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Scientology permit for up to 600 - Moonee Valley Community News
12 October 2009, 8:32 pm

Scientology permit for up to 600
BY EUGENE BENSON
13/10/2009 11:10:00 AM
Moonee Valley Community News
DESPITE objections from resident and doubts from one councillor, Moonee Valley Council has amended a planning permit to allow up to 600 people to meet at the Church of Scientology's Mt Alexander Road headquarters up to six times a year.

The religion's headquarters are under construction at the former site of a Sisters of Mercy convent, opposite the Essendon tram depot.

The council had previously granted a permit to allow up to 300 people at the building but the Church of Scientology subsequently requested an increase to 600 as it expects to host up to six events a year that could attract that many.

The permit amendment was supported by all councillors except South Ward's Rose Iser.

Ascot Vale resident Paul Norman said he thought the decision would add to existing parking problems. "It's going to be chaos - how do you control where 600 people park?

"Whether it's 150-300 or 600 people for the special events the problem is still going to be there when there are only 45 or 50 parks for parishioners."

Mr Norman said he hoped the council would act to enforce any parking breaches and ensure residents could still get parking spaces for themselves.

"What I would like to think could happen is zoned parking for residents like they have in Moonee Ponds near the restaurant precinct."

Church of Scientology property manager Andre Kortbawi said he was pleased the council had listened and the major events at the site were similar to those all churches had.

He said people harbouring fears about a lack of parking should consider that many Scientologists preferred to travel by public transport.

"We chose this spot for our headquarters mainly because we like its appearance.

"An extra important feature is that it's right on the tram line and most of our parishioners are sustainability-oriented, they catch trams or ride push bikes or scooters or motorbikes.

"If you come to our building in the city you can see that."

Cr Iser said following the planning scheme was more important than trying to meet the requests of the board of the Church of Scientology.

"Something like 83per cent of all travel is by car so [if we pass this] we are taking on trust that there is going to be an anomalous statistical arrangement with the people attending events at this site that they won't get there by car."

[Raven]

Sounds incredibly familiar!

Instead of logical thoughts and planning sci instead hangs its hopes on public transport and the appearance of the building

[ethercat]

I bolded the specific parts I want to comment on.

Scientology permit for up to 600 - Moonee Valley Community News
12 October 2009, 8:32 pm

Scientology permit for up to 600
BY EUGENE BENSON
13/10/2009 11:10:00 AM
Moonee Valley Community News
DESPITE objections from resident and doubts from one councillor, Moonee Valley Council has amended a planning permit to allow up to 600 people to meet at the Church of Scientology's Mt Alexander Road headquarters up to six times a year.

The religion's headquarters are under construction at the former site of a Sisters of Mercy convent, opposite the Essendon tram depot.

The council had previously granted a permit to allow up to 300 people at the building but the Church of Scientology subsequently requested an increase to 600 as it expects to host up to six events a year that could attract that many.

Up to six events?  Galloway said they would have 4 events, even mentioning that they went with the 4 seasons, as if they were some kind of pagan rituals like the solstices.  Which is true?  They seem to have some kind of holiday every month, in the first half of the year.

The permit amendment was supported by all councillors except South Ward's Rose Iser.

Ascot Vale resident Paul Norman said he thought the decision would add to existing parking problems. "It's going to be chaos - how do you control where 600 people park?

I'd say that about sums it up - and Deb Danos, of the Church of Scientology of Ga., stated in the article in the Gwinnett Daily News that there were 600 members in Atlanta.

"Whether it's 150-300 or 600 people for the special events the problem is still going to be there when there are only 45 or 50 parks for parishioners."

Yep.

Mr Norman said he hoped the council would act to enforce any parking breaches and ensure residents could still get parking spaces for themselves.

Why should the council and taxpayers have to pay to enforce parking breaches?  Same think goes for Sandy Springs, and one of the Planning Commissioners was wise enough to ask what would happen if they violated the 283 cap Galloway suggested they would put on membership.  Same thing goes for parking.

"What I would like to think could happen is zoned parking for residents like they have in Moonee Ponds near the restaurant precinct."

Church of Scientology property manager Andre Kortbawi said he was pleased the council had listened and the major events at the site were similar to those all churches had.

Similar, except I don't remember being in any major events in a church where they locked the doors until I "donated" money. 

He said people harbouring fears about a lack of parking should consider that many Scientologists preferred to travel by public transport.

"We chose this spot for our headquarters mainly because we like its appearance.

Just like in Sandy Springs, they didn't even consider whether the building suited their needs, whether the parking was sufficient, or whether the neighborhood wanted them.

"An extra important feature is that it's right on the tram line and most of our parishioners are sustainability-oriented, they catch trams or ride push bikes or scooters or motorbikes.

"If you come to our building in the city you can see that."

Council Rose Iser said following the planning scheme was more important than trying to meet the requests of the board of the Church of Scientology.

Yes, I agree completely.  These communities should not allow themselves to be bullied or threatened into changing the law for the Church of Scientology.

"Something like 83per cent of all travel is by car so [if we pass this] we are taking on trust that there is going to be an anomalous statistical arrangement with the people attending events at this site that they won't get there by car."

That isn't what the parking studies for Atlanta, Nashville, and Buffalo proved.