Conditional permit approved!

Couple weeks prior to going on hols, it was past the 60 days time limit, and an option was to lodge to VCAT with failure to decide.  However my draftsperson had spoken to the town planner and had been advised that it was likely to be approved. I was also advised that if that was the case, it was better to avoid VCAT.  Was getting anxious though as the response from the permit was taking so long, and if the conditions were too harsh, I would have to go to VCAT anyway, which would delay the process even longer.  So I called up the town planner, who sounded young, inexperienced, and he apologised for the delay as said he would be getting it reviewed by his team leader soon.  1 week went by, and still no word.  Called again, and again I was told the following week.  Was hoping it would happen before I went on holidays with poor internet connection, but nothing.

Anyway, while overseas with sparse internet connection, I finally managed to get a response.

After 6.5 months, I finally got my permit approved with conditions.

Thank God the conditions were few and relatively straight forward!

I realised during this time I was waiting that I should have been looking at finishings etc.  This is the part I hate, and now I have to start doing it with time pressures.

Post advertising limbo

It took about a month after response for council to finally start advertising.

Apparently they went out to site prior to advertising which my draftsman thought odd, as they normally do it after.  Maybe they wanted to check out the street trees?  Pity it's nearing winter and all the leaves have fallen off!

Anyway, advertising closed after 2 weeks on Jun 6.

The next door neighbours conveniently wrote a letter of support - but I found out today that council had initially misread it as an objection!  They are now aware it was not.

So now I'm waiting for a response.

Waiting, waiting, everything takes so long.

Good thing I'm not in a rush.  Sort of.  My roof sprung a leak last month with heavy rains, and apparently the whole roof needs replacing.  Just needs to last this winter rain...

Landscaping

Last time, I really didn't care what my landscaping was - only that it was low maintenance.  I didn't even check what plants were being used.  Which I regretted after as Honey Locust trees are ugly.  Apart from that I liked my landscaping, but I think my builder had a big part to play by putting in these nice rocks which really add to it.

Anyway, I again needed to find another service.  I've learnt that it's better to go with recommendations.
So I asked my draftsman for one.
Also I asked for D's landscaper's designer - who she didn't use in the end, but wished she had as she had so many issues with the other one.  I coincidentally found out that D's landscaper's designer was actually one that my next door neighbour's builder had recommended.

I liked the plans of my draftsman's recommendation better as they were more detailed, however he was nearly double the price.

In the end I decided to go with D's one as he was
1. technically recommended twice
2. cheaper
3. I still don't really care THAT much about my landscaping
At first I wasn't sure if he would have enough time to do it, however after further clarification he was able to make the tight 3 week deadline.

So now my landscape brief:
Again it was the same as last time, low maintenance garden (plants don't grow too high, or need to be trimmed, or watered)
However I added more this time
- low cost plants
- no decking. Ah decking the bane of my summer. I will never ever get decking again.
- herb garden area
- fake grass.  Love my fake grass. No mowing!
.. So not that much more detailed.

Then thought more and added
- dark coloured exposed aggregate driveway (landscape designer was requesting colour)
- no pink flowers
- low pollen flowers/plants/trees - I think this one is actually quite important especially as I'm so sensitive to hay fever.

The hard part about my landscape is that I'm not sure of my house colour scheme!
I was also hoping that my landscaper would be quite creative with vision.

I got the first concept back - bleh. It wasn't very inspiring.

So I went to my local nursery to get some inspiration.

Decided on this colour scheme
- leaf colours of red/brown/dark green, with white flowers
- example would be Pacific Sunsest, Border black designer foliage, phormium bronze baby

I also realised I needed to have smaller shrubs on the west wall that didn't need much trimming as they would be difficult to prune due to level differences.

Due to the small private open space I've put in a narrow canopy tree - Pyrus Calleyana Pear tree.  It's unfortunately deciduous though so will drop leaves in the backyard.

I also put in more plants in the front garden bed to minimise the grass area as fake lawn is expensive...Although I don't know how much the plants cost...

I was pretty happy with the responses from my landscape designer and after 4 concept plans, came up with the final version - in time for the deadline given by council.

So response all submitted by April 19.

Request for Information

I was surprised to get a fairly quick response from council on 20 March, which required a response by 19 April.  Not much time considering it also included Easter.

They required further information on a number of things including landscape. Which annoyingly meant that I needed to think about what I wanted for landscaping.

They also raised a number of issues:
- exceeding 40% site coverage - which I expected
- high level of visual bulk on the south side - again was told that this might happen
- failure to meet POS - huh?  This did not make sense.  I was definitely compliant.

Ending with and underlined 'Council is unlikely support your application in its current form' (I guess they also have poor grammar.)

Anyway, I thought it wasn't too bad, until my town planner friend highlighted that they said they're unlike to support the application!  Also that it was best to avoid VCAT.  After some sleuthing, I was also forewarned the council town planner might have or be about to resign.

My draftsman tried to get in contact with the council town planner numerous times to get clarification about the POS, and also arrange a meeting.  When he was finally able to contact her it seemed like she wasn't sure what had been written in the ROI, and she would need to discuss with her team leader.  Again difficulty getting in contact with her.  Which made it difficult with the looming deadline.  While also needing enough time to complete my landscape plan.

Lo and behold on Monday I found out that she had left.  My draftsman was able to get in contact with the senior town planner and the POS seems to be okay.  So we've made some minor changes and decided that it will be submitted without a meeting.

Draftsman - what am I paying him for :'''(

Can't catch a break.

I thought it would be better this time.  Went with someone I know who's been used.

See today's date.

Town planning application was only just submitted last week.

My draftsperson was so slow.

First sketch didn't even comply with my design brief - de ja vu - wasn't even disabled friendly, had all these steps from the garage.  Should have been a warning sign then.

Then was so slow between sketch updates.

In the end, he just did what I had sketched out.  What am I paying him for.

First facade was so hideous that I came up with an alternative.

So ugly

After about 9 sketches, with long delays in between, finally came up with something I was happy with.

Then today, I received the town planning application that had been submitted.

So many typographical/grammatical errors. There was even a section that had been copy and pasted from another development application.  SO UNPROFESSIONAL. What am I paying him for.

My crazy fingers was writing another email in anger, but I've learnt to get it vetted before I send it off.  Still need to work with the guy.

Not happy.

EDIT: I found out the next day that my draftsman hadn't actually submitted the full application - he had not submitted the written submission with all the errors, which made me feel a bit better, although I was then annoyed that it hadn't even been fully submitted it.

Floor levels

Received sketch plan v2.



Guest bedroom and ensuite are too small and there are too many corridors upstairs = wasted space.

Facade - Don't like the horizontal windows

However main issue is the floor levels.  I didn't have to think about it last time as I had a bigger block and the front house had steps.  To make the garage level with the ground floor, the ground floor needed to be dropped, otherwise the driveway would be too steep.  This resulted in needing a retaining wall on the south side, so an even bigger setback was needed from the south side to allow for a path.  It also means a bigger excavation and more retaining walls which has me concerned about increased site costs.

Ideally, I would want the south setback to be right at the TPZ of 3m and no retaining wall, but I don't think it's possible due to the driveway slope. (Edit: I decided this was a bad idea to have the house right against the ground in case of water and slab heave. Better to have a gap)

So now I'm trying to work out the ideal level.  I've decided to have a small step from the garage in case of water leaking.  I need to work out how much I can push the driveway slope, at the same time, needing to keep in mind the gradient for a scooter (max is meant to be 16%)  I've been searching and recommendations for driveway slope are maximum 20%, which I'm near (1:5.5 = 18%). A handy table I found.

Ratio	Degrees	Percentages
1:1	45	100%
1:1.5	34	66%
1:2	26	50%
1:2.5	21	40%
1:3	18	33%
1:3.5	15	28%
1:4	14	25%
1:4.5	12	22%
1:5	11	20%
1:5.5	10	18%
1:6	9	16%
1:6.5	9	15%
1:7	8	14%
1:7.5	8	13%
1:8	7	12%
1:8.5	7	11%
1:9	6	11%
1:10	6	10%
1:11	5	9%
1:12	5	8%
1:13	4	8%
1:14	4	7%
1:15	4	7%
1:16	4	6%
1:17	3	6%
1:18	3	5.5%
1:19	3	5%
1:20	3	5%

Edit:  In the end, I decided it was better to escavate more, despite increased cost, for a more functional outcome.  I didn't want to have such a steep driveway, as I forgot that I would also need to walk up it!

Sketch design

My draftsman has been really slow.  I was concerned that I hadn't heard from him for a couple of weeks, and started looking at a couple other ones.  I probably should have done that before I agreed to go with him, but I just didn't want to go through the hassle.  P also said he'd been okay.

So I met him last Friday 17th November and he showed me the sketch design.  Looked very familiar!

But with issues:
- there was a non negotiable in the sketch - internal stairs from the garage to inside.  I think he misunderstood when I wrote 'disabled friendly, minimal step/lip from garage' - obviously.  He thought I met minimal steps...*scratch head*
- significantly larger than the 40% allowed - 20sqm over.
- master ensuite on the facade. This would require obscure windows on the facade, which I don't think looks aesthetically good
- guest ensuite looked too narrow at 1.3m.  So even with the excess area, this was too small.

So after reviewing it last weekend, I asked him to send me a revised sketch by the end of the week addressing these issues.

On Friday, he still hadn't done it.

I'm getting antsy that it's taking so long.  I feel that he's pretty busy, and I don't know how much time he's really putting into my project.

Also feeling like I can do a better job.

Also there was a comment he made that made me question his knowledge of the rules, and that's when he said that the street setback was 2.5m, where I had read it was 2m. He later said by email when I asked him to show me the specific guideline that he meant he was taking into consideration the streetscape, but I think that was back pedalling.

The front setback also doesn't meet next door.

It also looks quite similar to P's next door in terms of with abutting front porch wall.

He also feels that even though it doesn't comply with council, it may still get passed. However, I'm concerned as it doesn't meet with Rescode, so even if I go to VCAT, it might not be passed.

I've actually done a revised sketch, but I won't send it, until I receive his, to see if he comes up with something I'm satisfied with.