MCU180165 - Submission - Paul, Julie & Cali Quincey.msg · MCU18/0165

Subject: Development Objection:  MCU18/0165
From: Paul Quincey
Date: 2018-12-17T05:51:08+00:00
To: Mailbox Council Mail

Dear Noosa Council & the Assessment Manager,

We would like to thank you for providing us the opportunity to field our concerns over the proposed development of 25 Kauri St, Cooroy (MCU18/0165).  Apologies if this is in the wrong format, my wife & I bought our first home here in Cooroy this year & thus have never raised a development concern before.  We have always loved Noosa with my parents living in Cooroy & after 7 years we’ve finally made it our home.  It’s unfortunate timing that this new development is underway months after we bought on the street as it has quite an impact to the area & our living.

We oppose the size of this development based on the following reasons;

1.  Lack of road infrastructure for additional traffic
2.  Lack of parking for additional cars
3.  Increased risk to road users (both car & pedestrian)
4. Child Safety
5.  Material Impact to the comfort of our home
6.  Destruction of habitat for native wildlife
7.  loss of town character

Impact to Safety

1.  Currently on Olivine St there is insufficient space on the road for two cars to drive past each other.  Two cars travelling in opposing directions requires one car to veer off the road & onto the side gravel in order to avoid collision.  This side gravel is where people currently park & where a new pedestrian walkway will be built.  Many motorists use Olivine St as a short cut from Tewantin Rd to avoid its junction with Elm St (as turning right at this main junction is extremely difficult at peak times).  We understand that there is to be proposed pedestrian footway along Olivine St as part of the new development which is very welcome given then number of children that walk to school on our road.  With a footpath in place, when 2 cars approach each other,  how are the cars expected to pass unless there is a widening of the road.  Therefore without a widening Olivine St it is hard to see this new development doesn’t increase risk for road users (both car & pedestrian).

2.  Currently the gravel area of the Olivine St is being used for car parking by residents of Olivine St.  Please see Photos 1 & 2 confirming this.  With the development of a pedestrian walk way on that side of the road, where will these cars park to allow the traffic to drive safely?

3.  The concern in Point 2 of current parking problems leads onto a very significant concern over future parking.  Under the proposal, there are 17 units being added to a very small footprint.  There is a single garage for 15 units (double garage for only 2 units).  As per the 2016 Australian Census & Car Ownership, 33% of families have 1 car, 34% have 2, 17% have 3.  Therefore of these 17 units, we can expect 26 cars.  At a minimum there will be 7 more cars parked on the street, coupled with the 6-9 cars that already park on the gravel.  This also assume each unit holder users their garage for parking the car, which is very very unlikely, hence you can comfortable assume a higher figure of around 10 cars needing somewhere to park.  Given the high amount of street parking on Kauri St during the Dance Studios classes, they will be forced to park on Olivine St.  Thus, this links back to Point 2 and my concern over where all these car will park that does not block the narrow road even further & dramatically increase the chance of accidents for both drivers & pedestrians.

4.  The children who walk to school also ride their bikes up & down Olivine St.  With increase traffic, increased parking & a narrowing of the usable road this will become unsafe.  As well as widening of the road for 2 cars, it should also be made safe for cyclists to use the road & pedestrians to use the footpath.  If the road infrastructure is not large enough to support this then it would be irresponsible to allow development & overcrowd a small country street.

Impact to Nature

5.  In the proposed development area there are some incredibly mature trees that are due to be chopped down, in particular a large gum tree.  To destroy natural habitat is always a shame, these trees should be protected and kept rather than destroyed.  The developers should work around these trees rather than going through the trees.  In additional to the wildlife impact our property will become hotter if these trees are taken down.  The trees offer our property afternoon shade, without these it will significantly increase the temperature of our home & thus force us to require air conditioning which we are loathed to get.  Our office is located at the front of our home & with the removal of the trees we will have direct sunlight into the office preventing us from working given the summer temperatures.  We’ve avoided getting a/c due to the negative environmental impact that this causes however we will be left little alternative in summer if the natural shading of the trees are gone.

6.  It is truly special & humbling to watch kangaroos living opposite & along side all of us on Olivine St.  There is a family group of 3 female, 4 young & 1-2 males that live in this area.  Photo 3 is attached to confirm their residence of 25 Kauri St (sadly I couldn’t get them all in a single frame).  The local kids, visitors & residents all appreciate such close proximity to nature and the protection of nature is why Noosa is so well loved.  The building of the units will be destroying their nightly sanctuary and closing the link/corridor between their different feeding areas.     On the attached photo 4, everything within the yellow lines is a feeding & living area for the kangaroos.  Each night (& during heavy storms) the family of kangaroos seek refuge in Section 2.  They feed in Section 1 & Section 4.  During hot days they spend it cooling in the shade of Section 3.  By developing on Section 2 you are removing their sanctuary & cutting of the corridor they use between feeding areas.  This will shrink their habitat & force them to travel between feeding areas on roads which will add significant danger to both the wildlife & drivers.

Impact to Community

7.  Is building 17 units into a small, condensed area in keeping with the Noosa plan and keeping the ‘country' feel of this wonderful hinterland town?  As a local, it is great to see Cooroy growing & the increased activity in the town centre.  The housing growth so far has been in developments such as Cordwood Estate, Erindale Park, Greenwood Grove where the blocks are large enough for residents to park all their vehicles/toys on their property, the developers have ensured suitable infrastructure with roads wide enough for cyclists & 2 cars to all pass safely and the size of the plots allow the building of family homes in an uncrowded manner which fits this country town.  It would be a significant let down to the community & the Noosa Shire to force so many units into a such small area given it’s clearly going to reduce the quality of living for local residents & increase risks.  When there is plenty of large alternative development sites in the area, we oppose 17 units being forced into an inappropriate area.

Many thanks for hearing our concerns.  Development is a good thing however smart, appropriate development is even better in creating a safe & loved community.

Warmest Regards
Paul, Julie and Cali Quincey
15 Olivine St, Cooroy

[cid:44021BF0-7D5A-45DE-9CE5-7916D6866560@Home]

[cid:6689E433-E0FD-427F-BBED-E031AB7158F7@Home]

[cid:6889B103-B203-435D-88B3-0B259EA0A669@Home][cid:DFCA5629-A2BC-43C4-B221-B47D2ACD694B@Home]