Revealed: All the 21 initiatives suggested to help revitalise Darwin city

DARWIN council has been provided with 21 reformations to help revitalise the municipality, with more than half of the suggestions supported by council

The Property Council of Australia’s reforms aim to revitalise the city

DARWIN council has been provided with 21 suggested initiatives to help revitalise the city, with more than half of the suggestions already supported by council.

The reforms, suggested by the Property Council of Australia, provide a selection of revitalisation initiatives, targeted for delivery by 2020.

“Our 20 by 20 is a suite of small and practical revitalisation reforms and initiatives targeted for delivery by 2020,” Property Council of Australia executive director Ruth Palmer said.

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THIS is the full list of supported — and not supported — initiatives:

Agreed to

1. Alfresco Dining

Council will work with businesses to determine the best use of outdoor spaces for dining purposes

2. Building Awnings

Council will review awnings to ensure they are appropriate to the public realm and provide greening, cooling and aesthetic amenity.

3. Commercial Park Hire

City of Darwin is currently developing a new guideline for third party events on Council land, which will incorporate criteria for various event levels, permits and approvals. The property council has suggested a basic rate structure of $125 per person if less than 20 persons; $260 per person if between 20 to 100 persons; or $515 per person if greater than 100 persons.

4. Cool running

Council will look at a number of solutions to cooling the city, including the possibility of water or misting systems from light poles.

5. Leveraging Darwin’s uniqueness

Council accepts three is not enough access for visitors to experience traditional indigenous, with ideas floated for experiences such as coffee with a wallaby, in response to the highly successful cage of death experiences.

6. Live music and entertainment

Council has supported managing noise complaints from local residents in the CBD, such as alerting property owners to the potential of noise impacts from existing adjoining land uses.

7. On and Off Street parking

Council is developing a Movement Strategy to incorporate the review of the existing Bike Plan and carparking Strategy. This will look at all movement throughout the City, including pedestrians, scooters, bicycles, service vehicles, public transport and private vehicles.

8. Pedestrian crossings

Council supports improving a city’s accessibility, with the Property council suggesting a trial of pedestrian crossings could help city accessibility

9. Permit for a Street Party Laneway Event

New guidelines for third party events (on Council land) which will include street parties and laneway events are being developed and will aim to streamline current application processes to improve efficiency for event organisers while ensuring appropriate safety and planning is in place for successful event delivery.

10. Pop Up Retail and Business

A streamlined service for businesses to create “pop-up” shops will be explored, to help provide exposure to businesses and to occupy otherwise vacant spaces.

11. Small venue licenses

The new Liquor Act is expected to change the application process, putting a focus on risk and how businesses demonstrate harm reduction measures.

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Partially Agreed/Agreed in principle

12. CBD Theming

Council will look to use the local Porcelinite stone for architectural and design purposes, where it is safe to do so. However it is not safe to use as paving material, like bluestone in Melbourne, as its skid and slip resistance is not sufficient and the soft stone would not wear well.

13. Central Darwin Plan

Darwin council has endorsed the Central Darwin Area developed by the NT Government.

14. Market stalls to City Malls

council supports the suggestion of creating a pathway to establish some of Darwin’s market stalls into a ‘brick-and-mortar’ type set up, with aims of building on a successful aspect of Darwin’s economy. However council acknowledges the seasonal variation of the markets could prove to be a major hurdle.

15. Pop-up Mall displays

While it would be good to provide vacant shop frontage to businesses to help activate the mall, doing so for free in competition of existing paying tenants could be detrimental to them.

16. Beautification

Ideas such as incorporating fairy lights or bright neon lights or artwork (think indigenous totem poles) to the new smart poles could help beautify the city, though they could pose a risk when done so near potplants. However other means of beautifying the city, such as using bollards for public art, could help to add vibrancy to the city.

17. Reducing council rates for students

The number of students that would be paying rates is limited as most would be renting or housed in uni housing. The scheme would be best targeted at concessions for living expenses such as utilities and transport.

18. Planting trees on the road instead of footpaths

The practicality of on-street planting of trees results in parking loss and there needs to be a balance between shade/beautification and parking requirements. Tree pits should also be able to be drained to an underground drainage system which will also determine their location

19. Upgrade health and safety of buildings

Building and Planning legislation is managed by the Northern Territory Government, however City of Darwin is committed to maintaining Darwin’s rich history and heritage and welcomes the opportunity to participate in developing guidelines to support this initiative.

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Neutral

20. Property related crime

City of Darwin’s Public Places Committee works with the Northern Territory Government to implement strategies that improve safety in public places.

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Not Supported

21. Rates reform

Council’s current rates plan sees them assist with addressing the inequity with CBD ratepayers, over suburb residents, enjoying a lower minimum rate.

City properties also experience a greater variety of council services such as street sweeping, closer access to council facilities and more regular ranger services.