can the planning department even consider advertising such a development in times of climate change and destruction of the few remaining wildlife corridors in our district. Neighbors behind this planned development have noted 32 different birds, some very rare to our suburb, that visit their property. Get an objection form today and submit your objections to this senseless development.

It’s going to be difficult to save Knoxfield as we know it, but it will be a fight worth the effort. If you value our suburb’s environment, act today.

EPBC Act review - submissions due 19 December 2008

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts has commissioned an independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), which is required to be reviewed every 10 years. This is the first review of the EPBC Act since its commencement on 16 July 2000. The review will assess the operation of the EPBC Act and the extent to which its objects have been achieved.

Community participation in the review is encouraged through public consultation sessions and opportunity to make submissions.

Public submissions are due 19 December 2008. Further information is available on the review Website, including how to make a submission, terms of reference and the discussion paper.

The Review

The Discussion Paper

The Petition

The Petition that is currently circulating in the Knoxfield area is going very well.

However, if you haven't signed it or would like to collect in your area please email Save Knoxfield for details.

Some of the comments that I have had when collecting are:

"Since trees in Philip Rd have been cut down there are less birds."

"I moved here 15 years ago because I liked the area and now I have units all around me; this is not what I wanted."

From people who moved out because of all the development but still shop in the area.

"I just had to move because everything I cared about in the neighbourhood was going."

"Too much clearing of the native vegetation."

Others who had recently bought houses were concerned at the way the neighbourhood was going. Some wondered if they had made the right decision in moving to the area.

One person who didn't live in the area said why would you want to live here. You can't get anywhere without a car.

All wished us luck and said we are doing the right thing.

Why are we doing this? Well for me this video says most of it. We don't have the solutions to fix climate change yet we keep breaking it. There is a better way.

Severn Suzuki