GEORGE NEWS - The Building Control By-law that elicited a major backlash from ratepayers' organisations and residents when it was promulgated by George Municipality in 2023 has been repealed in its entirety.
It will be replaced by a new by-law that will incorporate proposals already submitted as part of the ratepayers' objections in 2023.
The repeal was approved at a special council meeting on Tuesday 25 August, following a review process that began last year when it became evident that certain parts of it were not implementable.
Back in 2023, the George Ratepayers and Residents Association (GRRA) warned the municipality that the by-law contained vague definitions of terms, was legally flawed and was an overreach of power.
The ratepayers were dumbfounded by the by-law that required municipal approval for minor installations such as TV satellite dishes, pool pumps, pizza ovens, gas geysers and air conditioners.
Its definition of "structures" that needed approval and/or building plans was among the aspects that created confusion and could, for example, be interpreted as even regulating something as minor as a dog box.
Amendments
The GRRA has provided a summary of the proposed amendments. These include removing pool pumps, air conditioners, boreholes, satellite dishes and minor garden structures from municipal plan approval requirements.
The processes will also be simplified for low-income housing under a new 'Category 1 Buildings' (which includes backyard dwellings) that will reduce costs and processing delays.
Solar systems, water tanks and informal structures are all shifted to a simplified minor works process.
The documentation requirements for the issuing of an occupancy certificate will also be amended to align with the National Building Regulations to realistically reflect the building's risk.
Already covered
Both the George Ratepayers and Residents Association (GRRA) and Garden Route First welcomed the proposed amendments.
Dr Dennis Farrell of Garden Route First said the issues around the Building Regulations By-law are primarily policy-related and then administrative, and they should have been solved back in 2023. He said the repeal followed "collective ratepayer action, solid documentation and refusing to back down".
'Public deserves explanation'
GRRA chairperson Jacques Wessels said the public deserves an explanation as to why civic feedback was ignored. (George Herald is awaiting the municipality's response.)
The GRRA had submitted detailed objections to a by-law it said sought to regulate "every conceivable house-hold addition".
"Ratepayers have endured years of needless delays, excessive costs and administrative confusion simply because local government chose to dismiss community concerns," Wessels said.
He said the GRRA would participate in the upcoming public engagement process to ensure the revised by-law addresses the remaining administrative inefficiencies.
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