Important to note: The general public are probably not aware that the City Council, in conjunction with the Mayors Office, have proposed that public participation (the rights of neighbours and civic groupings to meaningfully object to planning applications that do not comply with the law) will, within a few weeks, be removed from all further development proposals, thereby giving the City the power to approve any development they wish with little or no concern to how this would effect the surrounding neighbours and the environment.
Raoul Spiegel On 8 August 2013 13:58, Raoul Spiegel <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear All > > PLEASE TAKE NOTE: > > This worrying news popped up yesterday in relation to MAYCO's steamrolling > of the rezoning process of 500 hectares of prime agricultural land in the > Philippi Horticultural Area. > > Mayco's decision to revoke public participation will affect the planning > permission process for the whole of Cape Town. It undermines interactive > democracy and the role of civil society in the governing of our city. It > especially disempowers land/home owners in their right to protest > inappropriate developments on neighbouring properties - an ongoing concern > in cultural heritage areas like Observatory, in which, already, a number of > dubious development plans (eg the 3 to 4-story apartment block currently > under construction at the end of Lower Wrensch Rd) have been shunted > quickly through council without satisfactory public participation. > > It seems that, in vicious lunge to meet pre-election housing goals, Mayor > De Lille is giving democratic civil society the finger and welcoming, with > open arms, her profiteering land-development chums in the Western Cape > Property Development Forum (WCPDF). > > See more below. > > Raoul Spiegel > > > On Wed, Aug 7, 2013 at 9:11 PM, Len Swimmer <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Dear All, >> >> Here’s what went down today at MAYCO – see below. Heaven help us! >> >> Regards, >> >> Len >> >> >> * * >> >> >> >> *Len Swimmer* >> >> Chairman >> Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance >> >> >> >> >> >> 021 790 0268 >> 082 452 1799 >> >> >> >> >> >> [email protected] >> [image: Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> *1, 2, 3 done* >> >> So, there we were….. >> >> Luke, Mark, Norbert and I. The ‘Public’ attending today’s Mayco meeting. >> Some journalists were also present. >> >> The Mayor went through the Agenda at an incredible pace and within 40 >> minutes, Item 12/08/13 “Repeal of Public Engagement Policy ….. and adoption >> of Public Participation Guidelines” was under ‘discussion’. I use that >> term guardedly. >> >> De Lille did a brief introduction noting that the purpose was to >> streamline PPP, provide specific timelines, reduce red tape, align policy >> with court judgments and that never (ever) would the public not be >> consulted and, besides, the law requires this. >> >> With that she asked if those present agreed and with a collective nod, >> the matter was over….. 90 seconds, I guess. 120 tops? >> > The next Full Council meeting seems to be on August 28th. >> >> And now? >> >> Regards, >> >> Janey >> >> PS The Cape Town Stadium Plan was withdrawn from the Agenda and >> will be the subject of a Strat Mayco meeting (at least I think that’s what >> they said …. Mark? Norbert? Luke?). >> >> PPS Taken from the City’s webpage, *Have your Say* ... “Everyone who >> lives and works in Cape Town has the right and duty to participate in local >> government decision-making. We all have the opportunity, through >> subcouncils, ward forums, public meetings and other processes, to influence >> the way in which Council functions and make sure that local government >> policies, by-laws and projects are relevant to our needs.” Nice, huh? >> >> PPPS Interesting reading at http://urbanafrica.net/news/** >> 2013/07/29/cape-town-not-**exempt-urban-spring<http://urbanafrica.net/news/2013/07/29/cape-town-not-exempt-urban-spring> >> >> >> ** >> >> *From:* Len Swimmer [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> *Sent:* 07 August 2013 12:22 PM >> *To:* >> *Cc:* >> *Subject:* RE: Philippi Horticultural Area Avaaz Petition >> >> Also a call for those who have DA cards to destroy them and reveal this >> publicly like I have, and don’t renew membership to the Party. That will >> strike a good body blow – a wake-up call is what they need. >> >> Kind Regards, >> >> Len >> >> >> * * >> >> >> >> *Len Swimmer* >> >> Chairman >> Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance >> >> >> >> >> >> 021 790 0268 >> 082 452 1799 >> >> >> >> >> >> [email protected] >> [image: Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- > OPS [Obsid Public Safety] - 24/7 control room > ---------------------------------------------- > 021-447-1066 072-063-1653 > > For all emergencies please dial 10111 > > ---------------------------------------------- > ONW: 082 081 0142, ONW email: [email protected] > WEB: www.obswatch.org.za > ---------------------------------------------- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > The Observatory Neighbourhood watch group. To post to this group, send > email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send > email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this > group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/obsnw?hl=en > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the > Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/topic/obsnw/BCNw4eAOclM/unsubscribe. > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- OPS [Obsid Public Safety] - 24/7 control room ---------------------------------------------- 021-447-1066 072-063-1653 For all emergencies please dial 10111 ---------------------------------------------- ONW: 082 081 0142, ONW email: [email protected] WEB: www.obswatch.org.za ---------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups The Observatory Neighbourhood watch group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/obsnw?hl=en --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
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