Wyndham Council has introduced the new Community Amenity Local Law 2023, which requires the maintenance of nature strips, the proper handling of shopping trolleys and obtaining permits for residential truck parking. Community Amenity Local Law 2023 comes into force in September and will remain in force until 2033. These updated regulations, which replace the 2015 laws, include additional provisions relating to reckless driving ("hooning") and short-term accommodation. The implementation followed 18 months of community consultation and was unanimously approved at the meeting on Tuesday, 22 August.

The law is designed to protect public health and safety, improve the city's appearance and ensure everyone's well-being. Under the new legislation, property owners must maintain nature strips, ensure that grass does not exceed 30cm in height, and seek Council approval for any changes in line with the Nature Strip Beautification Policy.

Retailers are now required to prevent the theft of shopping trolleys from their stores and can be held responsible for recovering them from council land. In addition, homeowners with lorries or heavy vehicles will require residential parking permits, with a maximum stay of one hour on Council land unless signposted otherwise.

Anti-hooning clauses will allow the police to take action against spectators at reckless driving events, while homeowners offering short-term accommodation will be required to obtain permits. Deputy Mayor Jennie Barrera highlighted the rigorous community consultation process that tailored these laws to Wyndham's specific needs, making them easy to understand and in line with community expectations.

For more information, visit www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/community-amenity-local-law-2023.