Nelson Community Plan version 2
Plan revision 2009
Nelson Community Plan
2008
Version 2
Created Sept 2009
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0Community Planning Group Members
2.1Membership
2.2Role of the Community Planning Group
2.3Council’s Contribution
3.0Nelson Community Plan 2008 Priorities
3.1Purpose and vision for the Nelson community plan
3.2Priorities for 2008
Improving Nelson preparedness to defend against wildfire
Community Centre/Hub
Zoning Issues (to cater for all sectors)
Brief description of the community project:
Foreshore Re-Development
Road safety issues-Border to Portland including Nelson
Walking/Cycling Trail from Beach Road to Estuary
3.3Other Issues
3.3.1Triathlon and Rowing Platform
3.3.2Green riverbanks, sandy beaches and garden areas
3.3.3(03) prefix – 1800 calls
3.3.4River access for young (and old) swimmers
3.3.5Rubbish/waste collection – private and parks
3.3.6Recycling/ waste water strategy
3.3.7Removal of vegetation on highway to SA border
3.3.8Dangerous intersection – Winnap/Dartmoor Roads – redesigning the traffic junction at the pub/kiosk
3.3.9Slip lane needed at the SA border parking area
3.3.10Services and infrastructure to support businesses
3.3.11Tourism promotion – off season
3.3.12Business attraction and retention
Community Activities
Hydrological Study to Maintain Estuary Flow
5.0Why does Nelson need a community plan?
6.0Alteration to the community plan
7.0 Emergency circumstances
1.0Introduction
The first Nelson Community Plan was developed following a public meeting held on Sunday 21st October 2007 in Nelson and reconfirmed at a public meeting held on 19th June 2008. This was then revised at a public meeting in consultation with the residents in attendance on Sept 30 2009.
The first meeting to conduct the community plan was undertaken utilising a “café style” approach which allowed for a considerable amount of discussion resulting in many more ideas being identified and suggestions presented for consideration. This process allowed all those who attended to contribute their views and have them recorded. The meeting also based the community plan on previous work undertaken in 2003 as part of the Town Place Project.
2.0Community Planning Group Members
2.1Membership
The community planning group members for the Nelson Community Plan for 2009 are:
Cyril Stretton
Rick Mullan
Mick Bawden
Simone Purchase
Suzanne Connell ( June 2009)
2.2Role of the Community Planning Group
The Nelson Community Plan is a Glenelg Shire Council initiative that promotes “bottom up” planning by better local coordination of community activities and use of resources.
Community planning in Nelson aims to achieve more local people and groups participating in community decisions and actions resulting in a better quality of life for local residents.
The role of the community planning group is to bring all stakeholders and interested parties together to plan and develop actions for each priority so that they are fully scoped, clearly identified as initiatives of the community, and implemented. The community planning group also recognises the plans and efforts of the Foreshore Committee and the necessity to work with this group.
The community planning group members will be considered as independent from any existing committee in Nelson but will endeavour to ensure that the actions identified in the community plan for 2008 are considered and implemented in an independent capacity through a process that represents all stakeholders in the community.
All members of the community may attend meetings of the community planning group and are encouraged to participate in any action planning to develop any of the priorities.
The role of the community planning group is to steer the actions within the community plan.
This involves:
Ensuring and bringing together all interested parties and the broader community to plan action for each priority.
Developing methods to assist all stakeholders and members of the community to develop project plans for each priority.
Assisting the project groups for each priority to negotiate partners, funds and expertise to complete the project.
In addition, the specific duties of the community planning group will include:
Establishing inclusive working groups that run projects arising out of the community plan.
Make sure that projects are planned.
Ensuring that ideas, partners, finances, expertise and timelines are addressed.
Include all interested community members and act as a broker for ideas for working through development of any project.
Provide updates on the progress of the community plans through local media, newsletters, websites and presentations to groups as appropriate.
Conduct regular meetings to progress action on the community plan with the support of Council through the appointed facilitator.
Promote the community plan and its projects across the broader community.
Link projects where applicable, to corporate sponsorship programs.
Link projects, where applicable, to Council and government programs.
Administer any funds and ensure that project funds are utilised only for the project that the money has been received.
Organise public community reviews of the community plan.
Maintain an ethical and even-handed manner, without favouring any one individual or organisation in the course of these tasks.
It is the responsibility of members of the community planning group to see that all processes are active and all actions are inclusive.
As part of community planning, the community planning group must ensure that all residents in a district, who attend meetings of the community plan group, are actively encouraged to participate in planning and taking action on projects arising through the district planning agenda.
Community planning group members must conduct their business in a fair and respectful manner, assisting groups in their community to develop partnerships and collaborations that seek cooperation between groups that can benefit more than one party or community’s services that improve community’s initiatives.
It is essential that the community planning group recognise the importance of attending to both large and small projects.
2.3Council’s Contribution
The Glenelg Shire Council supports the strengthening of local communities and aims to increase community participation through the community planning process.
The Community Plan is driven by local communities and identifies key priorities and actions. Council will:
- Support the community planning process
- Advocate on behalf of the local community
- Where appropriate, include the plans in Council Plans and Strategies.
This is confirmed in the current Glenelg Shire Council Plan 2009-2012.
“We will involve our diverse community in decision making to improve processes, services and infrastructure that will positively impact their lives and wellbeing.”
The Role of Council:
- To receive and note the Community Plan and its proposed projects from the Nelson community planning group.
- To advocate on behalf of the Nelson community plan to other funding bodies
- To provide advice to the Nelson community planning group and support their endeavours by providing assistance that enables and empowers the group to see their projects completed.
- To identify projects or programs that are of significance to the Nelson community that can be considered for inclusion in the Council Plan, thereby creating a strong local government that reflects and responds to community need.
3.0Nelson Community Plan 2008 Priorities
3.1Purpose and vision for the Nelson community plan
The Nelson Community Plan 2009 represents the key community intentions identified in the April 2008 workshop to continue to develop the Nelson community as a wonderful place for people to live, work and undertake recreation. It is a place where all residents are justly proud. The community plan is an endeavour to provide an opportunity for the community to continue to coordinate improvements and to increase the quality of life of people within Nelson.
The Nelson community plan desires to:
•Enhance the Nelson community as a wonderful place for people to live.
•Improve the co-operation between people and groups within the Nelson community, to better utilise resources within the community and those allocated to the community more effectively.
•Embrace diversity of opinion when developing community actions and initiatives.
•Promote the development of the initiatives into action through a process that recognises community, and values contributions from all people and groups from within the community.
3.2Priorities for 2008
The following priorities represent the range of project ideas that were reconfirmed in June 2008 and again in Sept 2009.
Priority 1
Project name:
Township Protection plan
Improving Nelson preparedness to defend against wildfire
Brief description of the community project:
Nelson township is surrounded by dense bushland and many residents choose to live here for that reason. However, they also recognise that this makes the community susceptible to major attack by wildfire and wish to examine and introduce procedures to maintain safety and prevent loss of life in an extreme fire situation
Project objectives:
To identify areas of high risk
To research and identify achievable remedial, actions
To lobby responsible and involved bodies to become involved
To encourage said bodies to work together to prevent duplication of effort
To lobby to increase fire preparedness in the Nelson area both before the 2009/10 for season and in the longer term
Statement of benefits to the community:
The safety of all residents will be improved during fire season
The rate of survival of private and business infrastructure will be increased in the event of wildfire
The safety of visiting persons, including tourists, will be increased
The Community will benefit aesthetically through clean up of excess vegetation in and around the township
Range of community stakeholders:
Businesses
All residents/private property owners
DSE, Parks
CFA
Glenelg Shire
Tourism Authorities
Initial action to commence the priority:
A public meeting was held to ascertain the ideas and concepts that are held by the Nelson community in respect this matter and there was obvious concern. At the Community Planning Meeting it was suggested that a team be formed to progress/have over site of this project for the community. The following people indicated their interest at this time.
Team Leader
Leila Huebner
Members:
Mick Bawden,
Trena Mullan
Wendy Johnson
Ian Netherway
Priority 2
Project name:
Community Centre/Hub
Brief description of the community project:
The Nelson community believe a bigger, more user friendly community centre is needed for the township. At present, the community hall, and its associated facilities, is too small to hold any large scale community events, and for this reason, the facility is underutilised. Much work needs to be undertaken by the community to further scope and plan the project, before it can be implemented. Ideas for usage scoped roughly at the visioning session included community activities, hobbies, health-related activities and programs and a disaster recovery centre/refuge. The historical Society also thought that this larger venue would be an ideal place to store town memorabilia and heirlooms.
Further to this a location needs to be determined for the community centre.
Assets for project:
A community committed to the project.
Project objectives:
A community centre owned by the residents of Nelson.
To promote and encourage participation in local events, groups, hobbies and social activities.
To encourage health care professionals to provide services in the Nelson precinct.
To provide a safe refuge/disaster recovery area.
Statement of benefits to the community:
A place that the community can call their own and be proud of.
Will increase community spirit and interaction amongst residents.
Will act as a meeting place for residents and community groups.
Will act as a meeting place for Government agencies and the Local Council.
Range of community stakeholders:
Nelson Community Planning Group
Glenelg Shire Council
State Government
Whole Nelson community
Initial action to commence the priority:
The community planning group (maybe form a separate steering group) need to brainstorm their ideas and suggestions as to the type of infrastructure required. This will allow the group to clarify identified needs. A discussion paper / briefing paper needs to be distributed to the wider community for their comment. Once this has been undertaken, a community meeting will be undertaken to document these ideas and suggestions in the form of a
concept. At several meetings it was decided to move ahead with a scoping exercise and grant funding was source d from the Shire for this task.
A scoping exercise has been undertaken after the appropriate consultative processes and the report has indicated significant issues to be considered before any revamp of the current facility is undertaken.
The community have accepted the content of this report and he recommendations for caution but have proposed to continue to explore alternative options for the concept.
Community Center / Hub
Community Planning Committee
**Rick Mullan
Christina McFarlane
Cyril and Maureen Stretton
Prue Speirs
Dawn and Steve Sylvester
Priority 3
Project name:
Zoning Issues (to cater for all sectors)
Brief description of the community project:
At present, there is confusion and a certain amount of frustration amongst the Nelson residents as to the residential and rural zoning regulations implemented by the Glenelg Shire Council and the State Government. Questions are being asked by many locals regarding land use in certain areas. There is a need for clarification of zoning schemes; explaining why land cannot be used for certain undertakings and, why certain areas are deemed National Parks where there is no natural habitat remaining.
Assets for project:
A study completed for township
Project objectives:
To ensure better understanding amongst residents of the zoning rules of the Shire.
To clarify and document Councils understanding of these rules.
To ascertain through the Federal Government why areas of land in Nelson and surrounding areas are deemed to be National Parks.
To lobby to have these areas changed from CrownLand in the hope that one day they can be used for residential development.
Statement of benefits to the community:
Increased area for community use and development.
Attraction of more residents and residential growth to the Nelson community.
Range of community stakeholders:
Landcare
Glenelg Shire Council
VictorianState Government
Federal Government
Nelson Community Planning Group
Department of Sustainability and Environment / Parks Victoria
Initial action to commence the priority:
Contact needs to be maintained with the Glenelg Shire Council to ascertain their position on and commitment to this priority and to ensure that the issues remain on the Shires Strategic Development Plan.
Consultation between the community and the Shire has occurred.
Zoning issues
**John Davis
Mick Bawden
Chris Carson
Rick Mullan
Priority 4
Project name:
Foreshore Re-Development
Brief description of the community project:
A concept plan has been undertaken and developed by the Foreshore Committee of Management and is in the process of being approved by the Glenelg Shire and the local community. Funding has been sought and approved, the 2009 Nelson Community Plan will continue to include the foreshore redevelopment project as a priority to emphasise the communities desire to see this project completed.
Assets for project:
A committee of management
A study and strategy plan completed
Funding was secured in 2009
Project objectives:
Support the Foreshore Committee of Management plan to redevelop the foreshore in Nelson.
To hasten the implementation of the devised plans.
To support funding applications and strengthen community support for the project.
Statement of benefits to the community:
A beautified foreshore to be enjoyed by all those in the community.
Increased tourist numbers.
Increased tourist expenditure at local business and enterprises.
Range of community stakeholders:
Foreshore Committee of Management
Local businesses
Community Planning Group
Nelson Progress Association
Initial action to commence the priority:
The Foreshore Committee of Management has consulted within committees within the community and work continues after gaining grants to support the project.
Foreshore redevelopment
**Committee of Management /Mick Bawden
Chris Carson
Cyril Stretton
Prue Speirs and Bill Speirs
Rod Moroney
Priority 5
Project name:
Road safety issues-Border to Portland including Nelson
Brief description of the community project:
There are a number of issues concerning residents who travel on these roads as well as around Nelson itself. For several years, locals have been complaining about the trucks using the Nelson-Portland Road instead of Princes Highway and the associated safety concerns. The size and number of the trucks that travel through the town is increasing and there are concerns that current road is unsafe. Negotiations regarding the trucks and their route through the town have been ongoing.
The road from Nelson to the border is extremely dangerous in its design and in addition, road side vegetation has been allowed to encroach on the verges. Recent road works have been of poor quality and had little positive effect on safety.
There is also a need to improve some signage in Nelson itself.
Assets for project:
Nil
Project objectives:
To increase the safety of the Nelson residents.
To increase the safety of visitors to the Nelson Community.
To allow Nelson residents to be involved in meaningful negotiations regarding the use of the Nelson Portland Road by trucks
Statement of benefits to the community:
Increased safety of residents travelling within and around the community
Decreased noise from passing trucks
Decreased heavy traffic volumes
Range of community stakeholders:
VicRoads
Glenelg Shire Council Engineering and Assets Department
Local residents
Local businesses
Initial action to commence the priority:
A meeting with VicRoads needs to be arranged to gauge their support for this priority. Prior to meeting with VicRoads, the community needs to list and prioritise their concerns so they can be clearly articulated in any negotiations.