I’m away from Dublin until Thursday so apologies to everyone who has difficulty contacting me and especially to people who are waiting for me to get back to them on various things.  I’m writing this from Oxford, which I reached (by boat and train) today for the Solar Cities conference.

I’ll be doing a report on it when I return, but I’ll try to do a daily update to the website while I’m here. 

Most striking today was the speech by Nicky Gavron, Deputy Mayor of London, which has set up a Climate Change Agency for the city.  They are planning to establish an Energy Services Company and are particulary interested in decentralised electricity generation.  She also referred to a recent report "Powering London into the 21st Century"   which I haven’t had a chance to look at yet.

The other significant point she made was that congestion charging in the rather small area of the centre of London has reduced CO₂ emissions by 19% and that while most people were dubious about it or against it before it was introduced it is now very popular.

Thanks to everyone who made it along to the pub quiz in Baldoyle on 30th. We raised €670 thanks to very generous donations from participants but also those who donated the great raffle prizes.  Particular thanks to those who worked on the night and in organising the quiz during the weeks before it – Fionnuala, Deborah, John, Liz, Robbie, and to Brian for the lend of the speaker system.

Information on Fingal County Council’s Protected Structures Grants Scheme is available here.
The deadline is 3rd March

The magazine Construct Ireland included in their most recent issue a detailed article on the new energy standards which the Green Party have convinced Fingal Councillors to include in local area plans.

The following motion which I submitted was voted down at the monthly Council meeting.

"That all new residential areas be designed as 30km/hr zones and have a 30km/hr designation and, if it is necessary to give effect to this for all future planning permissions, that the appropriate Variation to the Development Plan be put on public display, and that the report which the Manager undertook to bring to the September 2005 meeting of the Council in relation to designating 30km/hr zones be brought to the Council without delay." To be honest, I ‘m still not sure why this was voted down.

The Manager’s report referred to the designation of 30km/hr zones in existing areas.  It didn’t refer to the issue of new areas which the motion referred to.

I still don’t know if the motion would need a Variation to the Development Plan to take effect.

Nor do I know if it’s possible to decide to implement a 30km/hr zone when the development is still at planning stage. 

However, I will not let this go.   I still haven’t gotten an answer as to whether the new housing in Stapolin can be designated a 30km/hr zone, which I raised in January.

I have submitted the following question:

"To ask the Manager whether the permitted road designs in the new residential areas in Stapolin, which I understand were granted following inspection of the planning file by the Transportation Department, meet the conditions of the mandatory guidelines published by the Department of Transport, which must be adhered to in the case of 30 km/hr speed limit zones."

Additionally, I will be asking one of the Green TDs to ask the Minister for Transport whether it is intended that new residential areas could be designated before they are built.

The Council agreed new beach bye-laws today.  By a majority of 11 (including all 3 Greens) to 7 the Councillors removed the rather draconian ban on dogs on the beaches during the summer.  We replaced it with a requirement that dogs be on a leash during the summer when they’re in the "Reserved Bathing Areas" on the beaches.  Councillors were unanimous in calling for proper enforcement of the Litter Act against those who fail to pick up after their dogs.

The other Bye-laws which came up were the Jet-ski and fast power boat bye-laws.  These require jet-ski users to get permits and restrict where they can use jet-skis.  These bye-laws have been approved for public display and will be on public display soon with a view to adopting bye-laws at the May Council meeting. 

Many local residents and community organisations participated in the survey carried out late last year in relation to the needs for community facilities on the Peninsula, with support from Fingal County Council.  There was good a good participation rate and the information gathered provide a good basis for developing a strategy.  At the moment, the Howth Sutton Community Council and Howth Community Centre Ltd. are finalising the report on the needs analysis and will be publishing it soon, with a public launch.

The next step is the development of a strategy to provide the
facilities to meet the needs identified.  This will involve the
cooperation of community organisations and the County Council in an
open transparent process.  I will put updates in relation to this
important process on this site as things happen.

A number of areas are designated in the Development Plan as Architectural Conservation Areas, including the historic core of Howth, Nashville Road and Terrace, St. Nessan’s and St Peter’s Terraces,  Howth Castle, two Terraces on Strand Road, Sutton and Baldoyle village.

The Council’s Conservation Officer has been carrying out detailed surveys of these areas. The next step is that the Statement of Characters and survey photos will go on public display.  There will be public consultation on the implications of the conservation area, looking for people’s feedback and input into how the ACA should be implemented.  This is expected to happen in March.  For more information, you can contact the Council’s Conservation Officer, Helena Bergin at 8906709.

Given the high level of development pressure especially in Howth, this work is badly needed and very welcome.

Both applications for development on the Grange Road just east of the railway line were withdrawn by the applicants on 6th February.

The traffic calming proposals for Sutton Park/Downs, Alden Road, Sarto Park, Verbena Avenue, Bayside Walk and Bayside Dart Station have been agreed with a number of changes.

I am not a great fan of ramps, as I think that other forms of traffic calming are safer and create a more pleasant environment.  An essential principle of creating a safe environment for pedestrians including children is taking away the impression that the road is for cars only.  One of the effects of ramps is to reinforce the primacy of cars on residential streets.  Changing the design and layout of streets will often create a better environment for all road users.  This would include widening footpaths, narrowing the carriageway, making the carriageway less straight, pinch points (designed to ensure safe passage for cyclists) etc.  Additionally, I am a strong supporter of the designation of and enforcement of 30 km/hr zones in residential areas.

The most important change I argued for in the proposals was the
inclusion of a raised junction platform at the junction of Bayside Park
and Bayside Walk just outside the Dart Station.  This means that the
carriageway surface will be raised to the level of the pavement, to
facilitate pedestrians crossing the road and emphasise their presence. 
A similar raised platform will be at the junction of Verbena Avenue and
Sarto Park outside Bayside National School.

The original
proposal had ramps on the "railway road" in Sutton Park.  It was
suggested to take these out and I agreed to this mostly because I had
noticed that almost all the cars parked along here are usually parked
on the footpaths.  Parking on the footpath not only diminishes the
space for pedestrians, and discourages them, it also widens the
available carriageway and thereby encourages greater speeds on the
road.  The first step for traffic calming on this road would be parking
on the carriageway not on the pavement.  I would be happy to come back
to traffic calming proposals once the cars are off the footpaths.

Most
of the ramps proposed have heen changed to "speed cushions" which are
easier for cyclists to negotiate, with the exception of a "pedestrian
friendly flat top ramp" just inside the Sutton Park access from Dublin
Road.  Most of the other changes made were in direct response to local
submissions.

Three of the submissions received in response
suggested preventing rat-running through the area by blocking motor
traffic at the western edge of Sutton Park (allowing pedestrians and
cyclists through).  I’m not sure how much support this would have in
the community, but I can see there are arguments for it.  Therefore I
proposed that a plan be drawn up to be put on public display for public
feedback.  This was agreed by the Area Committee.  However, Joan Maher
proposed that it be overturned at the monthly Council meeting. (which
you can see  at http://www.fingalcoco.public-i.tv/site/#pp3915).  The
result is that the proposal will not go to public consultation.

Nonetheless I am interested in any feedback in relation to traffic calming and management in the area.