News & Discussion: Adelaide City Council

[david]

Notes from Councillor David Plumridge AM - Issue 114

- Adelaide Festival 2014 - A Stunning Success

- NAIDOC Week Celebrations

- Another Great Reason to visit Adelaide

- Council Adopts 2014-2015 Budget

Decisions from Council Meeting 24 June 2014

Notes from Councillor Issue 114.pdf

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David Plumridge AM
Area Councillor,
City of Adelaide

[softgrow]

Hi David,

I was surprised that the City Planning & Development Committee this week overturned the community consultation result and administration recommendation for the Free City Connector – Tynte Street East Bus Stop Location [2013/03152]. Doesn't look good as it seems to be catering to the NIMBYs. Any comment, backstory, detail on "discussion ensued"? Will it get the full support of Council on Monday?

[david]

Hi Softgrow,

I'm sorry I didn't get to your query sooner.

AS you say it was simply a response to a very strong NIMBY lobby which didn't want dreadful great big public transport vehicles stopping out side their houses. There was a reasonable argument against the loss of limited car parking spaces in that part of Tynte St. Council, last night, endorsed the recommendation of the committee to locate the stops in LeFevre Terrace.

David

[david]

Notes from Cuncillor David Plumridge AM - Issue 115

- The Council Budget in Summary

- Your rates in 2014-2015

- Council elections

Notes from Councillor Issue 115.pdf

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David PlumridgeAM
Area Councillor
City of Adelaide

[Nathan]

Council will prepare a report on what would be required to make the City South tram stop the same standard as other tram stops in terms of safety, disability access and shelter. The matter is also to be presented to the Capital City Committee

Even though I no longer use that stop, hooray! Especially with recent and upcoming developments in the immediate vicinity, it's something that needs to happen.

[david.c-s]

Council will prepare a report on what would be required to make the City South tram stop the same standard as other tram stops in terms of safety, disability access and shelter. The matter is also to be presented to the Capital City Committee

Even though I no longer use that stop, hooray! Especially with recent and upcoming developments in the immediate vicinity, it's something that needs to happen.

I do love the "prepare a report" here's mine for free I"ll send you a photo of the Pirie St Stop my report detail - make this but at City South refer previous Specification, Drawings and Details.

So with that said should happen pretty soon just found $50-$100k towards it

[Vee]

This report concerns me.
Will music acts/outdoor concerts/gigs/festivals/shows etc bypass/give up on Adelaide park lands as a venue? What about big acts at Adelaide Oval eg The Rolling Stones etc if the 'plug is going to be pulled' as per this item?

Seriously, how out of touch is this?

Adelaide City Council to enforce new noise restrictions for 'high risk events'

Festival organisers in Adelaide may now be forced to install special sound monitors that pull the plug on them if noise limits are exceeded. Adelaide City councillors met on Tuesday night and voted to impose the monitors on “high risk” festivals and concerts liable to breach noise-pollution levels.

News Limited reports council members will be able to impose the so-called “sound pressure level limiters,” which cut power if noise exceeds a certain level, usually 110 decibels, at their discretion. Councillor David Plumridge, who initiated the reform, called it another “weapon in our armoury.”

Mr Plumridge also reportedly called to increase the bond for exceeding noise limits to $40,000, but this measure was rejected and the bond will now be cut to just $5,000. The councillor’s sound monitor initiative follows a previous row with Soundwave organisers and the Adelaide City Council.

As Music Feeds reported in April, Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah forfeited a $10,000 bond after it was found that the Adelaide event in Bonython Park exceeded noise restrictions. Council monitoring allegedly revealed one stage exceeded 110dB for 70 percent of the day and evening.

Though the Adelaide City Council claimed that they received a number of complaints from residents of North Adelaide and other city-adjacent areas, Maddah insisted via Twitter that the “numerous complaints” reported by the council were in fact the result of “one guy in North Adelaide.”

At the time, Maddah said he feared that organisers would be denied hire of Bonython Park, which would mean “adios Adelaide.” The organiser recently confirmed that Soundwave would return to Adelaide in 2015, launching in Bonython Park next February with the event’s new two-day format.

The sound monitor initiative is the latest chapter in the fraught history of SW’s relationship with Adelaide. However, despite Mr Plumridge’s satisfaction with the outcome of the vote, some councillors have criticised the move as petty and potentially detrimental to Adelaide’s cultural scene.

Music Feeeds:
http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/adelaide- ... sk-events/

[monotonehell]

It's not out of touch, Vee. It's about the organisers being responsible for the amount of sound they produce. This affects the attendees more than residents. How hard is it for the sound engineers to keep things below a reasonable level?

[SRW]

Agree with monotonehell. It's a very reasonable policy IMO. The only shame is that it can't also be applied to the state government-regulated Clipsal 500 event.

[david]

Thank you for expressing your views on this subject and I understand the point you are making.
In reply to Vee and others who are concerned about this update of Councilk's policy let me say that my role in this was actually quite marginal. Council staff had prepared an updated version of our 2008 Noise Mitigating Guidelines which was prepared on the advice of our consultant sound engineers, AECOM.

The intention was to have a much clearer set of guidelines which would reduce the chance of an events being forced to lose their bond as happened this year due to excessive breaches of the sound limits which are set at a generous level of 110dba. On Tuesday night Council actually reduced the bond from $10k to $5k.

AECOM also recommended consideration of the use of sound pressure limiters in certain circumstances and what I did was to slightly widen the circumstances in which Council COULD require the use of sound limiters (they can limit but not shut down the sound output at any particular stage mixing desk)

Incidentally, these guidelines only apply to multi-stage music events in certain Park Lands and they do not apply to Clipsal, The Adelaide Oval, Womad etc. It is also worth remenbering that most cocerts such as The Rolling Stones only run for 3 to 4 hours whereas events such as Soundwave run for the best partof 12 hours and in 2015 Soundwave is being promoted as a 2-day event.

There are obviously conflicting requirements and expectations here from different sections of the community - all have a right to expect to do what they want provided one does not seriously detract from the other - it is a matter of trying to strike a balance which is what I was trying to do in my quite modest changes to the Noise Mitigation Guidelines.

David P

[david]

Notes from Councillor David Plumridge AM - Issue 116

- THe Valueof Trees to our Community

- Boquets....

....and a Brickbat

Decisions from Council Meeting 22 July 2014

Notes from Councillor Issue 116.pdf

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avid Plumridge AM
Area Councillor,
City of Adelaide

[Wayno]

Thanks David, Couple of thoughts/comments:

Where Council has failed, is in the planting of trees in the many residential streets as well as the main thoroughfares of the city. Just think how much better the city would
be if every major street was as well-provided with significant trees as is Hutt Street. Currie St, Grenfell St, Waymouth St, Flinders St and Franklin St - to name a few - all
need an arborial make-over. If re-elected in October, this will be one of my priorities.

This is an admiral goal, but too many trees can actually hide the beauty of our heritage buildings (and some modern ones). The photo in your newsletter highlights my concern. The work underway in Rundle Mall showcases the benefits of a clear streetscape. Don't get me wrong, i'm in favour of trees for the numerous reasons you mention - but a considered street-section by street-section approach is required.

For a rash of cheap and sometimes grungy looking footpath advertising that has taken over our streets in recent times. Beautiful slate paving indiscriminately defaced in this way does the city no good and is little better than officially sanctioned graffiti – all done in the name of ‘City Activation’.

Kudos to the ACC for a continued "let's trial it and see" approach to decision making. The footpath advertising is another good example. I must say the adverts caught my attention (ticking an important box) but agree they get scuffed and grungy. Maybe council could consider setting strategically positioned pavers for the sole purpose of city activation advertising (not for commercial advertising like KFC or McDonalds). In fact I bet someone somewhere is selling an 'in footpath advertising panel' product or similar, even with lights or a tv-like screen? Could appear quite innovative!

Do hope you get re-elected in November

[monotonehell]

For a rash of cheap and sometimes grungy looking footpath advertising that has taken over our streets in recent times. Beautiful slate paving indiscriminately defaced in this way does the city no good and is little better than officially sanctioned graffiti – all done in the name of ‘City Activation’.

If it were maintained I would be more in favour of it (just for community stuff not for commercial). When they are first laid they look okay, but they are often left to wear off through foot traffic, and not removed properly.

[SRW]

Joining in Wayno's support, I also hope to see you re-elected David.

I would love to see more of our major and minor streets enjoy avenue plantings, particularly those boulevards you mentioned. However, I do hope that alongside a commitment to plant more trees is also a commitment to ensure their ongoing maintenance. Many of the existing trees, for example those along North Terrace, seem to be very haphazardly managed. Avenue plantings look their best when maintained consistently, with their canopies trained high, and this appears to a frequent failing across the city.

[mshagg]

+1 will be my first time voting in ACC elections and glad to see David standing again.