PLANNING APPLICATIONS

The following planning applications have been received by CBCRA. Please check if they affect you. Below each application title is a click-through link to the application and CBCRA's response:

2012-02-20
31 Beta Road, Bakoven – ERVEN 2733 & 2744
Departures from the planning scheme.

2012-02-17
17 Pitlochry Road, Camps Bay – ERF 2358
Right of appeal: Subdivision and departures from the planning scheme.

Nuisance caused by new street lamp between Whale Rock and Beaches Apts, Clifton

TO: Saville Allan Wenn
City of Cape Town

Dear Saville

Tomorrow at 10 am is fine, thank you.  I will meet you under the lamp and hope we can resolve the nuisance. I will email you under separate cover more photos showing the impact of the new street light nuisance.

I hope Mr. Chris Willemse of the CBRRA can also be there at that time. In advance of that meeting and to save time for all of us  may I please make the following suggestions to resolve this problem?

1. The previous street lamp deflector was removed (without notice to me or reasons given for doing so) by the Electricity Department some time ago when they replaced the light bulb with the stronger (halogen?) bulb which now throws 20 –40 m plus and much wider and even more invasive pool of light in the area and as a result refracts  onto and into surrounding properties and buildings, including our property. It is so strong that we can see the yellow parking lines in pitch darkness from quite a distance away (100, m estimate?) and the street light bounces off neighbors' buildings too, upwards and into our bedrooms.
2. I can send you some more photos if you wish to see what it looks like at night, or we can meet one evening after dark if you wish to monitor it then. 7 pm is fine.
3. Your colleagues should still have the deflector they removed, so I can't see why it is necessary to pay extra for restitution, or why I should be held liable for a nuisances caused by the Electricity team/Council contractors/employees, also in view of the legal obligations for Council to stop the nuisance in terms of various environmental and public health laws?
4. The comment below that you cannot remove the lamp as other road users will be be affected is not supported by the facts on the ground and in this area:
1. There are 4 lamp posts in very close proximity to each other here in addition to roof lights from properties adjoining Victoria Rd..
2. This particular spot is over lit through a combination of public and private artificial exterior lighting at night.
3. As residents and rate payers we live here and can't sleep as result of the reflection into our bedrooms at two levels of our house now also by this street lamp, exacerbated by existing amplification of the light nuisance by the Beaches' Apts. (10 Victoria Rd.) illegal roof and sign lights. 
4. Road users will not be negatively affected by your department taking steps to ameliorating the light nuisance posed by this lamp opposite our house as:
1. there are already too many street lamp posts here providing more than sufficient light over a short distance of 40 m minimum.
2. surrounding roof lights add additional light sources illuminate the public and private spaces more sharply than daylight at this spot;
3. road users and motorists are passing through this spot in an average of 1 second whereas we live here 24 hours a day, with the night time of about 11 hours being invaded by artificial light at night causing permanent residents and ratepayers to suffer more severely from the invasive light sources.
4. motorists manage very well with their vehicle head lamps in this over this overly well lit part of Victoria rd. as they also do 100 m away towards Bantry Bay where there is light only over a greater distance only on the sea side of Victoria Road and also a few kilometers away where there are again no artificial pavement lights (on one side of the road).  
5. There is really no basis for stating that motorists will be negatively affected by the removal of this one lamp. They manage perfectly well 8 km away on Victoria Rd. towards Llandudno where there are no lights on either side of the road, and all along the hundreds of thousands of roads in our country which have no street lights at all.  There are several light bulbs out at several nearby lamp posts (incl. on the duplicate lamp post at Whale Rock apt. opposite our house).
6. There are few pedestrians using the pavement here at night and this area is so excessively well lit with so many permanent sources of artificial light (incl. surplus street lamps) that removing this one light is unlikely to affect pedestrian safety here. I have been monitoring the possible impact on pedestrians here at at night and cannot believe that the removal of this one light would endanger anyone's safety given the reality of excessive artificial light sources here. 
7. May I suggest another option as possible solution: could you temporarily remove the light bulb on this one lamp (as if it blew) and we can both monitor the positive or negative effect thereof? The deflector will then not have to be fitted, you will not have to come back to deal with continuing nuisance problems if the deflector does not work with this new, stronger light bulb, and we should be able to get some sleep?

Please let me know what other suggestions or solutions you have?

Best regards,

Helet Merkling

Clifton

cc:  Chris Willemse, Chairman CBRRA

cc: Sandy Hustwick

cc: Mark Double

cc: Alan Berelowitz, Chairman CBO

cc:  Beverly Schafer

Minutes Public Meeting 21 Feb 2012

CBRRA PUBLIC MEETING MINUTES

21/02/2012 07h30 at The Rotunda, Bay Hotel, Camps Bay

Chris Willemse welcomed everyone and apologised for the problems with the sound system.

He announced that Jack Frost, a long-time resident of Camps Bay and ex-Councillor for the ward had died and

that CBRRA sent their condolences to the family, Ailean and children, Debbie, Cheryl and Michael.

A presentation on the My-Citi bus service was made by Dave Hugo of the City's Transportation Branch. All detail is

available on their website www.capetown.gov.za/myciti.

An address on electrical power saving was made by Leon Blumberg.

Cllr Beverley Schafer's Report:

Spoke about the law enforcement and new business forum and said these were a good compliment to CBRRA.

Simon Kneel on behalf of the Camps Bay Business Forum, organised a fundraiser in December and that it had

raised R140,000 which paid for 2 "top-up" cops for the season and a field worker whom had been profiling the

homeless in the area and at present had 50 people on profile. She was concerned at the amount of

unaccompanied children in the area and that these were being monitored.

The Council are considering city night parking fees (incl Camps Bay) and have presented a tender proposal of a

standard rate but still has to go through a public process.

Dogs on beaches face new rules which was presented at sub council. These will also go through a public

participation process.

Due to the success of the open air gym in Sea Point it is decided to go ahead with one in Camps Bay and it will

be up and running by the end of the year.

NO QUESTIONS

Cllr Marga Haywood's Report:

Explained the Chapmans Peak toll situation in that it was not a municipality decision but inherited from the

previous government and that the penalty clause has to be paid by the taxpayers and ratepayers. The provincial

government will have to pay a very large penalty if the construction is stopped.

Chris Willemse representing the community and Michelle Harvey representing education will represent the area on

the new Ward Committee.

She said a councillor is not a local municipal manager or official but your representative in council. She cannot

represent your interests unless she is instructed to do so. Any complaints should be sent to either CW or MH or sent to Marga directly. People on the ground should be their eyes and ears for any matters that require City intervention.

QUESTIONS

Carlos Liltved posed 5 questions to the Cllr. It was agreed that these would be sent directly to CBBRA for

publishing on the blogspot. A request from the floor was that these answers beemailed to all CBRRA members. CW

said it would be done and also put on the blog.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

JANE BODIN: Anything being done by the City about the state of the beach?

CW: Mayor De Lille would look at old proposal of CBRRA scheme. She has promised input and hopefully money

will be allocated next year. However, it is moving and will be part of a whole process

ALEX PINA: There are huge monstrosities being built in Camps Bay, including the Solomon Bros 5 storey house in

The Meadows. She felt that loop holes are being used to build 5 storeys and it's

not legal.

CW: CBRRA has been approached by other neighbours to this building. However, the zoning scheme is imperfect

and the planning department of the City routinely help developers to circumvent rules. CBRRA has legally fought

the City with great success but lacks the large amounts of money to continue to fight these developers and the

city are also using all sorts of tricks. CW requested AP to discuss after the meeting has finished.

UNIDENTIFIED FROM THE FLOOR: The unlicensed "cockroach" taxi which park illegally in all areas and who do Uturns

across barrier lines are going to cause accidents. Not sure My Citi will stop this.

CW: Noted. Usually this is just a Hout Bay problem.

UNIDENTIFIED FROM THE FLOOR: Excellent meeting but it was scheduled to start at 7:30pm and it should not start

at five to eight! Should have calledthe meeting to order!

CW: Point taken but technology (or lack thereof) had intervened.

JANE BODIN: Regarding the Harrison ourt case. What costs to CBRRA? Is there any point in paying subscriptions to

CBRRA? It isan eye sore and can the owners make it more presentable?

CW: We can carry on with the threats of a potential costs order from the City, or just give up and not have a

CBRRA. Asked the meeting to vote on motion: Shall CBRRA keep going or close down. Overwhelming majority of

meeting, by show of hands, voted for CBRRA to keep going.

MEETING CLOSED

CB Watch AGM 2011

Please put Monday 26th March at 7.00pm in your diary.

We will be holding the Camps Bay Watch and the CBCSI AGM at the Rotunda.

We have a number of important matters to deal with and decide upon, including the sustainability of the CBCSI (The Camps Bay Community Security Initiative) which is funded by your monthly voluntary levy of R198 per month. It is currently costing us more to run than we collect from the voluntary levies. We may therefore have to decide which services to cut back on. We shall go through the full year’s performance with you.

We embarked on an extensive research project last year, where we examined best practise in Neighbour Hood Watch around the Western Cape. We wish to share the outcome of that with you as it may affect the way we choose to go forward with CBCSI.

The Camps Bay and Clifton Safe Community Trust (the administrative and governance back end of CBCSI) is now up and running and has been granted favourable tax status. We will explain that in detail.

We will also deal with the latest spike in crimes and our plans to enhance safety and security in Camps Bay and we also need to decide on who we want to lead CBW into 2012.

We shall send out a detailed agenda closer to the actual meeting but we encourage you to please make every effort to attend. Without CBW and CBCSI, Camps Bay would be a considerably less safe neighbourhood to live in. We need a team effort to keep it going and we most definitely need your support.

if you would like to confirm your attendance, please do so on the website here.

Many thanks

Kind Regards

Ian Merrington

Chairperson – Camps Bay Watch

Sector Contact Details

Sector 1 (Glen & Village): Jacques Louw

Sector 2 (Middle and Bakoven): Alan Marsh

Sector 3 (Rontree): Sally Merrington

Sector 4 (Clifton) : Alan Berelowitz

CCT Media Release: Water disruption 17 – 18 Mar Camps Bay

MEDIA RELEASE

15 MARCH 2012

City warns of disruption in water supply to Camps Bay this weekend

The City of Cape Town's Water and Sanitation Department will be carrying out the required upgrade on the water supply network feeding the Camps Bay area from 22:00 on Saturday night, 17 March 2012 until 06:00 on Sunday morning, 18 March 2012.

This follows the tests, camera inspection and installation of a by-pass connection earlier in the month. The upgrade will ensure that the water supply infrastructure will not be negatively impacted by heavy-duty vehicular activities.

The work will result in a disruption to the water supply from Camps Bay Drive to Victoria Road – including the Twelve Apostles Hotel – between 22:00 on Saturday night and 06:00 on Sunday morning.

This work forms part of the City's water infrastructure maintenance and upgrade strategy, which also addresses the impact of changing environments on the water supply pipelines.

When the water flow and pressure is restored, there might be a brief period when the water is slightly discoloured. Residents are advised to store drinking water in clean, sealed containers for domestic purposes.

Residents must please ensure that their taps are properly closed during this period. Should the tap be inadvertently left open and the flow restored while they are away from home, damage could be caused and a considerable amount of water wasted.

The City wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused, but it is essential that we improve our water supply infrastructure to the benefit of our consumers.

End

Issued by: Communication Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Farouk Robertson, Communication Officer: Water and Sanitation Department, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 487 2318 or Cell: 084 307 2001

Street Renaming Meeting Sub Council

Streets to be changed	Wards Affected
D.F. Malan Street	77
Coen Steytler Avenue	77
Milner Road (Metro Industry)	54
Port Road

AGENDA

PUBLIC MEETING TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, 27 MARCH 2012 AT 11:00

10h45 – 11h15

Arrival registration tea / coffee (Public Participation Unit)

11h20 – 11h30

Opening and Welcome (Chairperson of the section 80 Committee)

Purpose of the Meeting

11h30 – 13h00

ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED

1. Process background (Presentation: Section 80 Committee)

2. Contextualisation of street history (Presentation)

3. Proposed name change

4. Discussion (questions and comments)

5. Way forward (Section 80 Committee)

6. Completion of comment/survey form

7. Thanks and closure: (Section 80 Committee)

MyCiti News March 2012

Moving towards rail integration
Cape Town is leading the way in exploring ways to better integrate public transport services, as the national government moves to devolve more responsibility to cities for the planning and managing of public transport.

In his Budget speech, Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan said that a devolution of public transport services to metropolitan municipalities will be phased in over the period ahead, allowing for ‘better integrated public transport networks including rail and bus rapid transit systems.'

The City recently hosted a rail summit attended by Mayor Patricia de Lille, MEC for Transport and Public Works, Robin Carlisle, Deputy Director General for the National Department of Transport, Mathabatha Mokonyama, and the Chief Executive Officer of Prasa, Lucky Montana, among others.

Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater, Brett Herron said the City was taking ‘significant steps towards implementing a sustainable, multi-modal, integrated public transport service which will be made up of passenger rail, bus rapid transit (MyCiTi), scheduled bus services, minibus-taxis and non-motorised transport. We are working as hard as we can, and as prudently as possible, to put the current fragmented, and often inconvenient, public transport system behind us and to usher in a fully functional public transport service that will support economic and social inclusion and provide convenient and enhanced affordable mobility.’

The aim was to establish the City as the single public transport authority. Work is continuing on the devolution of the bus subsidies and the assignment of the minibus-taxi licensing to the City. But, Councillor Herron said it would be impossible for the City to implement a fully integrated public transport service without being in a position to plan for passenger rail services and then ensure its implementation. Passenger rail is the dominant mode of public transport in Cape Town, which has one of the most extensive urban networks in the country.

Over 600 000 passengers a day depend on Metrorail for their daily commute. ‘Passenger rail is critical to our economic viability and to achieving social inclusion. It is therefore critical to the future of this city. If it is allowed to deteriorate further, and collapse, the consequences for every individual resident, and all of us collectively as a city, will be dire. We live in one of the few liveable cities of the world and if passenger rail fails, everything that we love about this city will be lost.

Against this backdrop the City, and its leadership, does not have the luxury of maintaining a convenient arms-length approach to the increasingly problematic and, at times, dysfunctional Metrorail service.’ A joint task team from the City and the provincial and national departments will form a task team to oversee a due diligence investigation, expected to be concluded by November 2012. This will inform the way forward.

From car-friendly to people first
Cape Town is setting a national example in the quest to turn our cities from car-centred places to ones where public transport and the interests of all residents take preference. This is according to the National Department of Transport’s director of public transport network development, Ibrahim Seedat.

‘Our major cities are following the path forged by cities like Curitiba in Brazil and Bogotá in Columbia, and dozens of other international cities since then, that have implemented integrated BRT and public transport systems,’ he says.

‘MyCiTi in Cape Town and Rea Vaya in Johannesburg are leading the way, but from 2015 we expect a new wave of BRT services to be launched, in eThekwini, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and Rustenberg, and after that more cities will follow suit.’ He says that innovative technology is playing a crucial role.

‘The EMV, or contactless payment card, is the latest innovation being introduced. These cards will play an important role in the public transport of the future, as they will save passengers time and money by allowing quick access to vehicles, and stations and free, quick transfers between different routes and even modes of transport.’

Cape Town has pioneered this pre-paid travel system by introducing the myconnect card on MyCiTi buses. In doing so, the city is the first in South Africa to meet the automated fare-collection regulations prescribed by the national Department of Transport in June last year.

The EMV technology used in such cards is breaking new ground, as it allows for the integration of public transport and banking services. In coming years, all credit and debit cards will be upgraded to comply with this technology, which means that we could all use our credit and debit cards to pay for public transport across the country.

Between November 2011 and the end of February 2012, Since November, more than 27 000 myconnect cards have been sold. The card will also be used to pay for parking in many parts of Cape Town in the near future. They are available from MyCiTi stations and selected retailers.

The cards can also be used to make purchases of up to R200 at a time at all retailers that accept debit cards.

MyCiTi tip of the month

You can check the balance on yourmyconnect card at a station kiosk or by asking a station conductor to check it before you tap. When there is less than R20 available, you will hear two beeps after you tap your card, reminding you to top up.

For more information
Transport Information Centre (toll-free 24/7) 0800 65 64 63www.capetown.gov.za/myciti
Follow MyCiTi on Facebook or Twitter