Update 21/02/12 _____________________________________________________________

We won!

Council last night voted to abandon the proposed marina in Mornington harbour  8:2 (for the proposal were Rogers and Goodrem)  (with G Pittock away). They also accepted recommendations from Cllr Bev Colomb to set up a fresh planning process to engage all interested parties and government to review what can be done to provide a safe refuge and to push for reconstruction to the pier as a matter of urgency.

Capacity audience of many locals in Theatre applauded several speakers - much to the Mayor's annoyance, and then cheered and clapped at the final vote. Some members of the Yacht Club, the proponent for this non-feasible, expensive and exclusive proposal put up by their committee, booed.

Councillors appeared relieved that the whole situation has been resolved - as were the members of MEA!

 

Jan Oliver
president, MEA
0417986077

 

 

 

Update 07/02/12 _________________________________________________________________

 

The Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy has passed his Assessmenet of the Panel report on the proposed marina in Mornington Harbour  back to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. Council will have to decide on the harbour rezoning and whether or not to allow the Planning Amendments. This is happening at a special meeting as below:

"Council will consider an officer’s report on this matter at the following meeting:

• Special Council Meeting – 20 February 2012
• Time: 7.30PM
• Venue: Peninsula Community Theatre, Wilsons Road, Mornington.

 

The officer’s report will make a recommendation in relation to the next step in the Amendment/Planning Application process and will be available on the Shire’s website on Tuesday 14 February 2012 by noon. Please note that following the meeting, Council’s decision will also be made available on the Shire’s web site." (www.Mornpen.vic.gov.au/ )

 

Though this is a public Council meeting, none of the public are permitted to speak. Those individuals whomade submissions to the planning scheme amendment have been notified by a letter dated 2/2/2012.  You are all welcome to attend. We have been advised that a yes vote does not necessarily mean the marina would proceed, but a no vote would shelve the current proposal.
Further information is available from Frank Mangan, Team Leader Strategic Projects and Planning, MornPen Shire, Tel 03 59501963.

 

Update 12/01/12 _________________________________________________________________

 

NEWS ON THE MARINA PROPOSAL FOR MORNINGTON HARBOUR

On 4th January 2012, the Mornington Peninsula Shire published the Assessment of the Panel Inquiry into the Mornington Harbour by the Minister for Planning, Matthew Guy. The Minister and his Department have supported all the 17 recommendations of the Panel. The report is dated June 2011, so the Minister has been sitting on it for 6 months.

 

The report is on the Shire’s Web site with the link
http://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Files/StrategicPlanning/C107Ministersassessment.pdf

Mr. Guy states that this report “represents the final step in the Environemnt Effects Statement process …by providing advice to decision-makers on the likely environmental effects of the proposal…” “This Assessment will inform the decisions required under Victorian law for the proposal to proceed...”

 

The process now required will be for the Councillors of the Shire to vote on the re-zoning of the harbour to allow a large private development in public water. The Shire will also be responsible for finding parking spaces for the expected large number of cars, with their boat trailers, to park for hours around Mornington. Arrangements are now being made for the Shire Council to consider this Assessment, as well as the original Officers report of October 2010. This report recommended that the Marina not proceed and that an independent body be set up to consider any or all options for Mornington harbour so as to provide a safe haven for emergency boat situations.

 

Local Mornington MP, David Morris has called on the Council to reject the marina plans. He states that the “Assessment demonstrates all the flaws so apparent in the policies pursued by the former Labor government, particularly the proposed development of a regional boating facility at Mornington.”   The Minister’s assessment is necessarily based on this flawed policy framework.” (Media release 11 January 2012). “The Assessment provides clear evidence that the proposed marina should not proceed”.

 

Environmental Assessment?
The Minister had concluded that the environmental effects would be “generally of low to moderate significance and can be further reduced and addressed through both the detailed design phase and the identified management and mitigation measures, and are therefore acceptable”.  He ignored the presence of four endangered species – two seahorses, and two pipe fish found around the beach and under the pier. The federal government will now be involved because protection of these is required under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act.

 

He completely ignored the community’s submissions and pleas that the beaches, especially Mothers and Scout will be completely altered, that the harbour will no longer be able to support its marine life, nor be able to be regularly cleaned by natural tidal movement.

 

The Minister has visited the harbour with the Minister for the Environment and David Morris MP, and should be aware of the high value placed on these beaches, and of the scenic value and amenity of the harbour. Mornington is based around its harbour and tourists and locals want to be able to see the clean water, the expanse – with its existing boats but without a 3 metre wall reaching across the harbour, nor with rows and rows of motor boats.

 

Where was the Mornington local flavour in this whole Assessment?

 

What about the Yacht Club?
There are rumours about the dissatisfaction from Yacht Club members with the proposal by Mornington Boathaven Ltd, set up by the Club to undertake the whole project. There are questions as to where the funds will come from – at least $19 million will be required, though the full economic data was never made available to the Panel or the community. Also, to meet the 17 recommendations from the Panel, Boathaven has to re-design the wave screen wall, make it less dominating, and redesign the pier “hook” to allow tall ships to enter the harbour. The cheaper swing moorings have to be removed so funds will have to rely on the pen sales or leases ($100 000 each apparently). So far, the Club has not commented.

 

MEA maintains that we do not need a marina in the Harbour. There appears to be no public benefit of the whole proposal.

 

Various safety measures have been undertaken in 2011:

·        The middle section of the pier has been repaired with a solid structure nearly at water level, which provides protection to the middle harbour even in northerly winds.

·        New moorings have been installed and the Yacht Club is now inspecting these when forecasts are of strong winds.

·        Weather forecasting has improved too, and boat sailors are acting on these.

·        Martha Cove, down the coast, is also taking more boats permanently and has offered emergency berths at no cost to boats caught outside the harbour.

 

Refer to MEA’s Press release of 10th January 2012 for further comment.

 

What do we do now?

We suggest you write to David Morris (PO Box 2000, Mornington 3931) or ring him on 59754799, about how you feel. You can also write to the Minister Matthew Guy, Minister for Planning,  1 Spring Street, Melbourne 3000

, questioning if he really approves of the marina.
Encourage Council to vote against rezoning by contact Cllr Bev Colomb, MornPen Shire, Private Box 1000 Rosebud, or email her on colomb@mornpen.vic.gov.au.

 

Update 29/06/11 _________________________________________________________________

 

GOVERNMENT PANEL REPORTS THAT THE MORNINGTON MARINA PROCEED

Approval is subject to 17 recommendations.

The 2-man panel, appointed by the then state Labor government, met most of February and into March 2011. It has had some 6 weeks to report.

 

Some of the recommendations will require the Mornington Boathaven Ltd to redesign the main wave screen, remove swing moorings and plan the Harbour to allow the tall ships to berth alongside the pier. It is likely that a re-modelling (probably by University of NSW and their wave tanks) to work out the effects of such changes on the water, pier and local beaches would be required under the Coastal Management Act.

 

The Panel report is on the Mornington Shire’s web page: www.mornpen.vic.gov.au  and interested individuals may request a hard copy from the Shire’s office in Mornington.

 

A letter to those who submitted back in mid 2010 has been sent out by Frank Mangan, the Shire’s Team Leader Strategic Projects and planning. It states that the Panel report is not a decision but advice to Council. Council officers have to report to Council on the Panel report before Councillors vote on whether or not to allow a re-zoning of the Harbour to allow a private development in public space. The Planning Minister must also assess the Enviornmental Effects Statement and then form an opinion on the Panel’s recommendations. The Environment Minister also has to form an opinion. At this time, the government has yet to respond.

 

Meanwhile, David Morris, MP for Mornington has stated he will not support the use of the harbour by a small elite group. The Coalition will not put further money into the project either. It is faced with having to find further funds to continue the repairs to the Pier, a separate project managed by Parks Victoria.

 

MEA will be informed when the proposal will be considered by Council. This is unlikely before August 2011.

Discussion of the main recommendations can be found in the News-sheet.

 

 

MORNINGTON PIER STILL BEING REPAIRED

Though Parks Victoria announced that the renovated Pier will be opened in July 2011, the new middle section still has to be joined to the ramp of the seaward end of the pier, and the railings installed. Waves have been breaking over the new section during northerly and north-westerly winds in June. Most boats are now stored in the yard though the hardy coota boats are still bobbing around on their moorings. Parks are aware that the seaward end needs urgent repairs as over a quarter of the piles are not actually meeting the pier.

 

 

News sheet June 2011

 

 

Update 01/05/11 _________________________________________________________________

 

MARINA PANEL INQUIRY
The report from the 2-member Panel was due at Easter, some 6 weeks after the close of the Inquiry in Mornington. The Panel is expected to make recommendations about the proposal, and the re-zoning application by the proponent, Mornington Boathaven Ltd.
The report will go the Minister for Planning, the state government and the Shire. It may not be made public for a month or so. Councillors of the Shire will eventually vote on the recommendations and on the re-zoning proposal.Following an announcement by David Morris, MP for Mornington, that the Coalition would not support the proposal by providing funding, it would seem that the Yacht Club and its commercial company would have to find the whole of the $19 million or so to build the wave screen, new jetty, and associated infrastructure for the proposed marina.

 

MORNINGTON PIER REPAIRS
Meanwhile, the repairs to the central part of the Pier are on going. The pier is expected to be re-opened by Parks Victoria in July 2011. However, due to lack of funds, the pier wave screens, and the platform and steps up from the harbour will not be undertaken at this stage. Parks are aware that the end of the pier apparently requires urgent restoration with at least one quarter of the piles not meeting the pier platform.

 

DREDGING IN THE HARBOUR
The dredging from in front of the Yacht Club and at the public boat ramp (managed by the Shire) was completed during the summer. The spoil was dumped onto Mothers Beach through a long pipe, despite calls by MEA and the Mornington Foreshore Advisory Group to remove the spoil to a landfill site. Mothers Beach was closed for several weeks during this process.

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