Posted 13/5/12

MRRA Letter to the Editor - Restructure Overlay, Macedon

Published Kilmore Free Press 4/5/12 and Kyneton Midland Express 8/5/12

Macedon Ranges Shire Council must really be hellbent on giving a few landholders what they want by removing the Restructure Overlay at Macedon / Mt. Macedon, because it seems nothing is going to get in the way of taking that overlay off.

Council’s own Settlement Strategy set a ‘no growth’ scenario for Macedon and said regardless of sewer there are still too many other constraints to allow more growth and development.  Council is ignoring this.

In March Council ran a push-poll survey designed to trick people into giving answers Council could use to support removing the overlay, but the results went the other way, so Council is ignoring them.

Undeterred, Council is back for another bite at the cherry and has put a “Macedon Restructure Overlay Review” on exhibition which puts up three options:  (1) No change to the Restructure Overlay;  (2) Remove the overlay and (3) Modify the overlay to allow more development. 

So what do you say to a Council that won’t take no for an answer?  Say ‘no’ again – but louder this time.

Macedon Ranges Residents’ Association Inc urges Shire residents to put in a short submission to Council’s planning department by May 16 supporting Option 1 (no change) as the outcome for the Review. 

This isn’t just about the Restructure Overlay, it’s also about the arrogant and undemocratic way this Council is operating.  Send a message to Council that it can’t function like a club, and only in some people’s interests, while making the rest of us pay for it.