Update: Keurbooms parking lot opposed

This valley in Keurbooms is regarded by the Plett Environmental Forum to be a sensitive wetland area. Residents are opposed to a proposal to use it as a temporary parking facility from mid-December to mid-January. Up to 40 cars could be parked here at any given time during that period were permission to use it be granted by the municipality. Residents concerned about the potential environmental degradation have raised their objection in the strongest possible terms.

A proposal to use Portion 91 of the farm 304 Matjies Fontein, Keurboomstrand (opposite Milkwood Glen, off the P394) as a temporary parking facility over the peak tourist season between mid-December 2014 and mid-January 2015 has sparked a massive public response.

The original Facebook post by local artist, Helen Mudge, publicly objecting to the proposal which includes a free shuttle service to and from Kettle Beach courtesy of the popular Ristorante Enrico, had been ‘shared’ on Facebook 144 times between October 14 and 28. The response moved her to create an online community page addressing local environmental concerns, https://www.facebook.com/PreserveOurPlett. This community was already 462 strong on October 28 since its inception on October 19.

Dr Nicky Frootko, chairperson of the Milkwood Glen Homeowners Association is sufficiently concerned about the potential environmental degradation of a sensitive wetland area in the Outeniqua Sensitive Coastal Area Extension, that he has made objection in the strongest possible terms on behalf of the homeowners in this development.

Environmental process
There is concern that, in the absence of a formal public participation process, Enrico Iacopini, owner of Ristorante Enrico, will be granted permission to utilise the land, currently zoned for agricultural use, with no consideration for the environmental impact. “This would be illegal,” said Frootko.

The Plettenberg Bay Environmental Forum deems the land to fall within the Outeniqua Sensitive Coastal Area Extension. According to Chris Schliemann, Bitou manager of Town Planning, this means that application for an OSCAE permit would need to be made if any removal of vegetation or earthworks were intended to be conducted on Portion 91. He said application for temporary rezoning would also need to be made.

According to Frootko, this would constitute a departure from the usual process. It is Frootko’s understanding that no departure can be granted without an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and a public participation process because the land lies within the Outeniqua Sensitive Coastal Area Extension.

Schliemann also explained that under the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) an EIA would only be required if the proposed activity, in this case parking, was to be conducted within 32m of a wetland area.

Schliemann said since the objection had been raised on the grounds of it being a wetland, Cape Nature would need to be called in to determine its status should a formal application to implement the proposal be made.

According to Frootko, it was classified as a wetland in 2013 and included as such in the Keurbooms Local Area Spatial Plan 2013.

Schliemann said that whilst the proposal that the land be used as a temporary parking lot had been cited, it had not been formally lodged by Iacopini in light of the objections.

Alternative proposals
Schliemann said that because the current objectors had mentioned legal action should temporary permission be granted by the municipality, it seemed unlikely that the proposal to use Portion 91 would be able to be implemented in time for the peak season.
According to Frootko, an environmentally sound, sustainable long-term alternative has been proposed following various meetings between the currently interested and affected parties. Pieter Luttig of the Keurbooms Property Owners Association (KPOA) said a few other alternative options have also been identified and are being pursued following various meetings between the interested parties. These options are focused on finding an interim solution for the coming holiday season.

There was an objection from homeowners at Mare Nostrum (opposite the Blue Flag and The Waves beach) to the alternative proposal which would utilise land which they believed belonged to them. It has since transpired that this land is in fact part of a road reserve.

The solution
A delegation on behalf of the KPOA consisting of Luttig, Kerry Shurmann and Iacopini felt that the solution-finding process should be supported not opposed and that the overall approach should be to back the Bitou Municipality to find a solution that will benefit the greater community. They stressed the fact that it is not only a parking problem but rather a traffic and parking issue which affects the entire village and is not caused only by the two local businesses. “Traffic in general has increased grossly in recent years due to holidaymakers and tourism as well as permanent villagers,” said Luttig.

Frootko felt that the parking problem as it currently stands is as a direct result of Iacopini’s business’ exponential expansion over the past ten years. “Those frogs and baboons and Candelabra Brunsvigia don’t have a councillor to represent them. We are the custodians; it is up to us, the people of Plett, to protect them,” said Frootko.

Schliemann said the municipality is currently investigating alternative proposals to alleviate the seasonal parking issue in Keurbooms Village. There is as yet no actionable solution.

Click here for a previous article.

ARTICLE: CANDICE LUDICK, KNYSNA-PLETT HERALD JOURNALIST

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Source: Knysna-Plett Herald