Thumbs up for commune policy proposal - Northcliff Melville Times

Thuli Malinga

Let and Stay chairman Caj van Zyl gave the new draft commune policy proposal a thumbs up.

This follows months of bickering by residents who initially objected to the policy presented by the City of Johannesburg.

According to van Zyl, high density development areas have been identified mostly on arterial routes around the university. These developments would entail 250 dwelling units per hectare and act as buffer zones.

Van zyl said, "In all likelihood, the number of tenants per property will relate to an equation where a single room needs to be a minimum size of 7sqm and a double room 14sqm"

"Certain community members have made arguments to cap the amount of students to 10 per property but this seems unfeasible as a blanket rule for all types of properties and a heavily debated topic", he said. Building rules to be adhered to would be:

• One parking bay per tenant - can be relaxed depending on proximity to the BRT and University.
• Caretaker or manager must reside on the property.
• A3 signage on the outside of the property indicating the caretaker's telephone number.
• A maximum of 4 people per bathroom.
• A health permit will be required with bi-annual inspections.
• The university should compile a handbook educating students about neighborhood relations and community living in the suburb

While this is in motion, student representatives asked the city council to step up police visibility in the affected areas.

However, van Zyl explained that certain unreasonable members have tried to unfairly correlate noice issues and conduct in 7th st Melville to that of students living in the broader area.

"Other community members are scared of the influx of first time workers to the area. This seems totally ubsurd considering normal economic principals.

"Professional landlords will only accommodate tenants that are able to pay the required rent and below market rent is not feasable when conducting an upmarket boarding house that needs to adhere to all the latest legislation, costs and limitations."

Nonetheless, van Zyl said his general feeling was that the policy was welcomed by the majority of community members and landlords.