A street of friends

We are in the proposed Felixstow 15.7 Linear Park Medium Density zone.

Our building is not heritage, it is not anything special on the architectural or historical front, and it is only a single storey. However, to us, it is home. This is our castle. We have invested time, money and sentiment creating a home that we would like our family to grow in; we have planted the garden and fruit trees and planned for a long stay.

We selected Linear Park due to lifestyle, due to the characteristics and qualities that exist in Felixstow. Please don’t dispel me as another NIMBY (not in my backyard) - this is not the case. I support planned development and can see the benefits. However I would put to you, the Council, to remember why Linear Park is cherished. Why Linear Park is not just my backyard, but the backyard to the whole of Adelaide.

Don’t allow development plans that loosely align themselves to State Government to stand in the way. Even after speaking with local politicians, council members and planning staff, I’m unsure who is driving this DPA; whether it is state government or council, or the council’s planning department. The truth is it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that the elected councillors hold the voting power right now.

For those members who haven’t been in my street, I can fill in the gaps. My street is filled with people I know. A wheelbarrow is leant to one neighbour, a cat is fed for another, another is collecting mail for their travelling neighbour. As you may know from your own area, these relationships that community spirit is based on take time to create. Months and years of conversations to allow trust to build and friendships to form. The Council alludes to grand visions of community spirit in the Annual Report and on their website. If this is a realistic objective, then allow the community spirit to prosper through resident collaborated planning directives.

I have read the 307 page document that is the Local Government Act 1999. I’m sure that you are familiar with this document. However, I will remind you of Chapter 2 -
The principal role of a council is noted in point 6(a) ‘to act as a representative, informed and responsible decision-maker in the interests of its community’

In the Council’s own Annual Report 2009-10, it refers to Local government as ‘grass roots’ democracy. That is, community members have opportunity to participate in decision-making, and council is responsible to the community.

As a resident of this Council I have the right to be involved. It is imperative that I have a voice and that my rights are not diminished by Local Government. Thus I beseech you, my elected members, to vote in accordance with the community’s voice. The proposed DPA and Linear Park Medium Density Policy must not go ahead.

Suzette