Eric Abetz joins Kingborough residents in fight against council rezoning plans
Eric Abetz has joined Kingborough residents fighting council zoning changes that could slash property values for more than 1500 homeowners. Read the latest in the ongoing saga.
Kingborough residents have found a powerful ally in their fight against zoning changes – their local MP who is also a government minister.
Eric Abetz has written to residents as the Liberal member for Franklin offering to help them with any changes.
“The profound changes the new proposed zoning changes will have on property values has been raised by many of our fellow Kingborough residents,” he wrote.
“Your address as a property owner potentially impacted was obtained via “The Mercury” newspaper.
“The impact is alleged to drive down property values and hamper owners from fulfilling their development dreams.
“It is appreciated that each property many have its value impacted in its own unique way.
“Our individual real estate asset/holding is usually the most valuable asset we will ever hold and therefore unilateral and arbitrary decision making on its zoning and therefore potential use or market value should concern us all.”
Mr Abetz, a long time Kingborough resident, ends the letter by suggesting they contact his office for help if needed to “grapple with the consequences” of the council’s changes.
Mr Abetz told the Mercury that there had been a “huge response” to the mail out.
“People are worried about any change to the value of their property or change to their retirement plans,” he said.
“It’s impacted huge numbers of people.”
Organiser of the campaign against rezoning, Alison Rogers, welcomed Mr Abetz’s letter and said plans were well underway to form a registered body to air concerns about the council and rezoning.
“It’s always good when a politician reaches out, especially someone who’s a minister and in government,” she said.
“His letter has focused on the value of properties, which is something obviously as a real estate agent, was one of the things I wanted to defend in this whole process but it’s not the crux of the problem.
“(But) it’s obviously one of those things that is going to have an impact and I think he’s right.
“It stands to reason that when you limit one’s use of a property or make it more difficult for them to do anything with the property the value is affected.
“It’s good that he has reached out and I know that many of the group have actually reached out to him.”
Ms Rogers said a recent meeting to consider forming an association, called at short notice, attracted a “great turnout”.
“They want to be considered as more than just a group of residents. They want to be seen as a group that are being proactive for reform and change and it’s not just the zoning.
“The whole rezoning process has brought out a number of other concerns in relation to the council and how they operate.
“The council think were are a small minority of crazy people when the actual fact is that the issues we are raising are very valid.”
More than 1500 properties could be rezoned as Landscape Conservation Zone which would restrict development and potentially reduce property values.
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