Local Policies

The Shire has adopted local policies which cover the circumstances where the Shire may exercise its judgement in discretion related to design and scheme provision.

In matters where an Applicant is seeking to depart from compliant design, the policies provide guidance as to the parameters within which there may be relaxation or variation permitted – but always subject to demonstration of benefit to the Shire and others possible from the requested relaxation.

Unless otherwise stated these policies apply throughout the Shire.

No.	Title of Local Policy	Scope
1	Urban Design and Streetscape Policy	Design considerations which will effect and impact upon the streetscape character and amenity of the Shire and its valued residential streets.
2	Carports, garages and minor Structures in the Street Setback Area	Circumstances whereby the Council may permit the building of structures within the street setback without incurring an adverse impact on the value of the streetscape.
3	Heritage Places	Describes the importance of respecting and protecting heritage elements when making development decisions.
4	Residential Building Heights	Circumstances where the Shire may depart from R Codes (category B) to permit increased building heights.
6	Neighbourhood Consultation on Development	In requests for exercise of R Code design compliance discretion this policy identifies where affected neighbours may be consulted.

New policies may be adopted, or existing policies revised, deleted or replaced

These policies are adopted by the Council and therefore apply to all development matters where the Council will be exercising its judgement to consider alternatives to Scheme or R Codes design specification.

Check sheets are to accompany all Planning Applications and these should detail those areas where the Applicant is seeking variation from the design codes and to refer to the Policy area which supports this variation to design codes.

Presented to Council March 2018

No.	Title of Policy	Scope
7	Demolition and Vacant Lots	To ensure that the prevalence of vacant land is minimised in the Shire, and in the event that land cannot be re-developed immediately following demolition, the site is to be secured so as to avoid the problem of illegal dumping.
8	Construction Management Plans	To ensure the effective management of excavation, demolition work and building work within the Shire of Peppermint Grove.
9	Development Bonds	To allow the Shire to undertake clean up and reinstatement works immediately, and to ensure that the cost of doing so is not a financial burden on the ratepayers of the Shire.
10	Design Review Panel (DRP)	To provide Council with high level, independent expert advice and expertise on urban design, architecture, landscape design, sustainability and heritage in relation to significant development applications.
11	Boundary Walls	To ensure that regular spacing or street rhythm, which is an important streetscape element created by the side by setbacks under the Deemed-To-Comply provisions of the R-Codes, is maintained.
12	Front Fences Policy	To provide design guidelines for screen fencing along the front boundary of a residential property that would exceed the 1.2-metres maximum permitted under the Deemed-to-comply provisions of the R-Codes.