Applications for suburbs to be fenced off and or have access controlled by booms will be considered by the Cape Town Council. In a final draft policy on gated communities the City takes on a “cautious approach” on requests for restricted access to residential areas and new developments.
This would only be considered if conventional security measures have failed to be effective, be constitutionally justifiable, and have support of 75% homeowners and pedestrians who use the area.
Conventional security measures will include foot and bicycle patrols, community policing forums, and community ownership of public spaces, such as parks and streets.
Unlimited access for emergency services and council service staff would have to be guaranteed.
The City Council’s position has always been in favour of accessible developments, but this draft policy has become necessary due to a increasing number of requests for gated communities. If adopted the policy would be reviewed on a regular basis.
Once this policy is finalized by council and scrutinized for the pro’s and con’s by all Marina Da Gama residents (not only Harrison and his sheep), but also the headless chicken brigade (as he calls the opposition), just maybe there could be a amenable security solution. Only time will tell
2 users commented in " Gated Communities "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackIt seems to me that Cape Town is being wise in their Gated Community policy. It cannot be fair that people are being barricaded from public property, so if communities want to become gated, they will have to buy the roads and other infrastructure or, at the very least, pay for its upkeep. After all, you cannot expect the public tax-money to pay for exclusive use areas!! Now let’s see what that would mean for Marina Da Gama. We have to pay for our own electrical cables. We will have to pay for our own roads. We will have to look after our own sewerage system. We will have to pay for keeping the waterways clean. Yes, we would no longer have the use of Council’s Kingfisher. We will either have to rent it from Council or buy our own. Our parks will have to be kept by the Association. Thus far all these things were included in our rates and all the work was done by Council. One wonders why we had to pay the Association any fees at all? What have they done with our yearly subs? That is, except having it stolen?
Do you still think a gated community is viable?
I wonder what happened to SD? He/she started out all gung-ho and then just disappeared. Come on SD. Scared of a little criticism? Hey, SD old bud, we need a little laugh. Where are you.
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