Special rating areas declared
FOUR local areas have been declared Special Rating Areas (SRA) by the City of Cape Town.
A full council meeting held on Wednesday marked Northpine in Brackenfell, Beaconvale in Parow, Penzance Estate in Hout Bay and Marconi Beam in Montague Gardens as SRAs in terms of the City’s Special Rating Area By-law.
This followed the initiative taken by property owners who had identified a need to take ownership of their area and assist in its maintenance and sustain conducive local environments, said the city.
SRAs are clearly defined geographical areas where the property owners contribute additional rates to fund further services. This includes urban management issues such as additional public safety measures, cleaning services, the maintenance of infrastructure, upgrading of the environment, and social services.
Mayco member for Finance, Johan van der Merwe, said the Northpine City Improvement District application had depicted true active citizenship, where residential property owners from a previously disadvantaged residential area identified the need to take ownership of their neighbourhood and assist the city.
“Residents were most concerned about public safety, the state of the public areas and the general beautification of their neighbourhood as a whole, and as a City we look forward to addressing these needs,” said Van der Merwe.
Marconi Beam in Montague Gardens is one of Cape Town’s most modern industrial areas, and is said to be the gateway to the rapid urban and economic growth of the West Coast Region.
Van der Merwe said there was a desire in Beaconvale to establish and maintain a safe, clean and well-managed industrial area that would attract new investment.
“Once these SRAs are operational, the individual property owners will enjoy the collective benefits of an enhancement of their areas, along with a shared sense of communal pride, safety and social responsibility.
“To me, this illustrates the true value of a partnership and joint service delivery initiative,” said Van der Merwe.