Public Notices Are For the Community to Take Note of
Ignoring a public participation notice on a proposed development or rezoning of property affecting your area may catch up with you in future.
A public notice is a call for comments or objections relating to, for instance, a new development, rezoning or upgrading that may affect your everyday life in the area. It may mean that due to a proposed new development, the traffic will increase at certain times in the area. It may also mean that there might be an increase in noise.
The public notice gives surrounding communities and affected neighbours an opportunity to give their input on, for instance, a specific application to build, rezoning or upgrading of property in the area.
Public notices aren’t issued for all building or rezoning of property. This is determined by the Town Planning Department of the City one the owner of the property submits building plans for approval.
A public notice varies from application to application but when it is required, the notice is placed in the Gauteng Provincial Gazette and two newspapers. It is also placed on site and in the surrounding community and or affected neighbours. The affected community is notified via registered mail or by hand delivered mail.
The notice is displayed for 14 days on site. Objections and comments are given 28 days from the publishing of the public notice to reach the Ekurhuleni Municipal Planning Tribunal (EMPT).
Unlike pre 1994 every comment, objections or representations submitted to EMPT are considered before any decision to pass an application to build or rezone a property is taken. Irrespective of who sent the comment, as long as he or she is affected by the development in question.
After considering all the submitted comments, the EMPT sometimes the development may be postponed, or referred back for additional information before the decision is taken.
The developer or the property owner may also use the comments from the public participation to alter their plans to suit the area and the community needs.
Should a person wish to object to a proposed development, it is important to note that all objections must be received on time in order for them to be considered by the EMPT.
