Melbourne City Council Strategy Plan Review Background Informatio 711.4 099451 MEL:C (1985) Review copy 2 February 1984 Council· House, 200 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000 Box 1603M, GPO Melbourne 3001 Telephone: 63 0-121 CITY OF-MELBOURNE Cable Address: "MELCITY" February 13'~. 198~- Dear Sir/Madam~ This. document: contains: backgro~' material relating.~ to· the Council's·. current revi~~ of. the' 1974:. Strategy· Plan:.. For further information: on; any aspect· of· the review-please contact the· Councillors: on· the· Steering· Conmi ttee:,. myself or Mr .. J •. Floyd at: the· above number~- Yours. faithfully·,. J'~R.MacKenzie: . Genera·! Manager.-,., Technical. Services; (Convenor.-, Strategy Plan Review . Steering:;. Comni.ttee)' JR:NV:A04147 . -I! :i . - ~ MPE LIBRARY CITY OF MELBOURNE STRATEGY PLAN .ReyiEW' I \._ CONTENTS 1. The Charter 2. The· Product 3 •. · Consultative· & Coordination Conmi ttees - T.eons of Reference & Membership 4. The Study Team· 5. Strategy Plan Review WOrk Progranme 6. · Public Participation Progranme (~s38sf1 c:· ... - . • .,... ...... ~ ' ' .... ~City of Melbourne-.; · . R00847 ~·strateg~iplari "review':.''l background information • -~ -~·-·- - ... ~~····· ····-~-- •.•••. «•• ~---- ····- _·-_-.._-·_:_·-_···_· _·_··_-_---_ ..... _••• _.-~~~ _ __:_____ _:_"_"'·_:_·--_:_· ·..:_---__;_ ___ _:_ __ __;_'--...;...._......; __ _ 1 THE CHARTER THE MELBOURNE CITY COUNCIL AS A STRATEGIC PLANNING AUTHORITY 1. Local Governmment and Planning Local governmments in Victoria are constitutionally creatures of the State Government but historically came into existence ver.y much due to the strong sense of local identity of both town arrl country people. While local governments, have waxed and waned in the number of functions carried out, arxi their degree of involvanent in services to people, there is no doubt that a significant. aspect of municipal experience in this century has been the growth of inter.est. arrl involvement in· town planning.•. In Victoria, the· first· leg.islative thrust towards planning · .was· the Town and Country planning Act· 1944, although earlier interest in planning existed in the-Metropolitan area, as the establisi".ment of the Metropolitan Town Planning Cornnission in 1.922 bears. witness. Like· its predecessor, the 1961 ver.sion of the Town and Country Planning Act (as amended) continues to make the preparation of "a~ planning. schemen· a: voluntary or optional power. for· local. gover.nment. to exercise·., It is- interesting to note·,. however, that· local governments. have taken· up this power.· with growing enthusiasm. In the. main, this acceptance of a planning role has occurred for· the· reason tha.t. local governments. are area based author.ities· with a: democratically derived. obligation to administer their: areas in the· best interest of. their. constituents arrl. others who may 1 ive and, wor.k there •. In order· to fulfill this obligation properly, and to come to grips with the problE!liS associated with increasing urbanization, local governments have assumed a significant role in the planning field, and in Strategic Planning in particular. Strategic Planning is-essential for local governments to deal with signficant social am environmental problE!liS, transportation and traffic problems, and to manage and conserve· the resources of the areas. R00847 I. -/:. -- --·-- . ··- ····---~·-·, ...... ' _________ , ___ ,..... ~ .. ·- .. .... 2 In Victoria, it has long been recognised that Strategic Planning is a voluntary but essential extension of local governments general statutory responsibilities towards their comnunities. State Government has· always delegated this role to local government: to capitalise on the democratic accountability of local government; to ensure that the views of local citizens and elected Councillors are taken into account, arrl to ensure that the State mechanisms for resolving broad conflicts are not swamped by local detail. 2.. The· City of Melbourne. The Melbourne· City Council currently exercises development control powers: (a.) under an Interim Development Order (outside the C.A.D.); (b) under the· Melbourne Metropoli.tan Planning Scheme, delegated from the M.M.B.W. (outside the C.A.D.). Development control powers over development in the C.A.D. were withdrawn by the State Government in November 1982, and replaced by a Ministerial I.D.O. Within the City of Melbourne, the. Council recognises the state-wide significance of the c .. A.D. arrl acknowledges the State Government's interest in it. Council also acknowledges that the State Government has a responsibility for the· operation of its many departments, ministries-, agencies and authorities for which a broad management. framework has to be developed. However, while acknowledging these factors, the· Council considers that the Planning for the future dvelopment of the City of: Melbourne is its responsibility and that the· Council is. the. body best suited to provide this function. R00847 l 3 Council's. Strategy Plan will. be geared towards achieving· Council's goals for the. developnent. of the City, which in principle must accord with the broader State inteFests~or par.ts of the. City. Other corporate strategies of the Council will attempt to. achieve Council's goals in other contexts·. 3... Rela.tionships Given. scarce financial and human resources, it is Unperative that each level of government having a role to play in the planning of Central Melbourne be aware of the benefits to be g~ined· by· pr.operly allocating responsibility between authorities., Avoidance· of duplication of effort would: be one major· benefit·. It· is conceded that no division of function or labour can be exclusive when dealing with a complex set of social and economic circumstances. Yet neither can there exist no frame of reference by which each government can ascertain whether primary responsibility falls. within its purview •. The Colincil considers. that i.t is· both necessary and possible for· areas of responsbility to be clear.ly establ.ished.. For· example.,. in the: fields of· Transport, Office· Developnent and CUlturaL Activity, respective roles-might be set out· as follows: R00847 :·· ·:· ;:---·; ·~ ~.-·--: .. ··-·-::.···-···-~...... ·--:···--- ••#• ...- ... ~ ••• ..,.-•. ~···-·-.····· .,, . :'-··-':"'- ·~ -·•• : ...··~·· ··-·-···- 4 3. Relationships (continued) Goal M.C.C.• Strategy Plan M.C.C. Actions •. Improve vehicular • Identify by-pass • Local Plan traffic circulation around routes, selection control measures Central City criteria • Public Works Environmental Impact Impact abatement Assessment • Land acquisition Roads Hierarchy Developnent Controls • Reinforce use of • Identify development • Parking policies Public Transport areas supportive of • Economic development transport network • Development Control ., Identify minimum incentive · freight and. people • Pedestrianisation movements ·needed in programne support of activities c.A.D. to be Prime Identify preferred Local Plan of C.A.D. Focus for Office office development with plot ratio Activity locations bonuses Indicate appropr.ia.te Predetermined site density and design design criteria cri.ter ia am· • Servicing poLicy servicing requirements •. central City to be • Identify location • Chinatown Local Plan cultural centre of pa.tterns arrl. • Local Plan of C.A.D. State requir.ements with developnent· • Identify·areas for bonuses for cultural distinct design· facilities treatments •. Public Works • Tourism strategy • Historic area Multi-cultural conservation social services controls and • Heritage areas and detailed conservation standards guidelines R00847 ••• ·····-·· -:-~ •. • ••.•.•• -~ ·.-- .. ·------· ~ t ,. 7 ......... _, -···-.. .. ·-···- 5 4. Rights and Obligations The Council considers that of fundamental importance to the successful planning of the Central Melbourne area is a need for mutual recognition and acceptance of both the r.ights of each level of government and the obligations which follow frcm the exercise· of those rights •.. Hence, while accepting the State Government's right to set broad goals· and objectives-, the Council expects those ends to be developed by the State Government in concert with the Council and other agencies •. I I ' Effective implementa:.tion of the State's goals and objectives requires- no less. than. this •. Furthermore, to enhance· the prospects. of successfully implementing the State Government's urban management stra.tegy for Central Melbourne, the State. Government must recognise that the Melbourne City Council is a unique local government authority in this area; that it. has a unique role to play as a Strategic Planning authority; and that its Strategy Plan pol ic.ies. must· be· built. into the State' s· urban management strategy where, appropr:iate·•. Nothing less than a. reciprocal recognition of the charter of the Melbourne City Council to do its vital part in the planning of Central Melbourne will fulfill the obligation of the. s:ta te· Government •· R00841 ••• • ·• ·~-"9 -·- r•·-;·•• • ...... •• • - .••. ,.___ .,.., • • , , -··--···~ -·-.-., -~: -···-..... -·- ...---..:···~· . 6 THE PRODUCT STATEMENT OF REVIEW OUTCOMES 1. A clear statenent of the Purpose of a Strategy· Plan, which can summarily be described as: "a set of interrelated goals, objectives, policies, strategies and actions which show in spatial and non-spatial terms COuncil's broad intentions with regard to the· future developnent of the· City." 2.•. The· Strategy Plan i.tself which contains: (a) A statement of Council's Vision