Jennifer Pittorino
A new petition has been created by the Green Guerrilla Group (GGG) in response to Maribyrnong council’s draft nature strip policy.
The GGG is a grassroots environmental action group set up four years ago by Maribyrnong residents who want to improve the environment and promote a sense of community by working on re-greening projects.
As previously reported by Star Weekly, GGG created its first nature strip petition in December 2023 on behalf of Seddon resident Deborah Harding.
With council in the middle of community consultation on its draft nature strip policy, the new petition created by GGG spokesperson Sarah Tartakover asks council to include four points in the policy.
The petition asks council for ‘Allowance for permit-free nature strip planting within given guidelines (provided by council and consistent with similar guidelines adopted by other local government areas in Melbourne)’.
“We’re just really concerned that the draft policy is quite regressive rather than progressive,” said Ms Tartakover.
“And potentially is going to include far more barriers than there already are for people to plant their nature strip.”
The second point listed on the petition asks council for ‘a simple online permit application and timely process of applications for nature strip plantings that do not meet the permit-free guidelines’.
The petition also wants ‘A commitment to desist from retrospectively enforcing permits on existing nature strip gardens unless there is a safety concern submitted with council’.
“There are quite a few councils who don’t require permits for straight forward nature strips. They ask you to apply for a permit, if you don’t fulfil the requirements and come to an impasse they’re asking you to take it out,” Ms Tartakover said.
“We are really concerned that if that happens, there’s going to be a lot of people who might not be able to get a permit and will just get a fine as Deb was sort of threatened with that.”
The fourth point listed in the petition asks council for ‘No insistence that renters require landlord clearance before proceeding with nature strip works or permit applications’.
Ms Tartakover said those who sign the petition can also provide feedback on the policy by listing the four reasons in the petition by Sunday, March 24.
