Resident angered by alleged lack of communication
According to 1st Avenue West resident, 6th Avenue is not wide enough to accommodate the significant surge in traffic as a result of the closure.
A frustrated 1st Avenue West resident has voiced her objections to the Little Chelsea Closure Zone after seeing the article Proposed closure cause for major concern [Week ending 16 April] in the Gazette.
“Before the Gazette published the story, I was not aware that this proposal had even taken place. The proposal shows that a manned boom will be constructed across 1st Avenue West just in front of my driveway and against my boundary wall,” said the resident who wished to remain anonymous.
“Surely, as the most impacted individual, I should have been consulted.”
She added that this was not the first time an application of this nature had been made in the area and showed the Gazette documentation from 1999 when a similar closure was proposed.
“I was instrumental in [opposing] a similar application that was proposed in 1999 and subsequently rejected and have only just heard of this proposed closure despite the fact that I am a resident within the proposed enclosed area.
“I feel that due to my previous objection to this, I have intentionally been excluded from any consultative process.”
She also believed that the advertising of the proposal had been inadequate and deceitful.
A notice had been placed on the wall of a property in 3rd Street.
According to her, 6th Avenue is not wide enough to accommodate the significant surge in traffic as a result of the closure.
Member of the committee of the Little Chelsea Closure Zone Jonathan Cohen said, “We consulted everyone in the zone that we know of by going to each house and doing mail drops or speaking to them individually. The only people who didn’t get a mail drop were those who openly expressed that they were not interested in being involved when we spoke to them.”
Cohen added that the committee divided up the roads for the mail drops or conversations based on where they personally resided, with 1st Avenue West being another committee member’s responsibility.
Cohen apologised for the oversight if the resident was not communicated with and committed to redressing it.
He said in their submission to Johannesburg Roads Agency, they had sent a full and comprehensive map of the entire area, divided into individual properties, indicating every response that was received.
