Second push to ease restrictions on nature strip gardens in Frankston City blocked at council
A GARDEN stake has been driven through plans to ease restrictions on nature strip gardens in Frankston City.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A GARDEN stake has been driven through plans to ease restrictions on nature strip gardens in Frankston City.
A second push by deputy mayor Steve Toms failed to garner enough support when he raised it at a recent council meeting.
Cr Toms said the move, first floated late last year, would reinforce sustainability, benefit wildlife and make the municipality more attractive.
“It’s important for council to embrace sustainability,” he said.
But other councillors repeated concerns about liability if people were hurt at nature strip gardens, particularly by rocks and garden stakes.
Cr Glenn Aitken said: “We have enough trouble now with overhanging foliage from people’s properties ... people getting donged on the head and their hair getting caught.”
But Cr Sandra Mayer described suggestions of children being hurt by nature strip gardens as a “bit Chicken Little”.
When put to the vote only Cr Toms and Cr Sandra Mayer were in favour with all other councillors against.
Council’s current local laws state that residents cannot without a permit “plant or remove vegetation from a nature strip or undertake any landscaping on a nature strip or on a road or on municipal land”.
An earlier move by Cr Toms to ease restrictions enabling residents to plant flowers and vegetables on nature strips was blocked at council last November.