Wandin North couple forced to pay more for road sealing

A Wandin North couple says they’re happy to contribute to the cost of sealing the dirt road they live on. But they were shocked to find they would have to cough up about twice as much as they expected — for something they have “no intention” of doing.

Russell and Jan Black are fighting Yarra Ranges Council after being told they would have to pay more to seal their road, because they have the potential to subdivide their block. Picture: Stuart Milligan

A Wandin North couple will have to stump up an extra $9000 to have their dirt road sealed, because they have the potential to subdivide their property.

Grandparents Jan and Russell Black said they supported Yarra Ranges Council’s plan to seal Rue De Gare Rd, but were shocked they would have to pay $18,382.85 — about double what they expected — under the special charge scheme as the council deemed they had the potential to subdivide.

“They have said we have to pay double the amount because down the track we might subdivide,” Mr Black said.

“We told them we are not interested in subdividing, we offered to sign an affidavit, but that was refused.

“We’re in our 60s, we’ve got no intention whatsoever of subdividing.”

Russell and Jan Black are fighting Yarra Ranges Council after being told they would have to pay more than $18,000 to seal their road. Picture: Stuart Milligan

Mrs Black said their home was in the centre of the block with an extensive garden in the front and back.

“We will never subdivide, we put in a submission to council but they would not modify the charge scheme saying if they changed it for us, then others would want it, too,” she said.

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The council’s environment and engineering director, Mark Varmalis, said the Blacks were notified that if a special charge scheme was declared, their property would be assigned two development units.

Mr Varmalis said this was consistent with the council’s approach to special charge schemes, where properties were assigned development unit charges based on potential development of the land.

“The council’s practice is to consider possible future uses of the land involved in special charge schemes — while the owners may currently have no plans to subdivide, a new owner may choose to do so,” he said.

Mr Varmalis said the Federal Government had committed $150 million over 10 years to the council for sealing dirt roads in the area.

Roads in urbanised areas would be built using a special charge scheme, whereby construction would be co-funded by landowners and the Government, with the funding providing a substantial subsidy for landowners.

“It is likely that the estimated special charge to be levied against properties involved in the Rue De Gare and Prospect Rd, Wandin North special charge scheme will be reviewed in consideration of this Federal Government funding and that individual property charges will be reduced,” Mr Varmalis said.