Investigative Journalism and Learning Hub - Waratah Strata Management silently ignored SP52948 owner submission about illegal use of Ryde Council land for parking on 19 March 2019

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From: SP52948 owner
To: Robert Crosbie Waratah Strata Management
Subject: Re: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: SP52948 Illegal use of Ryde Council land for public parking on 20Dec2018
Date: 19/3/19, 8:51 am

Hi,

It is noted that no response was received from Waratah Strata Management at any time, whilst continuing to facilitate illegal parking on public land.

It is also noted that Waratah Strata Management acts as strata manger, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chairperson for SP52948 because office bearers do not exist since AGM 2018 (which failed to satisfy quorum, like AGM 2017).

Nevertheless, Ryde Council finally forced the closure of public land for parking.

Regards,

Hi Ryde Council staff,

It is my pleasure to confirm that five months of illegal parking usage on council land RE1 Public Recreation Zone Lot 202 DP848752 has finally stopped and the issue has been resolved.

Waratah Strata Management tried to ignore me and continued with bad practices, until I worked tirelessly with your office.

The attached photo taken today confirms maintenance staff locked the gate towards the council land, effectively preventing illegal usage for parking.

That gate was locked for many years (apart from another illegal usage for several months in 2015), and that is how it should stay, apart from short periods when our building manager staff help mow the grass on council land.

It is hoped that this issue will never surface again and that public land will not be abused in a similar manner.

I will insist that this be recorded at the next Executive Committee meeting in the complex so that all owners (of which around 50% are investors who do not live here) are aware of it.

Thank you for your help and efforts.

As we all just temporarily occupy this planet, we have joint duty to preserve it in a good state for the future generations.

On 20/12/18 4:55 am, SP52948 owner wrote:

Hi,

This is an email in compliance with Motion 19 at Annual General Meeting 2018 (strata affairs directly affecting Lot 158).

About one week after the AGM, where Mrs. Lot 158 Motions were illegally disallowed, Waratah Strata Management staff started allowing use of council land for parking.

That originally happened with support from a single EC member and maintenance staff in 2015/2016 but stopped after my personal efforts and when the EC member suddenly sold the property and ran away from the complex.

Just a week ago, Ryde Council confirmed to me in oral and written form that such approval was allegedly not provided to SP52948 or any representative of the complex.

Such use of public land increases risk of litigation, council penalties, insurance claims, noise, damage to public land and top cover of the soil, and security risks (stolen cars, abandoned cars - some of the cars are left there for two weeks at a time, cars from non-owners or tenants in the complex). That affects Lot 158 personally.

I enclose photos proving that over the last three years two of the four trees on council land towards M2 noise barrier were removed (one of them was removed permanently and the other relocated on or around 15 December 2018 - just couple of days ago). They were completely healthy trees and did not need to be removed or relocated.

This proves unusual activities are happening in regards to parking on council land.

Instead of removing trees, we should have added even more of them for three main reasons:

They enhance noise cancellation,

They help with the planet survival, especially when green-house effects are of such importance,

They create nice walking path by providing shaded areas and additionally protecting ground cover from harsh sun.

I know that most councils are very harsh towards removing trees without approval and valid reasons, and fully support such actions.

Would you please provide the following information, via Australia Post letter:

a) Who, and at which SSMA 2015 legally convened EC meeting, approved use of council land for parking?

b) Why did Waratah Strata Management not know who was parked on council land when I asked?

c) When were owners and tenants publicly notified about use of council land for parking (via email, letters, and on ALL notice boards in the complex)?

d) Copy of the Rude Council approval to use public land for parking. I emphasise that no decision or approval at any EC meeting in our complex approved such blatant abuse of public land and that no owner received public notice about it.

Thanks