What you told us about our Local Laws

The results from the first stage of community engagement on Bayside’s Local Laws are in and… Baysiders love their barbeques, firepits and pizza ovens. 

In August and September 2020, we asked our community what they thought about eight new Local Law ideas from residents. Around 7,000 people took the survey, submitting more than 3,000 comments. This amazing result has given us great insight into the issues that really matter to our community.

What’s happening with barbeques?

The hottest topic in the survey was an idea to ban burning solid fuel outdoors, which would mean no more lighting firepits or charcoal BBQs in Bayside, if adopted. Over 86% of survey respondents were opposed to this idea, so it hasn’t been included in the proposed new Local Law.

What about the other ideas?

The level of support for the other new Local Law ideas in the survey is listed below:

Removing dumped shopping trolleys (80%) Preventing derelict or abandoned buildings (71%) Extending the smoking ban to cover the foreshore (69%)  Requiring a permit for long-term parking of trailers, caravans and boats (55%) Mobile advertising billboards need a permit (53%) Shared transport services operators need a permit (48%)  Drones need a permit to fly over Council land (46%)

Taking survey support and comments in consideration, along with legal advice, these ideas have been included in the proposed new Local Law. 

A new Local Law idea from Victoria Police

We’re proposing to make the Red Bluff Cliffs at Half Moon Bay an alcohol-free zone in response to large gatherings and parties recently held in the area. This inclusion is at the request of Victoria Police and would enable our Local Laws officers to enforce any breaches of the proposed ban. We’ll be seeking community feedback on this as part of the next stage of consultation.

What happens next?

Another opportunity to have your say on Bayside’s Local Law is coming up. The next phase of community consultation will be on the proposed new Local Law, which has been developed in response to community feedback and legal advice.

On 17 December 2020, Councillors will consider commencing this statutory process for community consultation to open from 1 February 2021 until 5 March 2021. This date has been proposed to encourage participation, ensuring everyone’s back from their summer holidays and festive celebrations with friends and family.

It is expected that a Special Committee of Council meeting will be held on 31 March 2021 to hear any submissions from the community. Council will also receive a report on any submissions received at its Ordinary Meeting of Council on 18 May 2021. Following revisions in response to community feedback, the proposed new Local Law will be considered by Council for adoption in June 2021. 

Want to know more?

To read the complete report of the first phase of community engagement on new Local Law ideas, subscribe for project updates, or read the proposed new Local Law visit yoursay.bayside.vic.gov.au/locallaw

Chart showing the level of community support or opposition for each of the new Local Law ideas in the survey.