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PO BOX 100, GLEBE NSW 2037 AUSTRALIA

Print Post Approved - No: 234093/000 10 No 6 of 1997 July

Annual General Social Activities Meeting After further discussion, we agreed that we had given ourselves too short a time to or- NOTICE is hereby given that the AN- ganise a Yulefest in July for our annual NUAL GENERAL MEET.ING of THE birthday party and decided instead to have a GLEBE SOCIETY INCORPORATED belated birthday in September, on Saturday, will be held at l1am on Sunday 31 Au- 20th. This will be close to the Solstice and gust, at 4 Boyce Street. we can celebrate the return of Spring too! Details and booking form are enclosed with The business to be dealt with at the meet- this Bulletin. ing is as follows: 1 To confirm the minutes of the last We also discovered that the Friends of Ben- annual general meeting of the So- ledi were arranging a Yulefest on 15th July, ciety held on 25 August, 1996 which would have meant rather an oversup- 2 To. receive from the management ply of turkey if we had also gone ahead! committee a report upon the activi- ties of the Societyduring the period from 25 August, 1996 3 To elect the new management Join other members of committee. A form of nomination the Glebe Society for is enclosed for this purpose. the AGM, at the home 4 To receive and consider the state- of Mavis and Bill ment which is required to be sub- McCarthy, 5 Boyce mitted to members pursuant to sub- Street, Glebe section 26(6) of the Associations Incorporation Act. 5 To resolve that two members of the committee be authorised to sign the certificate in clause 10 of the said statement.

Jeanette Knox - Hon Secretary

Sunday lunch Inside This Issue The next Sunday lunch will be held at BJ's Eatery on Sunday 10 August at 12:3Opm.Please contact John Hoddinott, 9692 0071, to make a booking. Page 2 The Glebe Society Bulletin

The John Fletcher site, Ferry Rd/ Taylor Planning Report St! Forsyth St I attended a meeting at Glebe Town Hall, The former Children's Hospital Site, chaired by Cr Macindoe, where the owner's Bridge Road representative and the Leichhardt Council's I made a four page submission to South consultant had a hard time from some of the City Council (SSCC) noting the Blackwattle residents. Society's views about the future development of the site, with a copy to My impression is that the planning matters Leichhardt Council. for this roughly 2 hectare site still require an LEP and draft DEP to be approved. The concerns mentioned in the submission Hence again many of the decisions about were listed in the previous Bulletin, namely the density and aesthetics of the site are floor-space ratio, building heights, on-site months away. It was suggested at the parking and traffic issues. While the meeting that a smaller number of large projected car spaces per unit are reasonable units be proposed for the site, because this and within SSCC's regulations, there is concept would reduce the number of traffic very little off-site parking and I expressed movements in the final development - my concern that the car population could whatever it may be. perhaps increase over the next couple of decades, putting pressure on on-site space. My argument against the "rich" approach is that such people would be less likely to use Another traffic issue is turning from Bridge public transport and would tend to own Road across oncoming traffic. When more cars than in a "medium-rich" ambulances and cars carrying sick children development. A rough calculation for a two had to undertake this manoeuvre, there was hectare site would be about one hundred a matter of urgency involved and traffic units, so let's say about 150 to 200 cars, lights controlled the entrance. I suggested spread over a couple of hours morning and that Booth Street, rather than Bridge Road, evening. be the major ingress/egress. While I agree that the area is very difficult As the development is not under the control for traffic management, if on-site parking of Leichhardt Council, we have reduced can be properly provided for, I believe that influence on its final outcome, as I said last the streets can cope. The streets mentioned Bulletin. I did, however, make the point that above are low-key compared to the major the decision will influence the local thoroughfares in Glebe. community for many years to come. Local issues Sandra Nori, our local State member, has I have spoken to Jeanette Knox about the asked me to be her representative on bus frequency in Glebe, mainly the 431 & SSCC's Traffic Committee when issues 433 routes. Jeanette and I will try to plan a concerning the site arise. I was happy to strategy for this issue. My theory is that accept the position. Sandra's electorate buses travel in tandem because this includes this small local area under SSCC's decreases the chances of bushrangers control, and I will only attend committee holding them up. meetings when the former Hospital site's traffic management is under discussion. I Another local issue is cleanliness in Glebe would estimate this to be some months streets. This is a very much discussed away, after the LEP (rezoning matters) and matter, and is also almost intractable. Back the draft DCP (floor-space ratio, heights, lanes are used as garbage dumps, the small etc) have been approved by SSCc. number of litter bins are often used not for litter, but by some residents as garbage bins.

Both these matters, buses and garbage, could perhaps be discussed at a public meeting. I would like Society members to think about this, and to talk to us. John Hoddinott Page 3 The Glebe Society Bulletin

Creek. However he became noticeably more Aircraft and Glebe fluent and enthused when talking about the KSA - Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport Holdsworthy site. It is my understanding Aircraft Noise and Other Complaints: new that the Badgerys Creek airport site is more phone number 1800818017 elevated than its surrounding areas which would mean aircraft would achieve greater he Transport Minister has fast- height before passing over heavily tracked moving the third runway populated areas. What height will they be? T I was interested to know the height of a threshold, where aircraft can touch down from a point further south on particular aircraft movement north west of the runway to a point one quarter of a Glebe because its noise was almost kilometre northwards, closer to us. Aircraft imperceptible. If the track provided by will now be at a height of only 115 metres Airservices Australia correctly identified on their landing approach in the vicinity of the movement it was at an altitude of 7 900 the airport's domestic terminals and a feet with a possible error margin of 300 feet. nearby hotel. We are advised that no procedures are implemented at the airport The location and impact of Sydney's second until they have safety clearance from the airport have become much tougher issues. Civil Aviation Safety Authority. We are The Federal government's failure to advised also that the third runway proceed with Badgerys Creek airport environment impact statement no longer development in 1989 (aided by the applies to KSA with regard to aircraft noise. Opposition, the NSW government and It follows that the EIS has ceased to apply at airlines) is reflected in KSA's over all. development and has resulted in greater western Sydneybeing less prepared to shape Aircraft noise is to be shared but there will its future. The compromises that will need be more noise to be shared. The Federal to be made are becoming larger. government is likely to legislate a cap of 80 movements per hour on KSA. So if the Where does the argument that the airport airport became very busy with 80 should be outside the Sydney region place movements per hour and if only the north- us? If a single, replacement airport were to south flight paths were in use there would be built outside Sydney, John Hoddinott be an aircraft every one and a half minutes calculated it would need four fast-rail tracks over the suburbs north of the airport. If (300 passengers per train according to landings from the north were the operating Speedrail's information) to service airport mode it would mean an aircraft landing on passengers, most of whom would require the third runway every three minutes, a Sydney as their origin or destination condition that would particularly affect (workers' access, cargo and luggage Glebe and Forest Lodge. The Society has requirements were not included in the written to ask the Minister if 80 movements guess). How would such a major corridor as per hour would be shared with the east-west this be achieved in the Sydney area? We do runway. We really want to know whether not know of any studies being undertaken to the airport's operations would result in solid address the issues (these points have been use of north-south flight paths, returning raised in earlier articles). Municipal suburbs north of the airport to the Councils who are calling for an airport 'Benelong Funnel' conditions of 1994/95. outside Sydney do not appear to have The Society has called in the past for created a joint initiative to gather facts in legislation with a sunset clause on the support of their call. The issue of air number of aircraft movements - that aircraft pollution resulting from operating a western movements per hour would be reduced Sydney airport was earlier addressed by the when the second Sydneyairport commences community opposing the third runway. Air operations. We need to ask again that this pollution is a Sydney-wide problem. condition be included. Thoughts were that a very efficient airport is probably better than an inefficient one. The Next Airport Furthermore, the Sydney basin was already In a recent ABC radio interview the Federal overdue for increased provision of public Transport Minister avowed the transport to reduce car emissions. The government's first choice is Badgerys process may have begun. According to Page 4 The Glebe Society Bulletin

recent press the NSW government is making noises about light rail routes Sydney Harbour and elsewhere in Sydney. Fore shores Committee Snapshot from the Briefing Notes on his committee, on which I have Sydney Airport, May 22 to June 4 1997. the honour to represent the Fifty seven out of the airport's total of 10 T Glebe Society, was founded in 443 aircraft movements for the fortnight 1979 to work for the protection and en- were simultaneous, opposite direction, hancement of Sydney Harbour. parallel runway operations over Botany Bay. The airport registered 892 aircraft Its chairman and main driving force is movements in the 11pm to 6am curfew. Michael Rolfe, a solicitor who lives at Complaints and enquiries numbered 1 658 Camp Cove. Its membership in the last fi- by phone and fax, including 36 regarding nancial year consisted of Leichhardt Coun- health issues, 550 on aircraft height and cil, six community organisations and ten in- 469 regarding incident. There were 295 dividual members. complaints (presumably all were complaints or perhaps there were inquiries too) Anyone who has ever travelled overseas regarding take-offs to the north. Glebe will know that Sydney is one of the great made two calls to the complaints line, cities of the world and that it owes that sta- Hunters Hill 70, Summer Hill 129, tus largely to our beautiful harbour. Unfor- Maroubra 43 and Rockdale 22. The highest tunately there are people, including politi- number of movements per hour for the cians, who see our foreshores mainly as an fortnight were 70 between the hours of 8 am opportunity to make money and are pre- and 9 am on 29th May. pared to sell foreshore land to the highest bidder. Correction: The May Bulletin article noted John Hoddinott as one of the contributors to Consequently the committee's chief current the Society's 1991 submission on the third concern is to ensure that any sale of publicly runway's environmental impact statement owned land, such as Defence Department (EIS) but I owe John an apology here. The establishments, doesn't deny the public ac- article should have acknowledged his major cess to the foreshores. A recent special role in the task. John did the hardest job: be meeting of the committee consisted of rep- wrote the submission. He incorporated his resentatives of organisations such as own and several of the Society's members' Friends of Cockatoo Island, North Sydney analyses on different topics into the Council (concerned about the sale of submission and addressed the overriding, H.M.A.S. Platypus) and the Headland smooth, approving tone of the EIS. I Preservation Group which wants to save realised my error after the Bulletin was Middle Head from the developers. published and wish to change the public record. At a subsequent meeting the following reso- lution was passed unanimously: For your Diary That the SHFC calls on the Commonwealth Second Sydney Airport proposal Government to stop preparation for the sale The fourth information session will be held of Commonwealth Sydney Harbour fore- at Penrith Civic Centre, High Street, shore land being vacated by the Department Penrith, on Saturday 26th July from lOam of Defence to allow a proper heritage and to 2:30pm. Rust PPk is conducting the environmental assessment of the Sydney environmental impact statement for the Harbour foreshore sites with a view to their Federal Government. The EIS team will be incorporation in an extended Sydney Har- available to talk about the proposals and bour Park System. how the impacts are being investigated. (Flight plans, master plans, road and rail, I'm sure you will all agree that this commit- noise, air traffic forecasts). Information line tee is worth supporting. ph: 1800818017 Ian Edwards Alison McKeown Page 5 The Glebe Society Bulletin

involved with discussions between the Draft Integrated Haven Inn and the Light Rail Consortium about the feasibility of this stop. The sug- Transport Strategy gestion noted in the Strategy [p.S7] for a esponse from The Glebe Society cross funding scheme by the Track and Inc to Leichhardt Municipal Harness Association and the Consortium R Council Draft Integrated Trans- which might involve a luxury residen- port Strategy tiallbusiness development on the artificial hill near the proposed stop 1. General: The Glebe Society welcomes has not been raised with the Society. The Council's initiatives with regard to an over- Society would have considerable reserva- all transport strategy for the Municipality, tions about a development on this particu- and looks forward, in due course, to the de- lar site. The area is zoned open space, and velopment of a Local Area Traffic Manage- there are plans mooted for a revegetation ment Plan for Annandale/Glebe [p.84] exercise there. The Society would be con- which will achieve its aims: "to reduce the cerned if this open space were lost. The intrusion of vehicles into residential areas, impact of such a development on the imme- and upgraded policing of illegal and over- diate vicinity and on traffic in Glebe would stay car parking in both residential and also require major public debate and dis- commercial areas" [p.x] cussion.

The Society notes the fact [Table 4, p.17] ii) Ferry Services: The Society, being that Glebe Point Road saw the highest per- aware of the deleterious effects of motor ve- centage increase in average vehicle use per hicle exhaust emissions seeks to discourage day of any of the arterial and sub-arterial car dependency and favours improvements roads in the Municipality over the ten years in public transport. Consequently, the Soci- 1983 to 1993. The opening of the new ety would support the reintroduction of a Bridge fortunately appears to ferry service from Glebe to the CBD, but be- have alleviated this problem somewhat. lieves that it would be essential to meet the following conditions at least: The Society welcomes the statement that "Improvements to public transport infras- i) consideration of potential prob- tructure must clearly be coupled with disin- lems with traffic and parking; centives to car use.." [p.31] ii) consultation with residents likely to be affected when potential wharf The Society would point out in regard to bus sites are considered; and ferry frequencies [p.33] that it is not iii) respect for the needs and only in the peak that buses to (and from) the wishes of the people who use Blackwattle CBD are operating close to, or at, capacity. and Bays for training and competi- Mid-morning buses along Glebe Point Road tive rowing. are frequently full by the time they reach St Johns Road and, on occasions, have to leave iv) Parking: The Society be- Intending passengers at stops. Several lieves that the resolution of parking prob- members of the Society can vouch for this lems is a vital factor in the management of from personal experience. traffic in Glebe. It is recognised that some of Glebe's traffic problems stem from the Specific elements of tbe strategy: fact that although, like Balmain, it is a peninsula, it is used as a through route to i)Light Rail: The Glebe Society has been the CBD and other areas. (Although a proponent of Light Rail for very many through traffic seems to have been some- years and in fact the original initiative was what diminished since the opening of the a Society one in the early 1970's. The Soci- new Glebe Island Bridge.) However, its ety has also been pushing for the extension major problems are caused by parking. of the now approved route both to Circular Quay and out to Leichhardt. Long-stay parking: this occurs where there is no timed parking (e.g. the It has also strongly supported the inclusion north end of Glebe Point Road, around Bi- of a stop at Glebe Point Road and has been centennial Park, side streets off Glebe Point Page 6 The Glebe Society Bulletin

Road and near Wentworth Park), and there Point Road's significant streetscape. How- also appears to 00 much overstaying of legal ever, members now seem to be accepting of parking times. Anecdotal evidence sug- the possibility of installing meters of the gests that people are aware ofthe day(s) on style now operating in, for instance, Mis- which parking is policed and take advan- senden Road, which are less obtrusive and tage of this. visually more attractive. It was suggested that in fact they could lead to a reduction in Street-corner parking: vehicles the number of street signs along the road frequently park close to the corners of and the visual clutter these create. This streets running into Glebe Point Road could be significant if, for instance, it be- (despite no standing signs). As a result cars came possible to indicate parking restric- turning from side streets into Glebe Point tions by markings at the edge of the road. Road have difficulty in seeing what traffic is Installing the meters would require marking already on GIebe Point Road. There is a car spaces on the roadway. Possibly time need, from the safety point of view, for limits could be stencilled on the road or policing the no standing requirement more edge of the kerb concurrently. stringently. (Interestingly, the painted lines at the corner of Palmerston Street and Glebe Impact on adjacent streets: the So- Point Road do seem to act as a discourage- ciety would be very concerned if parking ment). meters were installed in Glebe Point Road without the parking regulations in adjacent University of Sydney: during the streets being reviewed concurrently. If this academic year overflow parking from the is not done, even more parking could be University fills the streets nearby and makes pushed into them. it extremely difficult for residents or short stay visitors to park anywhere in streets be- Hi) Parking periods: parking peri- tween Road and St Johns Road. ods need to be determined so that they give people sufficient time to shop, go to restau- Public transport: people already rants, etc., but not so long as to make it pos- park cars in long stay areas in order to take sible for people to use them to cover a day's buses into town for work or shopping. If the work in the CBD or extended visits there. , Light Rail is extended or if the ferry service This kind of demand should be met instead for which the Chamber of Commerce is lob- by paid parking, e.g. in the new Grace Bros. bying should go ahead there are fears that development and possibly at Harold Park these developments may encourage more (this has been floated by the Harold Park people from outside the suburb to seek to management). park in the area, adding both parking prob- lems and additional traffic. iv) Preference for local residents: if this is feasible, the Society supports any Council's Proposed Car Parking Man- practical ways of achieving this. The sug- agement: in general the Society supports gested issue of more resident parking per- the thrust of Council's proposals, but wishes mits is one way (which would also raise to emphasise the following points: some revenue for Council). The suggestion to make permits for second or third cars in i) Enforcement: whatever strategy one household more expensive could help to Council finally decides to pursue, it is abso- discourage excessive car ownership in the lutely vital that its policies are enforced. inner city. With regard to residents using That is a major problem with the current metered spaces, would it be possible, in this situation. Council and the Police Depart- electronic age, to programme the machines ment must reach an understanding on their to recognise either car registration numbers respective roles and responsibilities. or perhaps a magnetic card? If this could be done it might help to reduce the costs of en- ii) Parking meters: the initial reac- forcement. tion to the proposal that Glebe Point Road be one of the streets into which parking me- v) University overflow parking: ters should be introduced was negative. should Council be considering the possibil- Members believed that the visual impact of ity of parking meters in streets close to the parking meters would detract from Glebe University such as Arundel Street? The Page 7 The Glebe Society Bulletin

University is unlikely to ever be able to cope with accommodating all its parking within Department of Defence: its own grounds. It would seem equitable Open Day for the Municipality to receive some recom- pense in the form of revenue from the effec- tive provision of parking space for those The Society has received the following University staff, students and visitors who invitation concerning the Department of cannot park within the University grounds. Defence property in Hereford Street.

vi) Parking revenue: The Society ap- I am writing to invite you to a Site Open preciates that the receipt of revenue from Day on Saturday, 26 July 1997 from 10:00 parking meters could be an attractive one am to 12: 00 noon at the Army Reserve for Council, given its financial difficulties. Depot in Hereford Street, Forest Lodge. However, the Society would endorse this form of revenue raising only on the basis You may not be aware that the Depot will that the first charge on it should be enforce- be vacated during 1997 and then sold by the ment. Otherwise nothing will have Department of Defence. Recently the changed, unless for the worse Department engaged a Planning Team headed by Michail Dowling, Property Jeanette Knox Consulting Group, to look at various development options, with a view to preparing an application to Leichhardt Municipal Council to have the site redeveloped for residential purposes. The site has previously been zoned by Council to permit residential development.

The 0.43 hectare rectangular site is bounded by Hereford Street to the south east and Alfred Street to the north west.

The Open Day will provide you with an opportunity to walk around the site and examine an information display (within the drill hall) showing development options prepared by the Planning Team. The urban design architect, Michael Bennett from Jackson Tecce Chestermann Willis, will also be present to answer any questions

WHERE: 71 - 73 Hereford Street, Forest Lodge

WHEN: Saturday, 26 July 1997 lO:OOam - 12:00 noon

I encourage you to take the opportunity to visit the site, look at the display and raise any issues or concerns you may have with the Planning Team. Page 8 The Glebe Society Bulletin For Your Diary

Saturday 26 July, 10:00 - 12:00 - Open Day at Dept of Defence property, 71 - 73 Hereford Street Saturday 26 July, 10:00 - 2:30pm - discussion of Second Sydney Airport proposal, Penrith Civic Centre, High Street, Penrith Sunday 31 August, 11am - The Glebe Society AGM, 4 Boyce Street Sunday 10 August, 12:30 - Lunch at BJs Eatery. Bookings to John Hoddinott Saturday 20 Sept - Glebe Society Birthday party THE GLEBE SOCIETY inc. Convenors of Sub-Committees Management Committee All convenors are ex-officio members of the Management Committee President Aircraft Mavis McCarthy 96605119 Alison McKeown 96603917 Senior Vice President Bays & Foreshores Vacant Ian Edwards 9660 3240 (BH) Junior Vice President Children & Glebe Cynthia Jones 96602451 Penny Haskins 95664450 Immediate Past President Diggers' Memorial David Browne 96600865 Max SoIling 96601160 Secretary Environment Jeanette Knox 96607781 Jan Wilson 96602698 Treasurer FRROGS John Sleeman 96929507 Roberta Johnston 95523248 Committee Light Rail Marianne von Knobelsdorff 96920916 Bruce Davis 96607873 Christine Whittemore 96607969 Helen Griffiths 96605548 Planning& Harold Park Christine Newton 96608349 John Hoddinott 96920071 95189218 (fax) Contacts Bulletin Editor: Traffic Jan Macindoe 96600208 Jeanette Knox 96607781 Membership List: Wentworth Park John Hoddinott 96920071 Judy Vergison 96929200 New Members: Helen Griffiths 96605548 Archivist LynMilton 96607930

Membership of The Glebe Society Inc

Costs: Ordinary $30 additional household members $5 each StudentiPensioner $15 Institution $30

Write to P.O.Box 100, Glebe 2037, or ring Jeanette Knox on 660 7781