NEIGHBOURHOOD SUPPORT STATEMENT
To: The Elected Members and Development Compliance Team
Council Area: Mount Barker District Council
Regarding: Private Recreational Hobby Concerns at 10 Princes Highway, Nairne SA 5252
We, the undersigned residents, property owners, and immediate neighbours within the Nairne community, wish to submit this formal statement in support of our long-term neighbours, the Howard family, who have resided at this address for 20+ years.

1. The Council's Position
Mount Barker District Council has initiated inquiries regarding the property following complaints received from the public concerning the visual landscape, streetscape visibility, and an alleged reduction in local neighborhood amenity.

Based on these visual landscape complaints, Council has suggested that the volume of vehicles constitutes an unauthorized change of land use to an industrial car yard or commercial wrecking business under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA).

Crucially, Council's position implies that the family would be required to formally apply for property rezoning to legally keep these vehicles.

The Howard family has no intention or desire to pursue rezoning, nor should they have to, because they are absolutely not operating a commercial business on this land.

2. Our Understanding & Response to Complaining Neighbours.
As immediate community members, we understand and completely respect why a nearby resident or passerby may have raised a complaint regarding the visual landscape.

 A high volume of vehicles visible from a main thoroughfare like the Princes Highway, or viewed from the elevated public footpath leading up to the school behind the yard, can create valid questions regarding neighborhood neatness and local residential amenity area. We agree that properties should be kept orderly and respectful of our shared township character.

3. The Practical Resolution & Support for Continuing the Hobby.
In response to these valid community observations, the Howard family has transparently shared their formal  action plan with us. We fully support this plan as a complete, practical resolution to restore the visual landscape, and we firmly declare that rezoning should not have to happen for them to continue their passion:

1.Complete Front Yard Clearance: All project vehicles are actively being moved completely out of the front yard, permanently restoring the main road streetscape and visual landscape.

2. Extensive Backyard Remediation: The family is undertaking an extensive cleanup within the private confines of their backyard—meticulously tidying, organizing, and clearing all loose parts to ensure the entire area is kept neat, clean, and orderly.

3.Targeted Rear Boundary Screening: A compliant 2.1-metre boundary fence extension combined with dense privacy landscaping is being installed to permanently block the line of sight from the elevated school pathway.

4. Hobby Validation: We confirm that this activity is strictly a private, non-commercial recreational pursuit. No commercial wrecking business or part-selling operation exists at this address.

We fully support our neighbours in continuing their long-standing private vehicle hobby under this tidying and screening framework.

 We respectfully request that Council accept their counter-proposal, and drop further enforcement actions.