A review of the Erosion Management Overlay (EMO) has received approval by the Minister for Planning which now means those few residents unable to build after the June 2021 storm can now start their planning process.
While the State Government is responsible for Overlays as part of the Planning Scheme, it is Council’s responsibility to apply them and ensure they are current. Updating an Overlay requires a Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) process to be undertaken.
PSAs are lengthy processes and in May 2023, Councillors unanimously voted to formally request that the Minister for Planning allow Council to update the EMO.
The Planning Scheme Amendment has now been approved and gazetted, meaning the State Government has accepted Council’s changes to the EMO, and they are now in effect as part of the Yarra Ranges Planning Scheme.
Yarra Ranges Mayor Cr Sophie Todorov said that previously when a planning application was received on land covered with an EMO, Council had to consider the level of risk the same, regardless of the type of building – house, hospital, or garden shed.
“The Planning Scheme Amendment proposed a change to the risk level, from Low/Very Low to Medium for certain structures,…
