Save Sedgefield's Pathways

29 December 2023

To:  Knysna Municipality Appeal Authority

Subject: Appeal Against the Privatisation of the Gull Street Pathway to the Lagoon

We, the undersigned, are opposed to the proposed closure of the natural, public pathway from Gull Street to the lagoon, which would deny the town of access to the Milkwood forest, a convenient passage to the lagoon waters and a beautiful lookout point. We call on the Knysna Municipality to:

1. Overturn the decision to sell the Gull street pathway to the private landowner of Erf 995 (the private residential property bordering on the public pathway).

2. Fully consult with local residents on any future proposals.

Sedgefield's original town plan provides for multiple pathways directly from the suburbs to the water through corridors of forest left open to the public. These pathways should be maintained by the Knysna Municipality in order to promote more equal access to the town's natural resources and beauty, and to protect the dunes from informal footpaths. The Municipality's decision to approve the sale of Portion A of Erf 1692 (the natural passageway from Gull Street to the lagoon), taken on 31 October 2023, was taken without proper consultation of the community and without due warning as required in terms of the Knysna Municipality's Spatial Planning & Land Use Management By-law of 2021. More importantly, this decision promotes the interests of a single private landowner over the rights of the community as a whole.

...

Ons, die ondergetekendes, maak  beswaar teen die voorgestelde sluiting van Gullstraatlaan, ‘n openbare voetpad wat deur ‘n natuurlike kuswoud, gerieflike deurgang  verleen na Swartvlei se water.Ons doen 'n beroep op die Knysna Munisipaliteit om:

1. Die omverwerping van hul besluit om Gullstraatlaan (voetpad) aan die aangrensende private grondeienaar van Erf 995, te verkoop.

2. Volle vooraf raadpleging met plaaslike inwoners oor enige toekomstige voorstelle te maak.

Sedert 2008 maak Sedgefield se stedelike beplanning voorsiening vir veelvuldige gerieflike toegangsvoetpaaie om die publiek direk vanaf Kingfisherweg na die water te lei. Hierdie paadjies is veronderstel om deur die Knysna Munisipaliteit in stand gehou te word om gelyke toegang na die dorp se natuurlike hulpbronne en natuurskoon te verseker, en ook om die duine teen informele voetpaadjies te beskerm. Die besluit van Knysna Munisipaliteit, soos geneem op 31 Oktober 2023, is gedoen sonder behoorlike voorlegging met die gemeenskap, asook sonder behoorlike waarskuwing soos vereis ingevolge die Knysna Munisipaliteit se Verordening op Ruimtelike Beplanning en Grondgebruiksbestuur van 2021. Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat 'n enkele privaat grondeienaar se regte hoër geag word as die gemeenskap se beste belang.

...

Thina, abasayiniweyo apha ngezantsi, siyakuchasa ukuvalwa okucetywayo kwendlela yendalo, yendlela yoluntu ukusuka kwiSitalato saseGull ukuya echwebeni, oko kuya kwalela ukuba idolophu ifikelele kwihlathi laseMilkwood kunye nendlela efanelekileyo yokuya kumanzi echweba. Simemelela uMasipala waseKnysna ukuba:

1. Ukutshitshiswa kwesigqibo sokuthengisa iGull street pathway kumnini-mhlaba wabucala weSiza 995 (indawo yokuhlala yabucala esemdeni wendlela yoluntu).

2. Dibana ngokupheleleyo nabahlali bengingqi ngazo naziphi na izindululo zexesha elizayo.

Isicwangciso soqobo sedolophu yaseSedgefield sibonelela ngeendlela ezininzi ngokuthe ngqo ukusuka kwindawo engaphantsi komhlaba ukuya emanzini kwiipaseji zehlathi ezishiywe zivuleleke eluntwini. Ezi ndlela kufuneka zigcinwe nguMasipala waseKnysna ukuze akhuthaze ukufikelela ngokulinganayo kubutyebi bendalo bedolophu kunye nobuhle, kunye nokukhusela iingqumba zentlabathi kwiindlela zeenyawo ezingamiselwanga. Isigqibo sikaMasipala sokuvuma ukuthengiswa kweSahlulo A seSiza 1692 (indlela yendalo esuka kwisitalato iGull ukuya echwebeni), esathathwa ngomhla wama-31 kweyeDwarha ka-2023, sathathwa ngaphandle kothethathethwano olufanelekileyo noluntu nangaphandle kwesilumkiso njengoko kuyimfuneko ngokwemiqathango yeKnysna. UMthetho kaMasipala woCwangciso lweSithuba kunye noMthetho kaMasipala woLawulo lokuSetyenziswa koMhlaba ka-2021. Okubaluleke ngakumbi, esi sigqibo sikhuthaza umdla womnini-mhlaba omnye wabucala kumalungelo oluntu luphela.  

Rosalind    Contact the author of the petition