Community engagement, also known as public participation, is about getting people involved in decision-making. It is at the core of our democratic processes in local government.
The City of Parramatta Council is committed to engaging with everyone in our community about the things that matter to them, in a transparent, open and accountable way.
The Community Engagement Strategy provides a framework for how Council will engage on plans and policies so the community knows what to expect and has an opportunity to provide input.
The Community Engagement Strategy was updated in late 2019 to incorporate and to meet the deadlines set by the NSW State Government.
The Community Engagement Strategy was updated at the time to reflect the notification requirements contained within each of the 9 Development Control Plans (DCPs) that currently apply in the Council area. Council has since reviewed these DCPs and has prepared one set of notification requirements for the entire Council area.
As a result of Council amalgamations there are 9 DCPs which apply to the Parramatta Council Area. Following a review, we have prepared one set of draft notification requirements which will form an attachment to Council’s Community Engagement Strategy, rather than sit within the DCP itself. The notification requirements outline how Council will engage with the community in relation to DAs. Depending on where you live and the type of development there may be no change at all to notification requirements.
The following is a summary of the key changes:
- The notification timeframes set out in the Parramatta DCP will apply to all DAs across the Council area.
- Notification requirements will vary based on the type of development proposed. DAs will be notified/on exhibition for comment for either 21 days or for 14 days and some will not require notification (such as some subdivisions and change of use in commercial premises). The length of proposed notification period for each type of development is shown in the Notification Requirements Table. The table also shows the current requirements so you can see what changes are proposed.
- Where a DA is required to be notified, the 10 closest surrounding properties will receive a letter when a DA is lodged.
- Letter notification will no longer include a copy of plans. These, and all publically available documents relating to the DA, will be available on Council’s website here
Following this stage of community consultation, the notification requirements will be updated and included within Council’s Community Engagement Strategy. This will replace the requirements contained the current DCPs, which will be removed as part of the DCP harmonisation process.
NOTE: It is not proposed to make changes to other forms of community engagement contained within the Community Engagement Strategy.
Having a one set of notification requirements provides consistency across the Council area and makes it easier for people to understand.
To complement Council’s letter notification, Council now notifies ALL development applications on Council’s website. Access to development application information is readily viewable on Council’s DA Tracker or the website and all documents lodged with a development application (excluding sensitive information such as floor plans) can be viewed. Council’s notification letter also advises our customers where they can view this information.
The use of Council’s website is also supported by a dedicated Development Advice Team. This enables face-to-face, phone and email contact directly with Council planning staff to assist customers when needed.
No. In late May, NewsCorp advised that local papers The Parramatta Advertiser, Northern District Times, and The Hills Shire Times will stop printing and Council has decided not to continue with printed advertising in metropolitan papers.
In April 2020, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, the Honourable Robert Stokes MP, made changes to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (EP&A Regulation). The Minister’s amendment now allows councils to use their own website instead of printed media for the notification of development applications and determinations. Prior to the Minister amending the legislation, councils were required under legislation to notify certain development applications in printed local newspapers applications which would previously have only been notified by letter to a select number of surrounding property owners and occupiers.
