BBSN needs a permanent home
To all BBSN members and followers, our group has expressed interest to the Baw Baw Shire Council relating tthe old primary school site, the BBSN is hopeful of being allowed part of the site as a permanent home for our group, where we would be able to build a showcase building implementing all the ways to make a home/building more sustainable and efficient. It would also be a great place to have a community garden. We would not be the only group who could make benefit of part of the site, as the Fire Brigade also desperately needs a bigger site. We as a group need to fight for this to happen, for the benefit of the community and our community needs. To achieve this we need your help. The YDCA has organised a protest at the site. Please read the following from the YDCA. Research has also been undertaken by the YDCA relating to Baw Baw Shire Councils actions in relation to the school site, please read the information, it is an eye opener. This research is included after the letter below.
PLEASE COME ALONG AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, IF THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T SHOW THEIR DESIRE FOR THE PURCHASE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SPACE FOR COMMUNITY USE, IT WILL END UP IN THE HANDS OF DEVELOPERS AND THE LAST OPEN AREA IN THE TOWNSHIP WILL BE LOST.
To all members of the community in Yarragon and surrounds,
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
CALL TO PROTEST ON THE FORMER SCHOOL SITE
THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER 11:00 A.M.
Yarragon’s community expressed interest in the former school site from the moment the primary school relocated from Rollo Street to Loch Street in 2012.
Council’s efforts to date have not resulted in the purchase of the former school site. Council is not willing to offer what the State wants for the land. The State is offering to sell the land to our Council at a 50% discount to the assessed valuation, for community use.
The time has come for Yarragon people to tell our Council to close the deal. BUY THE LAND! There is money in an account at Council for just this purpose. Public protests are needed to keep this land for Yarragon residents, not developers. It is school holiday time. With your help we can muster the numbers on the Rollo Street grounds to tell our Councillors to vote to buy the land at their Council meeting 9 October 2019. Councillors seem to have forgotten Yarragon is important to our shire. A park is less about open space and more about the function of a town according to Jacky Bowring, professor of landscape architecture Lincoln University, New Zealand.
Mrs. Inge Mitchell
464 Earls Road Yarragon South
Mob.: 0411 453 175.
December 9th 2015 - Baw Baw Shire Council held a Closed to the Public Meeting.
June 14th 2017 Council Release the Information to the public
‘ Council have resolved to release the following information to the public.’
That Council releases the following information to the public relating to the Yarragon Primary School First Right of Refusal;
* The Resolution from the 9 December 2015 Meeting; “That Council lodge a formal expression of interest under the First Right of Refusal process to purchase the former Yarragon Primary School site and does not make this application public at this time”;
* That in its First Right of Refusal, Council wished to purchase the site with the current zoning of Public Use (Education) and without a restriction on Title; and
* Makes available correspondence relating to this matter.
Council Motion Moved: Cr M Leaney Seconded: Cr M Power. Carried.
Victorian Government Landholding Policy and Guidelines
First right of refusal process If an expression of interest is received within 60 days, the parties are required to negotiate in good faith to attempt to agree on the terms of sale within 30 days after the close of the expression of interest period (or such other period as may be agreed between the parties). If the terms of sale are not agreed between the parties, the disposing agency may proceed to dispose of the surplus land by public process in accordance with the Victorian Government Land Transactions Policy.