Dear Residents,

The City of Johannesburg does not have densification plans for Melville. The Community Submission Precinct Plan is NOT being done to provide for any further densification in the actual Suburb.

It is done in order to:

• Interpret broader policies and provide finer-grain detail regarding the dynamics within Melville, thereby enhancing the application of the Regional Spatial Development Framework (RSDF), and to provide Council with accurate information to assist with land use management in Melville.

• Ensure that the vision as formulated through an extensive public participation process is upheld, and that the suburb retains the unique residential characteristics and protects the heritage for future generations whilst taking cognisance of and responding to current economic trends and the pressure for development.

• Once adopted by Council, the Community Submission is regarded as the Precinct Plan for the area, and forms part of the RSDF.

• This information, together with the vision that was developed and an understanding of the relevant land use management issues provides the basis for distinction between the various spatial sectors within the precinct. Interventions and guidelines for each sector are presented in order to guide decision-making at a micro-scale.

• The document also notes the current infrastructure issues, and suggests roles for both Council and Residents / Stakeholders in terms of monitoring and management of the Precinct Plan, once adopted.

• The Precinct Plan provides land use management tools for Melville in accordance with the Spatial Development Framework and Regional Spatial Development Framework (Region B), and any other policy or by-law pertaining to the future development of the area concerned.

A few ideas of things to consider for the Precinct Plan:

• Identify business / mixed use nodes and ask for them to be contained to prevent creep into residential areas.
• Limit non-residential uses in areas. Limit scale of buildings.  Limit certain land uses (restaurants?).
• Protect and upgrade open spaces.  Promote Heritage conservation.
• Improve motorised and non-motorised mobility routes. Traffic calming interventions.
• Upgrade high streets with the “complete streets” interventions (pavements, benches, lightening, trees etc.)

I will be at Picobella on Saturday (15th July 2017) from 10:30 – 12:30 to go through details of what the Precinct Plan should include and to answer any questions residents / stakeholders might have with regards to the process and desired outcomes.

Attached, more information regarding precint info.

You are also welcome to email me should you have any further questions.