JET SKIS & POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES
Jet Skis are the bane of all residents on the Southern Peninsula, they’re very loud & can be heard for a long distance. The noise affects everyone, but even more importantly every year people have their lives endangered by reckless & unsafe Jet Ski practices. We have all seen jetskis among swimmers & have seen some beach themselves at speed on the sand. The source of anger can be easily abated by enforcing powered watercraft regulations on them & applying the regular noise restrictions. CHECK RYE OPTION IN MENU FOR UPDATES
COPPIN LOOKOUT SORRENTO BACK BEACH
Since the conversation started at an onsite meeting with Parks Vic, Rotary & myself, Rotary through Brian Stacey has been able to ascertain that permission will be given for works but no funding. Brian got a quote for the job & we will be looking to find a way to fund the $125K, we are hoping for community assistance of materials & labour- watch this space
SORRENTO CAR PARKING
Have any of us considered exactly how much customer car parking is taken up by retail staff in shops, & the impact that has on Sorrento traffic?
I visited approx 40 retail stores to record the data, and it is surprising – mid week during a period of low visitor numbers and noting there are well over 100 shops in total, there was a minimum of 106 people at any given time in those 40 stores alone. Conservatively we could say over 250 staff in total, however this doubles and in some cases triples over summer. The numbers also don’t include Hotel Sorrento or The Conti who both have alternate parking. Of course staff car parking is not the entire traffic problem, but with hundreds of spaces required it is a significant component, as cars are forced to circle the township looking for parking that simply doesn’t exist as evidenced by One Mile Grid which showed days where Sorrento had zero empty car spaces in the township.
Currently Ocean Beach Rd staff are parking in:
- Morce Avenue customer carpark
- Side streets – George, Darling, Kerferd (near school), Pt Nepean rd service road up from Stringers
- Small Carpark near Sorrento Primary
- Footy Ground (limited)
- RSL block
- Behind the Conti – these stores weren’t counted in the spreadsheet or the numbers.
Conti or Hotel Sorrento numbers were not counted as they use different options, Ocean Beach road isn’t used due to timed parking and hefty fines.
Potential car parking spaces for retail staff during peak times
- 88 multi storey spaces in Morce Avenue not being currently used – (permanent staff parking?)
- Sectioned off area in Footy ground for Staff parking only
- CFA running track
- Footy ground site for netball courts and other places – not near the bowling club.
- Sectioned off areas in East & West caravan park (shuttle bus)
- St Josephs school asphalt area – used for parking during events, holds significant parking.
- Hotham rd, between Hotel Sorrento and the Footy Ground – measure road, maybe just line marking for angle parking on this wide road until a more long term solution is available (removal/replacement of trees, parking in road reserve)
- Area behind the Building next to the museum (shuttle bus?)
- Check Parks Vic back beach parking occupancy, maybe a section there and a shuttle
- Area behind church in Kerferd
- Area behind masonic hall on Pt Nepean
As mentioned the most conservative figure would be approximately $250+ car spaces required for staff year round, this would at least double during our summertime. Is it any wonder we have interrelated traffic & parking problems, with visitors/customers driving around to find carparks that are already occupied all day.
Staff are our most vital component & Traders should be made aware that additional car spaces are required to be allocated over summer. Everyone must be mindful that any extra costs should not be worn by employees – we all know how hard it can be to retain staff!
There is also parking further afield in Rye & the option of a shuttle from Rye to Sorrento to keep cars out altogether, I am approached regularly with this suggestion and have spoken to a bus company this sits idle over school holidays (20 seater+ buses not big ones).
Traffic and parking in Sorrento is a massive problem that we have been all scratching our head over, if no action is taken, then we will experience the same southern peninsula gridlock we always have over summer.
ROADSIDE MONTEREY CYPRESS REPLACEMENT
MONTEREY CYPRESS TO NORFOLK PINES ON ROADSIDES
Our Monterey Cypreses are at the end of their life & are becoming dangerous. Areas that need attention are roadside on Pt Nepean Road on the approach to the Portsea shops & Hotham Rd Sorrento from the Footy Ground to the Pub. Most of us were under the impression that these would be automatically replaced with Norfolk Pines as would be appropriate, apparently this is something we have to work on. I will keep you updated
UPDATE: Norfolk Pines are scheduled to replace the Monterey Cypress on Hotham Rd at the footy ground, lets hope it continues between Hotel Sorrento & the footy club.
BLAIRGOWRIE TO SORRENTO ROAD RESERVE
ROAD RESERVE BLAIRGOWRIE TO SORRENTO
Through most of the foreshore areas along the bay, there should be woody weed removal which leaves significant trees & clears out mess – just check through Rosebud down. Unfortunately this area is an absolute mess and needs work. Dead trees, grasses, ivy, environmental weeds like the coastal ti tree is prevalent, stopping indigenous trees from germinating. This area needs the same treatment as afforded further up the coast to clean up the area & afford us water glimpses every now and again.
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS MORCE AVE
SAFE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING
I am working on safe pedestrian access from IGA to the community centre side carpark – it is incredibly dangerous walking through the narrow road entry with your shopping trolley & lining up with cars.
ALTERNATE FOOTPATHS
FOOTPATHS & VEGETATION CLEARANCE
There are now over 100 footpaths currently on the council’s priority list. If each path was conservatively $2M, that would mean $200M. If council were to allocate $2M per year, that is 100 years. This doesnt even include many, many footpaths that are vital for pedestrian safety.
UPDATE: It was a hard fought win that shows a way forward for our area when it comes to footpaths. Crushed rock & granitic sand paths have just been added to the footpath policy – & I could not be happier! Of course if there is urgent action required, there will be a financial contribution needed. At least there is a choice now.
ST PAULS ROAD OPPOSITE SHOP & BUS STOPS
OPPOSITE ST PAULS RD SHOPS & BUS STOPS
There are plans to treat the area opposite St Pauls Rd shops & bus stop areas both sides of St Pauls Rd with RECLAIMED ASPHALT PAVING to fix potholes & reduce ongoing maintenance. It is highly likely it will be asphalted as a long-term solution. Works will be programmed as soon as practicable.
OCEAN BEACH ROAD REVEGETATION
OCEAN BEACH ROAD REVEGETATION
Currently getting final feedback for plant/tree selection for Ocean Beach Road . Most of the current Sheoaks & Bottle Brush (Casuarinas & Callistermons) are dead or dying & were never really appropriate for a street tree in a shopping precinct – don’t forget those hard nuts they produce that many people have slipped on.
NOTES AND BASIC DIRECTIVE
Sorrento is a beautiful place that could really use a refresh to bring it up to the luxe destination it was always meant to be. It has been really let down by decades of ad hoc, low budget decisions – most obvious is our shopping strip vegetation. Thankfully, Sorrento has mixed vegetation overlay, so we have scope to improve. As we all know, Ocean Beach Road is currently a mess with dead and dying trees, inappropriate vegetation (including gum trees) and “Caroline Springs” bollards – which are now splitting, some with damaged gal tops. Now is the perfect time to remove the look that is usually found in brand new developments in inexpensive areas.
We need your input into making Sorrento Main Street more attractive and functional. After a lot of research and consultations with arborists and nurserymen, the following trees have been selected. Criteria was longevity, attractive appearance, functionality and the ability to survive the wind tunnel that is Ocean Beach Road. Where possible we have included Australian Natives that are fit for purpose. There are many variations and combinations of positioning that everyone can have input into, anything is better than what we have now. Please note the streetscape will probably be done in stages over a period of time, as funds become available. Once a concept is decided on, we can begin the process to get it approved and make it happen
UPDATE: Support has been flooding in, we need to ensure that this big ticket community item is handled well.
BEACH FURNITURE & ACCESSIBILITY
BEACH SEATING & BEACH PLATFORMS
We have a need for seating areas on the beach for our older population & those with mobility issues – and some of us who just like to look over the bay.. It would be great to open up the experience of being on the beach to all abilities so they can watch their children, grandchildren & dogs play where allowed. This would be a project that our community could really get behind. These would be placed strategically along fence lines anchored securely to the ground. the seating would be simple benches with backs as part of the structure. They would be designed to accomodate Wheelchairs.
UPDATE: Public seating has been allowed by DEECA on Cameron Bight Beach, this is a precedent for other areas. Once again we will need community help with this as I doubt council will fund it.
BIKE LANES & BIKE SAFETY
BIKE LANES & BIKE SAFETY IN THE NEPEAN WARD
In Nepean Ward we have a desperate lack of bike lanes & problems with overgrown vegetation making it difficult for bike riders to avoid branches etc. Whilst St Johns Wood Rd doesn’t have (first pic) the other issues most other roads have, it is by far the easiest to fix. Of course there will be issues with those who park along the bike path area.