Gerald Lynch
Get ready for more gardening in Sunbury, as a new nature strip policy has been adopted.
Under the new Hume council policy, if a resident wishes to undertake work on the nature strip, they must apply for a permit, but opportunities to plant grass or shrubs will be easier than before.
Councillor Karen Sherry is a strong advocate for a creative nature strip, calling them a unique type of urban space, and she said they can greatly benefit the community, by encouraging people to walk more outside, leading to a healthier lifestyle.
“More than a third of all Melbourne’s open space is nature strip,” she said. “Greenery in the street – it’s habitat for birds, shelter and resource for a lot of insects.
“It makes a street a more social space, a more welcoming space, and improves walkability.
“I’m looking forward to seeing a bit more guerrilla gardening in Hume.”
The policy said if council becomes aware of non-compliant and-or unsafe landscape works, it will invite the resident to bring the works into compliance and if unsuccessful it will undertake enforcement action.
If council cannot identify the responsible person or they fail to bring the landscape to compliance, council shall remove the landscape works and seek costs from the property owner.
Council will only undertake works on nature strips in cases of significant risk to the community, such as a sink hole, or in cases where a council vehicle has caused damage.
The policy also reinforced that parking on a nature strip is illegal and could be the cause of an infringement notice and subsequent fine.
Councillor Jarrod Bell is looking forward to the policy.
“It’s the issue that divides our community the most… it’s an indication that we’ve got the balance right,” he said.
Majority of the community feedback said the new policy is easier to understand and Cr Sherry said it better clarifies the responsibilities of residents to maintain their nature strips to a strong degree.
