When do you speak to the council?

[parawolf]

Just flicking through some of the 'planning' documents on my local council's website (Darebin) and it appears that even for the smallest in planning matters you need to contact the council.

Small things like doing garden planning or redesign
house painting
fencing (redoing from scratch or painting it)

All the way up to larger tasks such as renovations.

When have you had to contact your local council? Have you done house work and been given a 'please explain' by the council?

[Heeno]

So do you actually own your house these days or what?

[parawolf]

Originally Posted by Heeno

So do you actually own your house these days or what?

Nope... bank financially owns it for the rest of your natural life and the council makes decisions on what you can do with it.... _

[loxxr6]

When have you had to contact your local council? Have you done house work and been given a 'please explain' by the council?

For my investment home I've never had to call the council. For my unit I've only ever really dealt with strata.

The only time I've spoken to the council otherwise, is to arrange the free garbage pickup you get every year. Its pretty handy especially if you're moving.

[rodderz]

Yup it's pretty tight and they're strict when it comes to any form of construction. I am couple of councils away from you and you even need a permit for a retaining wall 1.2m high. Some councils have policies on what design your fence or house facade is to blend in with the street, and cutting of any trees is a big no no.

Most of it is pretty silly, yet I've seen a lot of "backyarder" jobs that are that dodgy or dangerous that these laws need apply.

You can get away with a lot, as long as common sense is used in doing the job properly and it isnt a huge construction job. They say that every few years aerial photographs are used in determining new council rates according to the median price and they can also check for constructions without a permit, yet I havent heard of anyone getting busted that way.

Depends on what work you're going to do, what have you got planned?

[parawolf]

For starters, a new front yard design including concreted driveway, some native grasses, and a new front fence design. Also will require new naturestrip and footpath crossover (wider and different rate of change).

[rodderz]

Considering all that work will be seen from the road you may have to submit a plan to council. The fence and concrete driveway you will have to provide a detailed drawing of the specifications that abide by the council standards ie. concrete thickness, reo size, pin length & spacing etc. In the past I've done a few jobs where we had to do that foir work

As for the plants they would probably have guidelines on what you can or cant plant, depends on the street or area where you live and the surroundings or what is native or indigenous to the area. Send me a PM if you like for info on that as I work with those every day!

[aimzes]

where i live if you plan to do ANYTHING to your house inside or out you must lodge a development application (DA) which has to have an engineers specifactions and all this other s**t then the council will look at it. 6months-5years later they either let you go ahead or knock you back.

the house im working on took 5 years and a s**t load of money to pass. mainly its just a money grab.

but the best thing to do if your council knocks you back is threaten to take them to the land and environment court.