Have a look at laws

By Kath Gannaway
YARRA Ranges residents have until 10 December to have a say on local laws relating to a range of by-laws under the General Provisions Local Law.
Existing local laws covering unsightly properties, caravans on private property, motorised recreational vehicles and obstructing roads, council land and public places, will use their ‘use-by’ date in August 2011, requiring a new law to be enacted if they are to be retained.
There are also new by-laws proposed covering camping and sleeping in vehicles on public land, the keeping of bees and the destruction of European wasp nests.
In response to concerns voiced by Healesville resident Val Owen about unintended consequences of the proposed by-laws, Yarra Ranges local laws manager David Clarkson said council officers took a common sense approach, working within guildelines to ensure consistency when enforcing local laws.
Ms Owen told the Mail residents needed to look at the proposed laws and the possible consequences on them.
She said the draft by-laws required permits for more than one caravan on a property, for a skip if it needed to go in the nature strip and to have a power nap on the side of the road.
Mr Clarkson said however council’s concern was camping on public land and the use of facilities including Lillydale Lake.
Illegal camping has become an issue each summer as harvest workers camp in public areas including Don Road Showgrounds and Coronation Park.
“Council does not have an issue with people taking safety naps, our concerns are about people sleeping in our parks overnight, using our parks as a toilet and leaving their rubbish behind for council to clean up at ratepayers’ expense.”
He said the proposed by-laws for bees was not intended for the removal of bees in rural parts of the shire but where they swarmed in enclosed locations and were posing a risk to public safety.
The General Provisions Local Law can be viewed at Community Link offices or on-line at yarraranges.vic.gov.au .