Bus Storage Needed, Drouin Area

from the mailbox....


Good Afternoon,

my name is Armin Gebbert and I am writing to you as a member of the club.

BawBaw shire council has rejected my application to store my 1980 MAN bus on my 1 acre, Drouin, VIC 3818 located property. They cite a section 3c violation following a neighbour's complaint, apparently over amenity. True the bus is not pretty. It was meant to be restored in 2020 following the bus having been driven down from Toowoomba in September 2019. Then 2020 happened and I could not even go to my property where the construction of my home-to-be was delayed (to say the least). So, I never got a chance to get started in earnest or make enquiries locally where to take the bus. The house is not ready until February while have to remove the bus by 26-Jan-2021.

If I cannot find affordable storage, it would mean the wreckers for a lovely old lady.
Are there members in the Drouin vicinity that might be able to help? Not looking for a free ride and am happy to pay a storage fee, if that helps.

Merry Christmas & a happy new year.

Kind Regards,
Armin.

Armin, I assume you are an HCVCA member but not a forum member, but I also assume you read this.

I would contact, preferably in person, the shire, I would be amazed if they prosecuted you on the story you have given, Covid prevented you proceeding in your intended and not annoying your neighbour's way.

I also assume the section you reference is about abandoned vehicles.

Give it a try.

I had neighbour complaint when I moved to current 5 acres. He thought he was well connected and as there were $%@! loads of old rusty trucks he probably had reason to worry. However, girl from council did a drive-by and saw that they were all in neat rows and grass was slashed. Importantly, they also saw rows of newly planted trees which would provide privacy screening when they got high enough (something neighbour could have done on his side of the fence years ago). Last I heard about it. So I suggest present a plan for screening the "loss of amenity". The other thing is to have a close look at neighbour's block and there is bound to be something he has done wrong against planning regs so you then confront council with - well if you are going to ping me then same must happen to him.
Good luck

If its an amenity complaint ,then camoflaging the bus with shade cloth on fence stakes will generally comply with the order.......Ive been harassed by 30 years of council inspectors and made sure I know the regulations...which many inspectrors exceed to suit themselves........Since you are building a house,you must have a building approval,and this generally covers amenity complaints for the duration of the permit.

What zoning is the subject land in?
If residentially zoned, then council MIGHT have a Community Local Law something like this (example comes from another area, just one I'm familiar with):
45. Parking in residential land
(1) A person must not without a permit park, keep, store, repair or authorise another person to keep, store or repair a vehicle weighing more than 4.5 tonnes (gross vehicle mass) on a property or road in residential land.

If the land is residentially zoned then you could be in strife.
Where I am the Community Local Law (previously known as Shire By=Laws) says:
45. Parking in residential land
(1) A person must not without a permit park, keep, store, repair or authorise another person to keep, store or repair a vehicle weighing more than 4.5 tonnes (gross vehicle mass) on a property or road in residential land.

Don't know if Drouin has something similar?

Take the issue to VCAT. That will buy you some time and get them to back off.

see if you can speak to a local laws officer and come out to get them to inspect it if necessary. If you are pleasant and not abusive you may find they are on your side. To give an example:
In 2010, while living in Glen Waverley I received a letter stating that I was storing a heavy vehicle on my property and needed a permit. I rang and after much polite discussion got onto a person who said that I couldn't operate a transport business from that property without a permit. I told the person concerned that I wasn't running a transport business but a 1955 truck with a petrol motor as a hobby vehicle like some people restore old cars, that was quieter than the traffic going down Springvale Road and asked if he would like to look at the vehicle concerned and offered to let him inspect the vehicle and the site.
He took a look and I started it so he could here how loud it was. He said it looks around 3 tonne what's International Harvester claim the tare weight is. International say it's 3.1 tonne as ..."3.1 tonne it is then' grab the end of the tape for me and walk to the back corner of the truck. He is standing by the front bumper. "It looks like you are standing past the truck to me come closer, come closer again. See it's only 6 metres long (it was really 7.25) so it's not heavy enough or long enough to need a permit". He took the registration number and some photos in case someone inquired in the future and said "All done, Problem solved, Thanks for your help".

This all just makes me so glad to be out of town and away from the whingers...

JMRamsay wrote: This all just makes me so glad to be out of town and away from the whingers...

Don’t for one moment think all the whingers are in town.