Nature’s Valley News

P O Box 222

388 Lagoon Drive The Crags 6602

9 am – 12 noon Tel: 044 531 6699

Mon/Wed/Thurs Fax: 044 531 6668

No 23 Editor: Jeanne Biesenbach August 2008

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT - A word from the chairman

There is a steady stream of visitors and phone calls at our office, mostly from permanent residents who need an urgent question answered or simply to air some frustration; often there are also expressions of appreciation. It would appear that there is a need to update permanent residents about what we are working on and what progress, or lack of it, there is. Accordingly we have initiated a series of quarterly public information sessions in Nature's Valley. The first of these was held on 28 June in the church hall. Mornay du Plessis, the CLO, and Paul Zietsman, our Ward Representative, were also invited to meet with the public. The attendance was exceptional: two thirds of the permanent residents were represented. Many questions were answered and issues laid to rest. The purpose of this short newsletter is to achieve the same for all our property owners.

Unfortunately I have to report that the committee has lost two more members. Doug Blaine, although he remains deputy chairman, has moved to Cape Town because of career obligations. On the 3^rd May Japie Mohr died suddenly. Nico Loretz has been co-opted to strengthen our numbers, and we extend a hearty welcome to him.

One of the burning issues raised at the information session concerns the temporary closing down by SANParks of a film shoot for a British TV series, which was to have taken place in Kalander Kloof. At the Contractual meeting of 12^th May we were informed that Moonlighting, a South African filiate of an overseas company would from May till October be shooting a film titled "Crusoe" in the De Vasselot section of the Tsitsikama National Park. Shortly there after we were invited by Moonlighting to visit the site in Kalander Kloof where most of the filming would take place. During this visit we were informed that

filming would take place in the actual stream bed in Kalander Kloof
an area of 650 - 100 sq. m of forest floor would have to be cleared to create the effect of a trampled living space
tree saplings would be planted out and kept for rehabilitation
four of the largest and oldest Yellowwoods would be used for a tree house and arial boardwalks, and other scaffolding. Care would be taken to minimise damage to these trees.
at least 120 personnel would be moving in and out of the forest daily for six months
most of the heavy equipment would be stationed by day in the Grootriver pass and most camera work would be done from there. Cables would be spanned across the road and anchored in the cutting on the opposite side. We pointed out that the cutting was very unstable and that rock falls, partially blocking the pass, occurred frequently. We were given an undertaking that their engineers would do an additional inspection and try to come up with an alternative.
the pass would have to be closed at short intervals so that filming could take place without modern traffic background noise.

After the site visit, we moved to our office where we discussed our mutual needs and concerns. The NVRA decided to concentrate on those issues which affect Nature's Valley village directly, while the NVTrust would look after the ecological and legal concerns. At this meeting we found out that very little economic benefit would accrue to Nature's Valley because

no extras would be hired locally and no local transport service would be required
the majority of the crew had already arranged for accommodation in Plettenberg Bay and Keurbooms. Except for one or two houses in which a handful of younger nature loving members of the team would like to do their own thing, no accommodation would be required in Nature's Valley. We offered to give them a list of available houses.
all daytime catering would be done by them.

We also discussed and came to an amenable understanding about

their extra domestic waste which could not be handled in our waste transfer station which already exceeds its capacity.
extra parking and traffic in our narrow forested streets
non-existent toilet facilities in the vicinity and our lack of standard sewerage
our concerns regarding the blocking of the western arm of Grootrivier Pass, which was our only means of exit and entry to Nature's Valley. We felt that even partial blocking could constitute a danger in an emergency situation, especially now with the fire season approaching. We were assured that they would limit total closing to a few minutes a day and would try to keep the pass negotiable at other times. We again raised the point of the structural instability of the pass.
our worry that filming and rehabilitation, given the climate we have here, would not be completed before the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately no guarantees could be given in this regard.

On the 14th of May cables and pylons went up in Grootrivier Pass in spite of all undertakings. Before we could take this up with Moonlighting, the filming was stopped temporarily by SANParks top management from Pretoria. The NVTrust had brought to their attention the legal and procedural shortcomings of the contract as well as the extremely negative impact filming at that particular location would have on the National Park. The NVRA had very little say in the whole matter because no filming would have taken place in any of the Contractual National Park areas. We are grateful to the NVTrust for their actions in safeguarding our natural heritage and incidentally our small but valuable tourism industry.

Moonlighting continues to film at other areas in the vicinity. On Sunday 2 August there was a day long shoot at the partially repaired Grootrivier Bridge with an audience of hundreds of local and other visitors.

PROPERTY REVALUATION

Another burning issue which came to the fore is the revaluation of our properties for tax purposes. Bitou, in line with other municipalities, has to value our properties on current market value. The new taxation will be implemented on 1 July 2009 (not 2008 as was erroneously stated in the notification issued by the valuating firm). We have been assured that every property owner will be given an opportunity to dispute his valuation before implementation. However, there is some confusion about the guidelines for ascertaining market value and about valuation policy. As a service to our members, the NVRA has consulted with a valuator in Plettenberg Bay who will advise property owners on their valuations and the correct procedure to object. We also wish to thank Paul Zietsman, our Ward Representative, for his efforts to obtain information on the matter.

TOWN PLANNING ISSUES: Jeanne Biesenbach (Deputy Chairman)

Committee

PEOPLE AND EVENTS: Michael Perlman

In Memoriam

Japie Mohr: We were shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Japie Mohr on 3^rd May. He was a nuclear physicist who obtained his MSc at Stellenbosch and PhD at the University of New York.

After retiring Japie and Bernice settled permanently in the Valley in 2003, and for the past few years Japie was an extremely valuable member of the Built Environment Portfolio. He dealt with all building plans for the NVRA and became the acknowledged expert on the residential area of the Valley. We extend our deepest sympathy to Bernice and their two sons.

Judy Joubert: Judy passed away on the 1^st May after a long illness. She and Dave owned their St George’s property for 15 years and were permanent residents for the past 7 years.

To Dave, their 4 daughters and 7 grandchildren we extend our sympathy.

Penelope Gold: (Erf 14 St Michael’s) Penny passed away on the 9^th July after a long illness. As a family they have been associated with Nature’s Valley for 44 years. To the children, grandchildren and Breen family we extend our deepest sympathy.

	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
January	70	61	89	54	62
February	86	49	20	41	48
March	82	109	62	97	42
April	61	47	101	30
May	21	46	100	102
June	42	23	46	41	69
July	34	13	91	40	14
August	38	8	232	55
September	142	34	16	18
October	74	14	57	86
November	20	93	61	308
December	203	46	60	89
Total mm	873	543	935	961	235

RAINFALL REPORT: Anne Haxton

BUILDING ISSUES

Marina Niven has joined the Built Environment portfolio where she will be responsible for building plans after the sudden and sad death of Japie Mohr.

In February a meeting was held with Cresswell Basson, Manager: Building Control and Infrastructure Maintenance at Bitou, to discuss long outstanding building issues; continued illegal building activities; the need for enforcement of building regulations and regular building inspections. This was followed by another successful meeting in April with Cresswell Basson and Khanyisa Sintu, newly appointed Senior Building Inspector, at Nature’s Valley. Khanyisa is responsible for building control in Nature’s Valley and we are extremely pleased to report that we are receiving excellent co-operation, support and feedback from this Bitou department.

At present Bitou are dealing with 5 instances of illegal building activities in the Valley and we feel sure that the regular monitoring of the residential area by a senior building inspector from Bitou will help to put an end to this frustrating state of affairs.

Erf !31: Zoning determination

We would like to stress that the NVRA supports improvements to the Nature’s Valley Trading Store. This is situated on Erf 135 with a business II zoning to which we have never objected.

At the February 2008 Mayco meeting Bitou decided to assign a zoning of residential III (town houses) to erf 131 although the NVRA and 133 owners had formally objected to the proposed zoning determination.

After studying the motivation put forward by Bitou for assigning this zoning to the property, the NVRA decided to appeal against the decision taken by the municipality. A special letter was sent to all the objectors informing them of this decision and stating the reasons for this action.

The crux of the matter is:

that the residential III zoning would enable the owner to erect 4 or 5 town houses on this property of just less than 1000m²
that a residential III zoning which makes allowance for town houses, is a high density residential development
that there is no high density residential development in Nature’s Valley and this would create a precedent
that a residential III zoning is totally inappropriate for Nature’s Valley with its well established almost exclusively residential I character and status
that these crucial factors and other key issues such as existing severe infrastructure limitations did not receive the serious consideration they merit
that the NVRA was acting in accordance with the unanimous decision taken by ratepayers at the NVRA AGM and incorporated in the Constitution of the Association namely, to maintain and preserve the single residential (residential I) character and status of Nature’s Valley.

Appeals were lodged with the Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning.

Erven 335 and 336

Proposed sale by tender

In the Bitou News dated 1 August 2008 the municipality invited tenders for the purchase of erven 335 and 336 Nature’s Valley. Tenders close on 5^th September 2008.

Ninham Shand: “Proposed Improvement of Sewage Management at Nature’s Valley: Final Environmental Impact Report” July 2008. On 31^st July 2008 Ninham Shand, consulting engineers appointed by Bitou to investigate and assess improvement to sewage in Nature’s Valley, sent a letter to Interested and Affected Parties (I & AP’s) informing them that the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) had been finalised and submitted to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEADP) on 1^st August 2008.

The Report contains the following information crucial to erven 335 and 336:

Annexure H contains the official Bitou Municipality letter of 15 July 2008 tot DEADP concerning sewage at Nature’s Valley. In the letter it is stated that agreement has been reached within the municipality concerning erven 336 and 337 and 335 and that these stands are once again available for sewage management at Nature’s Valley.

It is further stated that, irrespective of what option is approved by the municipality, erven 336 and 337 and 335 (as buffer area) will be retained in order not to foreclose future sewage improvement / extensions.

Ninham Shand recommendation

It is clearly stated in the Report that erven 336 and 337 and 335 (as buffer area) should be retained regardless of which option is approved by Bitou.

NVRA Action

The NVRA immediately obtained legal advice on the matter, and on 18 August the Chairman hand delivered our letter to the Municipal Manager in which the NVRA objected in the strongest possible terms to the proposed sale of erven 335 and 336.

According to existing legislation the municipality cannot dispose of capital assets that are needed for basic service delivery – as is the case with erven 335 and 336.

We requested Bitou to withdraw the tenders and reserve the right to take the necessary legal steps if this is not done before 5 September 2008.

INFRASTRUCTURE: Juan le Roex

Committee

Juan le Roex will take over this portfolio from Doug Blane who will be working in Cape Town until the end of the year as well as 2009. Doug stays on as a member of the Committee.

Grootriver Pass-and-Bridge

After further discussions with Western Cape Roads Department as well as our Councillor, Euan Wildeman, temporary repairs were finally made to the bridge but this is only for service purposes. The Pass remains closed for through traffic. At this stage no funds for permanent repairs are available.

Seeping on the beach:

During the Easter weekend several people reported evil smelling seepage on the beach of what appeared to be sewage. Bitou Municipality was alerted and came out on two occasions to take samples for testing. The seepage appears to have been decaying plant material and not sewage. The problem has since disappeared.

Safety and security: Piet Oosthuizen

Unfortunately we have to report that Dave Joubert, a permanent resident of Nature’s Valley, was attacked in his house on 18^th June, and severely injured. Thanks to the good offices of Henry de Freitas, whose workers were busy on construction work nearby, the police and ambulance service were contacted and they reacted very promptly. The alleged perpetrator were arrested the same day. Police action was impressive and the NVRA expressed thanks in several letters to the media.

To everybody’s consternation, the suspects were let loose without going to trial, because of inadequacies in the charge sheet. The NVRA joined the Joubert family, at their request, in protesting officially against this injustice. We are happy to report that the case has been reopened.

There is a silver lining to this dark cloud: it gave us the opportunity to establish close working ties with the local police force, a considerable factor in ensuring safety and security in Nature’s Valley.

Burglaries still occur regularly in many empty houses in Nature’s Valley. It is noticeable that houses with alarm systems are seldom burgled. We would like to remind you again of the special rates we have negotiated with Security Companies in the Valley.