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Saturday, 26 September 2009

ManCo 2009/2010

Planning
Charles Wells (Chair)
27 21 438 8705
lwells @ yebo.co.za

Blog Editor / Finance / GCTCA / Planning / Rates / Sub Council & City Council Liaison

John Powell (Vice Chair & Spokesperson)
27 82 556 3086
powelltalk @ icon.co.za

Secretary
Jane Bodin
27 21 438 8784
wulfrun @ telkomsa.net

Cleansing / Finance / Heritage & Environment
Richard Dames
27 21 438 9570
richlionheart@vodamail.co.za

Planning
Trudi Groenewald
27 82 452 3776
groensee @ new.co.za

Events / Planning / Safety & Security Liaison / Signage
Brenda Herbert
27 83 626 1731
brenda @ hertbert.co.za

PR / Communication / New Media
Alma Horn
27 83 628 9105
almahorn @ gmail.co.za

Membership
Dimitri Karakondis
27 82 568 7217
belsam @ mweb.co.za

Hon Treasurer
Mary Lloyd
27 21 438 8712
hooba @ iafrica.com

Heritage & Environment
Johan van Papendorp
27 82 420 2922
jvp @ ovp.co.za

Sub Council & City Council Liaison / Planning
Chris Willemse (Chair Planning)
27 83 653 6363
cwpm @ intekom.co.za

Friday, 25 September 2009

Public Meeting Announcement


Read more about the topics for the meeting:

THE ROUNDHOUSE
The Roundhouse has been redeveloped into two restaurants. The concessionaires now wish to redevelop the adjacent Stan’s Halt building into a small boutique hotel with attached lodge premises. CBRRA and "the Friends of the Glen" are keeping a watch on proposals which, in due course, will be shown to the public at large for comment and approval.

MUNICIPAL RATES
The City Council has just completed its July 2009 municipal property rates revaluation throughout the Unicity. A new provisional Valuation Roll will be published in January 2010 – ratepayers will be given until April 2010 to object and new rates bills, based on the revised valuations, will be sent out in July 2010 subject to objection adjustments if any.

NEW MUNICIPAL WARD BOUNDARIES
The Delimitation Board has published its proposed new ward boundary maps for public comment by December 2009. These have serious consequences for Camps Bay. It is proposed to again split Camps Bay and environs (in the vicinity of the soccer field) so that part will remain with Camps Bay, Bakoven, Llandudno and Hout Bay as the constituency of Cllr Marga Haywood while the other part will be merged with the Sea Point constituency of Cllr J-P Smith. CBRRA considers this a very retrograde step and wishes to test public opinion.

ANIMAL BY-LAWS
The City of Cape Town has finalised is draft Animal By-Law. Several improvements have been proposed. A full copy of the draft by-law is included in the CBRRA blog ‹‹here››.

OUDEKRAAL
A property group has obtained an option to buy on the Kassie Wiehahn-owned Oudekraal estate stretching from Camps Bay to Llandudno. Since then Mr Wiehahn has lost another High Court case to restore his development rights on his above property. CBRRA hopes to report on the status of the option. See the full High Court judgement on the CBRRA blog ‹‹here››.

Wednesday, 23 September 2009

CCT Draft Spatial Development Framework

Deadline for these comments 31 Oct 2009

Some years ago, the City of Cape Town historically comprised over twenty-five separate municipalities which had been assembled over the last century or so. These were first reduced to eight municipalities and subsequently to one single Unicity, which has a series of sub-councils which replaced the previous multiplicity of municipalities.

Each one of these previous municipalities had their own by-laws, notably planning zoning schemes, which differed considerably from each other and were a nightmare for Owners and Developers, who needed to find out in terms of which scheme they were obliged to design their buildings.

At the same time, the City also inherited a large amount of existing planning policies for local areas, some in existence and some still in an embryonic stage. The City is going to update and publish these local plans in due course but is concentrating at present on the overall holistic SDF, in terms of which the local plans will see the light of day some time in the future after further negotiations with the residents of the local areas.

Because Camps Bay and environs has not engaged with the City on a local plan, it will have to apply to do so some time in the future should it so wish.

Over the last eight years or so, the City has been unifying all these planning zoning schemes into one integrated zoning scheme, which is not far off now from being brought into law (probably in 2010).

At the same time, the City Planning Department has been working in terms of its overall planning policy for the whole of Cape Town in terms of the previous MSDF (Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework), which has now become outdated and in need of modernizing in terms of the City’s new planning integrated zoning scheme and its unified Unicity Planning Policy now to be called the SDF (Spatial Development Framework), which is currently out for public comment and participation for issue in 2010 /11 after a further public participation exercise in respect of its final draft in 2010.

For further information look up futurecapetown@capetown.gov.za

You can download the draft SDF documents from www.capetown.gov.za/en/sdf

The City has recently published the following press release for the benefit of the public at large in all sectors of the Unicity :


PLANNING FOR FUTURE CAPE TOWN : CITY SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK & DISTRICT PLANS

Background information

The land area of Cape Town has almost doubled in size since the mid-1980s. In addition, the number of people in Cape Town is growing; in the next 15 years the city’s population – already at 3.2 million – could reach 4.2 million people.

It is vital that economic growth continues, and that it does so in a way that creates and sustains jobs. But this same vital growth means increased, and ongoing, demand for land, water, transport and energy resources. It also means pressure on Cape Town’s already threatened indigenous plants and animals. Already the city is experiencing the effects of growth. Roads
are congested, landfill sites are filling up, and the coastal water and air are polluted…

These changes affect the quality of life of everyone who lives here, and threaten many people’s livelihoods. Add to this the fact that the Western Cape will probably be more affected by climate change than anywhere else in South Africa, and it is clear that the City needs to get better at
planning for the future.

This is what Planning for Future Cape Town is all about.

We can’t avoid change, growth and development. But we believe that the best possible Cape Town of the future is one where the city grows, but protects – and makes the most of – its key economic, social and environmental assets. Such a Cape Town is certainly possible – if we have a plan about how to manage Cape Town’s growth and development.

A Spatial Development Framework (SDF) is a useful and effective tool with which to manage and monitor growth and development. A Spatial Development Framework is also required by law as part of the City’s Integrated Development Plan (Five-Year Plan).

In the early 1990s, what was then the Cape Metropolitan Council (CMC) prepared a Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework (MSDF), which was approved by Council in 1999. Since then, development trends (and legal requirements) have changed in Cape Town. The City’s Spatial Planning and Urban Design Department is therefore preparing an updated SDF (using the original MSDF recommendations, and its ongoing reviews, as a starting point) as well as individual SDFs for each of the City’s eight planning districts.

What should a Spatial Development Framework (SDF) do?

An SDF informs investors where development opportunities exist in the short and longer term. It will offer predictability, as once it has been approved it will be the basis on which City officials decide on new development proposals.

How do you imagine the future of Cape Town?

Over the next four months or so, the City will hold community meetings in each of the 23 subouncils, as well as city-wide stakeholder meetings, to find out how people in Cape Town imagine the future of our city.

Some examples of the questions that need answering are:

• How do you think the city should grow? Upwards? Outwards? Not at all?
• What are the most important things on which government should be spending public (ie, your!) money?
• Do you think it is worth preserving fynbos rather than building houses on it? And if so, where should new houses be built instead?
• How should we connect Capetonians with each other, and with economic opportunities? Through better public, or private, transport?
• Should people be able to live closer to work opportunities?

The City will also ask provincial and national government, town planners, community and environmental groups, developers and architects for their advice and consider the Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework.

With all of these inputs, the team will prepare a draft SDF for each of the City’s eight planning districts, as well as for the whole city. We will then ask for your final input and comments, before submitting the plans to the Western Cape Government for approval. Eventually these plans will replace many of the old plans that still guide development in Cape Town.

• To see a map of the eight planning districts, visit your subcouncil office or www.capetown.gov.za/sdfeight.
• For more information about the stakeholder participation process,
contact Eleanor Sonnenberg on 021 531 9787, e-mail eleanor.sonnenberg@gmail.com.
• If you have questions about this project, please e-mail
futurecapetown@capetown.gov.za

Landmark Supreme Court Ruling Eagerly Awaited

A judgment that will determine the course of building in Camps Bay as well as the future of CBRRA is eagerly awaited. CBRRA fights to retain the present desirable character of Camps Bay and to safeguard home owners from the destructive trends by some developers to build in such a way that the neighbours’ amenities and property values are adversely affected.

The result of a long running saga concerning the partly constructed house on the corner of Geneva Drive and Blinkwater Road was finally held at the Supreme Court of Appeal at Bloemfontein on 26th August. A landmark judgment in every sense of the words. Sadly, the main costs for the defenders are borne not by the owners of the property but the Cape Town City Council, represented at the expense of every rate payer by some of the best known advocates in this field. Neighbours and CBRRA have had to bear all their own costs and if the case is lost will be liable for those of the defence.

Judgment is expected within the next few weeks.

CBRRA September ManCo Meeting Report

CBBRA is involved with many important issues concerning residents of Camps Bay. At the September meeting of the Association’s committee the following were discussed :

Round House/The Glen
• there are proposed developments
• owners of The Round House have been invited to speak at the CBRRA public meeting on 26 October 2009

Closure of Rottingdean Road entrance
• at lower entrance to Houghton Drive
• to prevent further vehicle accidents

New Rates
• a CBRRA representative attended a meeting with valuers about the new rates to be published in January 2010

Brick Paved Path
• request to City Council for a brick paved path between the tidal pool area to prevent damage by vehicles

Planning
• Discussions with developers, neighbours and the City Council planning department re contentious plans

Camps Bay Medics
• A donation is to be sent from CBRRA

Two more cell phone antennas have been applied for
• on the beach front and Upper Tree Road
• CBRRA is handing in an objection

Security huts
• the City Council is producing a by law

Wild flower conservation
• the City Council is being contacted re premature cutting of lawns and sidewalks

Ward boundaries
• are up for discussion
• Camps Bay is part of Ward 74 which includes Hout Bay
• CBRRA is to discuss with residents about requesting the boundaries be redrawn so that Camps Bay is more appropriately linked with Sea Point


Public General Meeting
Monday 26 October 2009 7.30 pm
The Rotunda, Camps Bay
All welcome – members and non members

Come and find out more – bring your questions and support CBRRA

Sunday, 6 September 2009

NEWS Sep 09: GCTCA Liquor Bill back to drawing board

Click on the article to enlarge:

NEWS Sep 09: GCTCA Integrated Transport Plan

The Argus - 2 September 2009

The City is in the process of reviewing and updating its current statutory Integrated Transport Plan (2006-2011) and has appointed a consortium of specialist service providers to assist with its coordination.

The Integrated Transport Plan (ITP) is a holistic and overarching five-year plan for managing and developing Cape Town's transport system. The ITP is a statutory requirement in terms of the National Land Transport Transition Act (No 22 of 2000), while preparation is also strategically aligned with the National Land Transport Act (No. 5 of 2009) process. The ITP must be updated each year in terms of legislation. It covers all modes of public transport, non-motorised transport, freight and movement of private vehicles, airports, ports, etc.

The ITP was taken through a second round of public consultation from mid November 2008 to the end of January 2009 in order to assist the technical team in the update and revision process. It is now being made available for public comment to ensure that the content is relevant and up to date before submission for approval, as required in terms of the Act.

This is your opportunity to:
  • Identify any possible gaps / shortcomings in the revised ITP.
  • Submit proposals on addressing any shortcomings.
  • Provide feedback on the City's progress, achievements and / or proposed strategies, action plans, implementation programmes and priority projects that have been included in the revised ITP.
Please submit your written comments:
  • By post to the ITP Public Participation Office, Attention: Ms Tamara North, PO Box 494, Cape Town 8000, Tel: 021 481 2400, Fax: 021 424 5588
  • By e-mail to: Lindiwe.Gaika@af.aurecongroup.com or Tamara. North@af.aurecongroup.com
A full document may be viewed at your local library all subcouncil offices or electronically on the City's website: www.capetown.gov.za