Monday 25 November 2024, 7:00 PM

Speaker: The ACT Human Rights Commissioner Dr Penelope Mathew

Topic: The Human Right to a Healthy Environment

Eastlake Football Club
3 Oxley Street, Griffith ACT and Online

To attend in person, please register at Trybooking:
https://www.trybooking.com/CWAPL
To attend online, please register on Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtde2tqD8tHtO8s7kNf9GvbORBgEng-lC1

AGM from 7.50 PM. For details see Inner South Canberra Community Council – ISCCC

DRA is very pleased to welcome esteemed journalist Jack Waterford as guest of honour at the Bridge Club on 13th Nov 2024 at 6pm. Jack will review the recent ACT election. We have also asked him to share his views on ACT planning as we strive to enhance the garden city concept while preserving Deakin’s heritage. and urban conservation values.

Jack’s presentation will be followed at 7 pm by the DRA Annual General Meeting

The ACT Government seems incapable of enforcing the regulations that aim to maintain the landscape and amenity of our suburb. The deterioration continues. The damage to nature strips, compaction and soil erosion near the shops continues as commercial enterprises and houses with multiple cars take-over the nature strip on Hopetoun Circuit.

Here are some thoughts comparing the landscapes of Noosa and Canberra Airport with the deteriorating state of Deakin. They were published in the Canberra Times on 1 Aug 2024

During a recent visit to Noosa, George wilson was impressed by the Noosa Council’s efforts in maintaining streetscapes and urban vegetation. Returning to Canberra, the contrast was stark. In Deakin, there are dead trees, cracked footpaths, graffiti, street rubbish, neglected shopping centre gardens, decaying park benches, excessive road signage, and vandalized nature strips.

DRA seeks to enhance the social and environmental qualities of Deakin according to garden city planning principles. While we were pleased to receive support for Floriade last year and to receive a grant for heritage signs, our requests to have planning standards enforced are denied. Requests to “Fix my Street” are often ignored.

In Noosa, parking on nature strips is illegal and enforced. In Deakin, we are told that parking on nature strips is allowed if it is safer than parking on the road. While this is reasonable short-term, should it be permitted permanently? This seems to shift responsibility from the courts to inspectors. A breach is a breach, and leaseholders should choose properties that can accommodate their cars without the need to break the law.

Canberra International Airport showcases stylish landscaping. The ACT Government could emulate these practices and those of Noosa Shire Council set out in their Environment Strategy. Canberra should be leading by example, not following poorly.

See below for RZ1 sites in Deakin eligible for secondary dwellings as a red overlay under the ACT Government 2023 planning system changes that allow secondary dwellings of less than 120 square meters on RZ1 blocks greater than 800sqm.

The analysis for this map was undertaken for a Canberra Times article last year using publicly available ACT Government land data, Brendan Halloran provided Community Council stakeholders with an interactive map html file and jpg image for public information. The map removes excluded planning policy RZ1 blocks that were identified as Mr Fluffy dual resident blocks, existing multi-unit designated blocks and also blocks in suburbs such as Reid, Campbell, Braddon, Ainslie, Kingston, Barton, Griffith, Forrest and Red Hill where the blocks have existing residential precinct protection that does not allow secondary dwellings (despite the blocks being larger than 800sqm).

Brendan Halloran used publicly available 2023 map data from the ACT Geospatial Data Catalogue (arcgis.com) that may not perfectly reflect the current land data.

For some time now, the DRA has relied on generous donations from a small number of members to finance its operations (newsletters, meetings, flyers, website costs, etc).

The DRA Committee has now decided to move to a more stable and sustainable funding arrangement through the introduce an annual membership fee, similar to that applicable in Yarralumla.

The membership fee is being introduced immediately for the 2023-24 financial year.

DRA anticipates membership will continue to grow as our suburb faces an uncertain future including with changes to the ACT planning system. Our aim is to foster the garden suburb and a richer community through activities to make our suburb of Deakin simply brilliant.

More details at the link

Donations are as always welcome and can now be deposited by PayPal, bank transfer or cheque sent to our PO Box.