2019-06-28 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA     28 JUNE 2019


                         ATTACHMENT 5




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SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                28 JUNE 2019

                                                                                   ATTACHMENT 5

   | ¢ oe     NOOSA                                                         Council Policy
   me mi      Keeleere                         ENVIRONMENT LEVY POLICY

   Corporate Plan Reference:       Our environment is protected, enhanced and valued by the
                                   community
   Endorsed by Council:            28 June 2019
   Policy Author:                  Director Environment and Sustainable Development

  POLICY PURPOSE
  The purpose of the Environment Levy (“the Levy”) is to raise funds to conserve and/or improve
  ecosystem health and biodiversity in the Noosa Shire and to support initiatives in partnership with
  the community that protect, enhance and increase the resilience of Noosa’s natural
  environment. This policy outlines the environmental and administrative principles that will provide
  direction for the allocation of Environment Levy funds by Council.
  The head of power for the Levy comes from Section 94 of the Local Government Act 2009 that gives
  Council the ability to impose a separate charge on all rateable land in the shire. In doing so, Council
  can only use funds raised via a separate charge for the specific purpose identified in the revenue
  statement adopted each year as part of Council's annual budget process.
  In that context, this policy provides guidance and further details about how the Council will manage
  the Levy and its implementation.
  Key aims of the Levy are to:
  °     Expand the Noosa conservation estate through;
        o  protection of environmentally significant land through acquisition;
        o  support for Private Land Conservation Partnerships (such as Land for Wildlife and
           Voluntary Conservations Agreement programs), where such involvement is in-keeping with
           the purpose of the Levy;
  °     Build community capacity by the provision of funding through an Environmental Grants
        program that supports environmental initiatives in keeping with the purpose of the Levy; and
  °     Support significant environmental projects and programs related to key Council strategies and
        plans, that protect, enhance and increase the resilience of Noosa’s natural environment.
  °     Fund the delivery and implementation of the Noosa River Plan — River Management Program

  POLICY SCOPE
  This policy applies to all programs, activities or incentives that are directly or indirectly funded or
  supported, wholly or partly, by the Levy.
  Council will review the amount of the Levy each year as part of the preparation of the annual budget
  and adoption of the annual revenue statement.

  POLICY STATEMENT
  The allocation of Levy revenue will be subject to the following principles:
  1.   Acquisition of Environmentally Significant Land
  The acquisition of environmentally significant land (or an interest in the land) shall be part of a wider
  strategy for landscape protection and the preservation of biodiversity in the Noosa Shire.

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