The drive to set up a Community Improvement District (CID) in Pinelands is finally within reach with residents being asked to complete and submit consent forms before Monday 31 October.
Just under three years ago, People’s Post reported that the then Pinelands CID steering committee, as part of the application’s initiation phase, had completed a residents’ perception survey.
Next would follow the analysis of the survey results, creating a proposed business plan, drawing up a budget to fit the proposed business plan and determining the Pinelands CID boundary map.
At the time, the steering committee was made up of Pam Stabler (team leader), John Berry, Carol Clark, Riad Davids, Elaine Gibb, Allan Hobbs, Hermann Schlenk and Jen van Heerden.
Sandy McGuffog, a member of the current CID steering committee, says the process that is underway at present is a continuation of the application made by the previous committee.
“The process had reached the point of creating a business plan. During this period the process stalled largely due to the start of lockdown (Covid-19). By the end of the lockdown, the process had completely stalled, and various committee members were no longer available.”
In January this year, the City of Cape Town’s CID team invited the committee to a meeting to discuss the way forward.
McGuffog says the meeting was attended by a only few of the original members as most had resigned.
“After the meeting, the committee decided that a new team should be formed and Yazied Davids, a volunteer who assisted the committee during the reception survey, was asked to join the team and lead the process by recruiting a new committee.”
After several meetings with community champions and local organisations a new committee was formed comprising Yazied Davids, Paul Rist, David Owen, McGuffog, Aslam Clarke, Nasir Adam, Emily Bolton, Desray Britz and Marilynn McNamara. A new business plan was also drafted and accepted by the City.
As explained on Pinelands CID’s website, a CID, also known as a special rates area, provides the funding mechanism and structure to improve services in a defined neighbourhood. Once established, the CID enables property owners to become involved in the management of their own area by collecting money through the City’s billing system. The money is transferred to a non-profit company (established by the property owners), which enables the company to augment services provided by the City. The non-profit company (NPC) gets a mandate from the property owners on supplemental municipal services and infrastructure desired for the area.
A “median” house with a valuation of R3 000 000, will cost R168.19 / month.
But for plans to go ahead, at least 60% of residents are required to consent to the formation of a CID.
The northern boundary of the proposed CID will run up to and including the Old Mutual Head Office; the east boundary will be along the Western Boundary of Jan Smuts Drive until it intersects with the Railway Reserve; the south boundary will be marked along the north boundary of the railway reserve and the golf course with the western boundary stretching along the eastern side of the railway reserve, skirting the Pinelands Business Park up to Avonduur. It will also run up along Sunrise Road (ERF 110934), Walton Grove Road and properties on both side of Ambleside.
According to Davids, Pinelands has seen an increase in crime in recent years, with home burglaries a major concern. He says the need for a CID in their area is great.
“The suburb does not have any dedicated City law enforcement officers and so relies on the limited police resources to combat increasing crime levels.”
He adds that residents do not feel safe walking along the Canal (the Elsieskraal River) due to the large number of muggings.
“The area requires active and visible patrolling.”
Davids says the neighbourhood has also seen an increase in taxis illegally blocking roads and intersections. Reckless driving and speeding by motorists are also a growing concern.
“Law enforcement officials have not been able to hold transgressors accountable (noise and air pollution) and traffic officials have yet to place additional speed humps near schools, including Nightingale Way.”
Davids claims very little is being done from the City’s side to uplift Pinelands with river clean-ups and landscaping improvements mostly being carried out by local community organisations relying on volunteers. Other issues that residents have highlighted, he says, are homelessness and vagrancy.
“Our approach will be sustainable programmes and working closely with local NGOs. Our vision for landscaping includes additional planting of trees, safe spaces for cycling, dedicated dog parks and activating public spaces for community events.”
He adds the CID will be active in public safety, for example, patrols, paying for dedicated City law enforcement officers dedicated to Pinelands, and cameras and monitoring, as well as litter collections in public spaces.
“A large focus of the CID will also be on social development to combat the problems associated with homelessness and vagrancy,” says Davids.
Should the required percentage of residents’ consent be achieved, the next step will be for the City to take the process forward at Council level. This involves publicising their intent to authorise the CID, and managing a process of objections from the public.
Davids says if all objections can be satisfactorily addressed, then the CID will be approved and begin on 1 July next year.
“A non-profit company will be formed with the current steering committee forming the board for six months. A board elected by property owners will then take over the running of the CID. Offices will be rented within the suburb with a full-time operations manager and at least one administrator in the office.”
He says it is expected that the CID will be fully operational by January 2024 at the latest.
