Neighbourhood Planning Brisbane| City Planning & Economic Development
City Planning & Sustainability | BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL
Ferny Grove Upper Kedron Neighbourhood Plan
Community Planning Team
Meeting notes
Meeting 1 - 19 May 2016
Notes from Ferny Grove Upper Kedron Neighbourhood Plan Community Planning Team (CPT) Meeting 1
Meeting details
Date: Thursday 19 May 2016
Time: 6pm
Location: Ferny Grove Bowls Club
Attendees
Community planning team members:
Adam, Adrian, David, Emma, Erica, Fiona, Hadi, Ian, James, James, Kylie, Liz, Mark, Milton, Paul, Peta, Renuka, Rodd, Ross, Theon, Todd and Wayne.
Council Officers, Consultants and Technical Experts:
Liza Valks (meeting MC, Buckley Vann), Matt Rolley (Neighbourhood Planning and Urban Renewal Manager, BCC), Mark Leary (Project Manager and Senior Urban Planner, BCC), Alex Hodgson, April Tehan, Georgina Aitchison, Jennifer Einam, Peter Richards, Shilo Quinnell, Stephen Smith, Tyson Ryan (table facilitators and scribes), Sandra Hinrichsen, Vicki Grieshaber (technical experts), Sonia Kirby (acting Principal Urban Planner, BCC) and James Cole (note taker).
Elected Representatives and other Observers:
Councillor Steve Toomey, Councillor for the Ward of The Gap; and Gemma Long, Policy Advisor to Councillor Julian Simmonds, Chairman of the City Planning Committee.
Apologies:
CPT member Caroline; and Councillor Julian Simmonds, Chairman of the City Planning Committee.
Agenda
- Registration and refreshments
- Welcome and introductions
- Activity #1 – Getting to know each other
- Project background and the Cedar Woods development
- What is neighbourhood planning?
- Activity #2 – Neighbourhood Check
- Reporting back
- Next steps
- Thank you, summary and close
Welcome and introductions
Liza Valks (Buckley Vann) acknowledged the traditional owners of the meeting place and the project area, and welcomed everybody to the first Community Planning Team (CPT) meeting for the Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron Neighbourhood Plan (FGUKNP).
In thanking everyone for giving up their time to contribute, Liza introduced Councillor Steve Toomey, Councillor for The Gap. She then introduced the Council team who will manage the planning process and assist to guide the meeting. Mark Leary is a Senior Urban Planner in the Neighbourhood Planning Brisbane team and will be Project Manager for the FGUKNP.
Liza advised that this was the first of four CPT meetings to be convened over the next three months, with each meeting adopting a particular theme or focus for discussions, while also allowing community members to offer input on all aspects of the neighbourhood planning process for Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron.
Before introducing the evening’s first activity, Liza provided an overview of the meeting agenda and encouraged all CPT members to have their say. Members were also reminded, if they had not already done so, to sign and return their copies of the CPT Terms of Reference and Photography Consent Form.
Activity #1: Getting to know each other
CPT members participated in a brief introductory activity, chatting in pairs, sharing their backgrounds and discussing their personal interests in and connection to Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron. Members also compared ideas about ‘one thing’ that they love about the local area.
Project background and the Cedar Woods development
Matt Rolley (Acting Neighbourhood Planning and Urban Renewal Manager) took members through a timeline of significant planning milestones and events over the past decade. He noted that Council responded to the Minister’s direction by deciding to review the whole 2007 neighbourhood plan. The neighbourhood plan area is a significantly wider area than the Cedar Woods development site and, as a result, the Community Planning Team has been formed to assist and advise Council in that process.
Matt explained that the Minister’s direction required Council to address several priorities, summarised as follows:
· Plan for current and future needs of the community
· Manage State and local environmental significance
· Manage future infrastructure needs including public and active transport
· Provide for a suitable range of residential densities and land use
· Respond to State interests (flooding, biodiversity, land slope, fire hazard, scenic amenity).
Next, Matt outlined the Ministerial call-in process that resulted in a modified approval being issued by the Minister for the Emerging community land (Preliminary Approval for a Material Change of Use) and Stage 1 (Development Permit for Reconfiguring of a Lot) of Cedar Woods, which confers development rights over that portion.
For Stage 1, Council anticipates making decisions regarding the Operational Works applications in the very near future – any approvals issued for that process will enable the developer to commence site works to prepare for development.
A map was displayed of the Cedar Woods land, marking the various stages forecast by the developer and explaining what was known about the development intent for future stages.
Matt advised that the developer has submitted to Council an application for Stage 2, referencing the Preliminary Approval, and these plans are currently undergoing analysis and assessment by Council’s Development Assessment officers.
Details of the approved plans for Stage 1 and the proposals for Stage 2 are available on Council’s ‘pdonline’ website (https://pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au/MasterPlan/Default.aspx) by searching for the application number.
· The Minister’s decision for stage 1 can be found at http://www.dilgp.qld.gov.au/planning/development-assessment/cedar-woods-development-upper-kedron.html
· Stage 1 online reference number is: A003905687.
· Stage 2 online application reference number is: A004317649.
An opportunity was then provided for CPT members to ask any questions about relevant issues. Answers to these questions have been emailed directly to the CPT members.
The Planning Context
Mark Leary (Senior Urban Planner and FGUKNP Project Manager) thanked everyone for taking a genuine interest in their community and for nominating to contribute to the CPT. He then took members through a description of the way in which planning is managed, with the South East Queensland Regional Plan 2009-2031 (SEQ Regional Plan) growth targets set to 2031, citywide outcomes driven by Brisbane City Plan 2014 (City Plan), and the future shape of local areas influenced by the neighbourhood planning process. The neighbourhood plan is the instrument through which Council facilitates the delivery of planning aspirations ‘on the ground’, with many different sectors and agencies contributing to those outcomes.
Mark pointed out that under the Strategic Framework of the Brisbane City Plan 2014, Upper Kedron is identified as an investigation area, which requires Council to consider what growth potential exists in the area. Other similar areas in the neighbourhood plan area were also noted.
Neighbourhood Planning Brisbane – getting to know us
Next, Mark explained the Neighbourhood Planning Brisbane (NPB) team is charged with carrying out planning at a local level, within the constraints and opportunities of the Brisbane City Plan 2014 and the greater planning framework. In so doing, NPB carries out three major functions – planning, enabling and delivering outcomes on the ground in the local area.
Mark then noted that City Plan sets out where growth in Brisbane should occur, with Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron to play an appropriate role in accommodating some of the 156,000 new dwellings and 290,000 new jobs expected to be created over the life of the SEQ Regional Plan. Residents, businesses and landowners previously advised Council of a strong preference for growth in Brisbane to occur in a network of strategic nodes and along major transport spines and key corridors, resulting in the development of Brisbane’s ‘CityShape’.
Mark explained that the first step in the process was to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan Strategy. It is a non-statutory planning document that sets the directions for the area, including a vision and strategies. The draft Strategy responds to the community’s input and technical reports and informs the development of the statutory neighbourhood plan. Mark then explained that neighbourhood plans are statutory documents that form part of City Plan and are aimed at facilitating economic prosperity, protecting character, identifying development areas and providing for open space, to name a few issues. The content of a neighbourhood plan complements and expands on the details in City Plan through locally specific planning provisions.
Mark then spoke about the limits of what a neighbourhood plan can influence and directly impact on, and also pointed out the areas which a neighbourhood plan cannot affect, summarised as below.
A neighbourhood plan can:
· plan where growth will go
· set out what type of development is permitted (including appropriate land uses, building heights and lot sizes)
· set standards for new development
· retain and protect character
· coordinate infrastructure improvements.
A neighbourhood plan cannot:
· make development happen
· prohibit development
· force existing development to change or move
· control Queensland or Australian Government development
· stop people or appropriate industries moving to the area.
Mark pointed out that, in the context of citywide planning, each neighbourhood planning project is a unique and distinct exercise in ensuring that the local community’s views are taken into account. He then provided an overview of the likely timeframe to be followed to produce a neighbourhood planning strategy and ultimately a neighbourhood plan, noting that the project is currently in the background research phase, and adoption and gazettal of the final neighbourhood plan was scheduled for late 2017.
The Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron Neighbourhood Plan
Continuing, Mark provided an introduction to the FGUKNP area, confirming the plan boundary and then the zoning of the area, highlighting the significant land uses across Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron.
Mark explained that, in developing the FGUKNP, Council holds no pre-determined outcomes for Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron other than those imposed by directions issued as part of the Minister’s call-in decision, and the need to accommodate appropriate growth in a way that retains and enhances the local community.
Online community survey
Mark described the online survey and its purpose, to assist Council to understand the views and aspirations of the local community. He advised that at its close on 31 March 2016, 550 responses had been received, with the top five issues identified by respondents being
· District roads
· Environment
· Community parks and spaces
· Local roads
· Public transport.
The survey indicated consistent support for protecting the important environmental values in the area. In addition, the survey revealed respondents’ views of whether development should or should not include any new vehicular connections to Mt Nebo Road. Almost 85% of respondents from Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron supported such a connection, while a similar percentage of respondents from The Gap did not support a connection.
As a neighbourhood planning process is currently underway for The Gap, an online survey for that plan is currently open and will provide some insight into the community’s views on issues in The Gap. Members wishing to contribute to that survey are welcome to participate at the following link – (https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-building/planning-guidelines-tools/neighbourhood-planning/neighbourhood-plans-other-local-planning-projects/gap-neighbourhood-plan).
For both neighbourhood plans, the input of the community, including the input of the Community Planning Teams, will be vital to test new ideas or concepts. The survey provides one mechanism through which Council can identify those issues. It was noted that a neighbourhood plan generally foreshadows development outcomes across a 10-year planning horizon.
Working together as a CPT
Prior to beginning the evening’s second activity, Liza explained the role of CPT members and the Council through the process, including the intent to conduct CPT meetings in a collaborative and open manner, encouraging contributions from all participants. To that end, members were given a set of overarching principles or ‘rules of engagement’ to guide discussions and deliberations. In summary, these were:
· Respect for others and other views (we may not naturally agree on everything)
· One conversation helps progress and allows everyone to be involved
· Respect the workshop process and make a positive contribution
· Say “what about this?”, not “no”
· Workshopping is about reconciling competing interests (beware of making one interest drive the plan)
· Draw or express ideas rather than arguing the merits of ideas (you can have more than one opinion).
Notes from all CPT meetings will be distributed to members and published on Council’s website so that all CPT members can keep abreast of the matters being discussed across the plan area. CPT members are also encouraged to put forward any suggestions (by phone or email) for improving the way in which meetings are conducted.
Activity #2: Neighbourhood Check
To commence this activity, members took turns introducing their Activity #1 ‘interview partner’ to their table group. This activity affirmed the diversity of the CPT members, who have varying backgrounds and different interests in Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron.
During the main part of the activity, CPT members took part in facilitated discussions to describe and detail their issues, aspirations and ideas for Ferny Grove-Upper Kedron. Members provided their input via drawings and notations on the plans provided, as well as through written notes and discussions.
To assist, members were asked to consider the following key points
· What do you like about the neighbourhood plan area?
· What do you dislike about the neighbourhood plan area?
· What would you like the area to be like in 20 years?
In addition, members were provided with a series of prompt questions to draw out their ideas
· How do you move around the neighbourhood – car, cycle, walk…?
· Is it easy to access the station?
· Is there the right housing choice for your needs – aged care facilities…?
· What height and forms of development are appropriate to this area?
· What parts of the study area do you value the most?
· What three things would you change?
· Ferny Grove Centre:
- What’s good about the centre and what’s bad?
- Do the land uses around the centre support the centre’s viability – should there be more density and activity in and around the centre?
- What height is appropriate for the centre and surrounding areas?
- What should it look like?
At the end of the activity, each table facilitator described the significant issues, aspirations, concerns or ideas to emerge from their discussions, and these are summarised as follows (detailed summaries of input provided at the end of these notes).
Table 1:
· Concerns re congestion of development and traffic towards Samford Road.