Woden Valley Community Council

Committee Meeting    6 April 2005

Orpheus Room     Hellenic Club

Record
1.    Chair David Menzel advised that apologies had been received from
Adrian Roberts, Dolores Holmes, Mike Reddy and John Cain.
 
2.    Mr Menzel said that the WVCC Website was now operational and ready for
material to be loaded onto the website.
ACTION: Bill O¹Brien to contact Paul Hogie to arrange a meeting with David
Menzel for a demonstration on loading material onto the site.

3.    Planned changes to Eddison Park Pond and the need for its retention as
a water feature were discussed.  Plans had been drawn up which retain the
pond at approximately one third the size of the current pond with associated
landscaping. 
ACTION: David Menzel to provide comment on the revised proposal.

4.    The meeting discussed ACT Planning and Land Authority approval for two
car sales showrooms and associated car parking on the corner of Melrose
Drive and Parramatta Street, Phillip.  It was agreed that there had been
inadequate consultation with affected parties and that there were particular
concerns with 14 parallel parking spaces and two entrances to be constructed
on Melrose Drive.
ACTION: Bill O¹Brien to send a letter to Planning Minister Simon Corbell and
Urban Services Minister John Hargreaves stating community concerns about the
impact on a major traffic road of parallel parking and two additional
entrances. 
[On Monday 11 April a meeting was held at the site with the design engineers
and a representative of the developers, Rolfe partnership.  David Menzel and
Bill O¹Brien said that the WVCC concerns were that there had been
insufficient notice of the development and parking proposals to interested
parties likely to be affected by the development.  In addition there were
specific concerns relating to the parallel parking and entrances proposed
for Melrose Drive.  Melrose Drive was a major thoroughfare and if the
proposals were built as approved the parking and entrances on the curve of
Melrose Drive would exacerbate an already dangerous traffic environment.
David Menzel said that the WVCC would report on the meeting to interested
parties and respond with a considered view on the proposal.]

5.    The meeting noted that demolition of Guardian House had commenced
despite the extensive media coverage of WVCC concerns about its removal and
replacement with an office tower.

6.    The meeting agreed to send a letter of appreciation to Warwick Pearson
who resigned from the committee at the March meeting due to his move to
Sydney.
ACTION:  John Kain to provide Harmander Singh with an appropriate message
for production of a certificate.

7.    David Menzel said that approximately 70% of WVCC work was generated by
ACTPLA requesting comment on development proposals and that the ACTPLA grant
to the WVCC of $4,500 was recompense for some of the work done by the
Council on ACTPLA¹S behalf.  The WVCC needed to raise and maintain a profile
in the Woden Community and that this could be assisted by a letterbox drop.

8.    It was noted that there was a discrepancy in current insurance
liability, with some new policies increasing liability risk from $1m to $10m
for General Indemnity and this was of concern to community councils.
ACTION: John Kain to seek clarification on WVCC¹s responsibilities from AON
Insurance.

9.    The next meeting of the WVCC would be held on Wednesday 4 May 2005 at
the Hellenic Club.  The following items were proposed for discussion.
- the need for community facilities in Woden
- upgrading of Phillip oval and surrounding infrastructure
- Russell Watkinson CEO Urban Parks and Places to address meeting