Casey residents have voiced concerns over enforcement powers and private land use in their submissions to the council’s draft Local Law.
Casey Council has received more than 70 submissions in response to its Draft Casey Community Local Law 2025, which were noted at the October Council Meeting.
A report revealed that the five most discussed sections of the draft law were enforcement, waste management, temporary dwellings, vehicles and machinery, and shipping containers.
The most contentious issue was the enforcement, with residents objecting to the powers granted to Council Authorised Officers, particularly the ability to enter private properties without a magistrate-issued warrant.
Many submissions argued that such powers should be consistent with those of police or debt collectors.
The temporary dwellings clause divided opinions.
Compared with the previous version, the draft local law extended permit duration from 14 days to two months for temporary dwellings.
Some welcomed greater flexibility, citing the need for temporary accommodation during the housing and mental health crises.
Others feared misuse and negative impacts on neighbourhood character.
The clause dealing with vehicles and machinery drew a similar division.
Casey Council has removed this clause that requires a permit to repair or service vehicles and machinery if detrimental to the amenity, as well as the cause that prohibited people from storing more than two unregistered vehicles in its draft local law. Matters relating to excess unregistered vehicles on private land will be managed through the unsightly clause, the draft suggests.
Many residents supported removing the need for a permit to repair or store unregistered vehicles on private property, calling it a “common-sense” move that respects property rights.
However, others raised concerns about noise, pollution, and unsightly conditions, pushing for clearer definitions and consistent enforcement.
In the draft, the Council also proposed the permit exemption for properties over four hectares to store shipping containers, but residents believed that there was a need for clearer, fairer regulations, especially for residents on properties under four hectares in semi-rural areas.
Many residents supported permit exemptions based on reasonable conditions, such as distance from boundaries or longer permit durations.
However, others urged the council to tighten definitions and align regulations with the Casey Planning Scheme to avoid confusion and ensure equal treatment across property types.
According to the Council, the submissions would be considered before the final local law is presented for adoption at the December Council Meeting.
Casey Mayor Councillor Stefan Koomen said at the meeting that they would take these additional submissions seriously, and they would look to come back with potentially some further changes just to make sure they get this right.
“It’s been a thorough process,” he said.
“It’s taken nearly a year, but I think we’ve done it the right way.“
