Hope I've got this in the right order....
Early last year the club was approached by the council about lifting the church Sunday curfew. Council informed club to submit under a secondary agreement..simply put, council has a look and approves lifting the clause (! of 4) off the original permit. Three months go by and no correspondence. Club rings up council. Council informs that club has submitted on the wrong form. It needed to be on a form under section 72. Club looks at this with apprehension, tells council this opens up the original permit to wide ranging ammendments. Council says ...well, yes that is the case but the council will not do that..YOU CAN TRUST US! Months go by, a meeting is called for a month ago. Club understands there are over 300 submissions for the lifting of the curfew and 130 against , of which 65 are specifically aimed at the S72 provisions. Council informs the club that they will get the curfew lifted but to give the locals a bone an extra clause will be added to curfew from sunset Saturday till 0900local Sunday!!!! Club, under instructions from lawyers , pulls out. Last week , the stop work letters start showing up to the 12 business and club to cease all activity!
AOPA Rep informs the meeting this same thing is happening exactly the same way at a number of other aerodromes.
While all this is going on, remember the so called no master plan? The Club produced one as far as was possible. Completion required input from council regarding their sound contour report. Club attempted to table the incomplete report. Council tried to stop submission and sounds like they actually sat on the report.
Currently, there is a s97C submission to VCAT to enable the aerodrome to continue under existing prior use rights. Council has submitted more stringent requirements under s173 strict obligations must be met within a 3 month time frame....all this is above my pay grade to understand! Club does hope all this can be circumvented before it gets too deep...Ultimately, it could end up in the supreme court. As I said, I hope I got this in the right order and context without casting aspersions on any side.