Dear Emmarentia Residents

It has come to our attention that an application has been made to rezone 2 properties on the Greenside side of Barry Hertzog Avenue, between Troon Rd and the Braids Road (but closer to Troon Rd intersection).  Emmarentia shares a common boundary with Greenside along Barry Hertzog Avenue and our residents travel this road daily, so it is likely to impact on Emmarentia.

The application is to allow the two houses on these sites to be used for businesses and to consolidate the two plots into one development.  The application calls it “a small-scale neighbourhood retail site”.  The businesses will be in the existing houses.

This is what they are applying for:

To permit the rezoning from “Residential 1” to “Special” (offices, medical suites, showrooms (excluding motor showrooms) and business purposes including hair and beauty salons and related ancillary retail – subject to conditions). 

The Greenside Residents’ Association (GRA) and residents of Greenside will be objecting to this application.  Due to its location, Emmarentia residents may also have good reason to object and ERA  also intends to object to this application.  We are therefore bringing it to your attention and provide all the necessary information, should you wish to object to it.

We attach the application from Breda Lombard, the notice that is up on the site and a layout of the parking and the land use study they did, for your information.

Again, this is an encroachment of businesses into the residential area as all except 2 properties along that side of Barry Hertzog Ave in that same block that the development is in, are zoned Residential (with one being Residential 3 for the townhouses), with the two exceptions being Residential 1 with the right to have offices within the existing residential house.  

ERA and the GRA are of the view that such uses must be located in business nodes and not along mobility roads such as Barry Hertzog Ave.  Checkers and our commercial node is one block away.  

We also feel that the property if used for the rights they are applying for is not ideally suited to handle the parking and circulation that the uses will generate and this

could cause problems for the traffic on Barry Hertzog Ave.

We are also not wanting it to obtain the rights that go with ‘Business Purposes’ as they have applied for because it opens up the property to be used for many uses and includes restaurant.  If they get ‘business purposes’ rights, this is what it allows (in the Johannesburg Land Use Scheme):

‘Business Purposes’ defined as:

Means the use of a building/s and/or land from which business is conducted and the related use of buildings including offices, restaurants, motor showrooms, showrooms, medical consulting rooms, domestic service industries, self-storage; funeral parlours, call centers, financial institutions, dry cleaners, launderettes and buildings for similar uses not elsewhere defined as well as uses which are ancillary, directly related to and subservient to the main use such as caretakers accommodation, but does not include uses such as places of assembly, institutions, public garages, industries, noxious trades or places of amusement.

Many of these uses are not suitable (even if they don’t use them now, the properties will have these rights to use in the future) for the sites. 

It would also appear that it is an existing illegal use that they are trying to get business rights for but that should not stop you from objecting as it does not mean that what they are currently using it for is the best use for those sites and that is why an application is made and we get the opportunity to object.

If you would like to object please do so using the Guidance template that is attached, but add in your own reasons in your own words (we do need to provide reasons but they do not have to be fully detailed at this stage) and make sure you have your address, cell phone number and your email address.   Objections MUST be sent out by WEDNESDAY 14 AUGUST 2024.  Please copy ERA in, in your objection and email it to us (info@era.org.za).

It is your right to object to developments that impact on you and on Emmarentia so that your voice is heard.

If you need further information or want more reasons for objecting please contact the ERA at info@era.org.za and we will gladly assist.

Gemey Abrahams

ERA EXCO

info@era.org.za

082 459 5266

Application-Motivation-and-TD BL4703-Notice-Erven-845-and-846-Greenside-Extension Land-use-map Annexure-B-parking-layout Annexure-c-Suburban-Zone Erven-845-and-846-Greenside-Guidance-for-objectors-ERA-August-2024-final