2019-03-07 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                             7 MARCH 2019




                Figure 2: Council’s Traffic Engineer’s Assessment of Sight Lines & Required Clearing

The difference in opinion between the expert traffic engineers on the required clearing for sight
lines varies due to a difference between the traffic experts about which sight distance standards
apply. The Appellant’s traffic engineer adopts the Australian Standards applicable for an access
driveway while still acknowledging that the sight distance for an intersection would be desirable.
Council’s traffic engineer identifies that Austroads applies, as he considers this to be the definitive
design standard for higher order roads such as David Low Way. Council’s traffic engineer also
considers that the existing driveway location is likely to achieve safer sight lines than that achieved
at the Appellant’s proposed location. Council’s traffic engineer also casts doubt upon the access
grading with respect to the pedestrian/cycle path located within the road reserve from a safety
perspective.
Notwithstanding the expert traffic engineer’s opinions on satisfactory sight lines, the vegetation in
the road reserve is reasonably intact native coastal vegetation and contributes significantly to the
vegetated character of David Low Way. The Noosa Plan seeks to protect this vegetation and
concern is raised about the extent of vegetation that may be lost if the Appellant’s appeal is
successful.
The Appellant has also recently (on 15 February 2019) advised that they would be willing to accept
a condition requiring vegetation offsets in the adjoining beach reserve, which they would maintain
for 3 years or if Council preferred a financial contribution calculated under the Queensland
Environmental Offsets Policy made.
Such a proposed offsetting arrangement is not consistent with The Noosa Plan or the draft planning
scheme for significant vegetation with the planning schemes instead both seeking to retain and
enhance vegetation. It is also clear that while the Appellant’s vegetation management and
offsetting plan is still being reviewed by Council’s expert ecologist, the plan is not desirable as the
area being cleared and the proposed offset area are 2 different ecosystems (and so the plan does
not achieve a like for like) and given the beach reserve is highly exposed, the proposed planting is
unlikely to be successful. The proposed offsetting arrangement would also require significant
ongoing maintenance by Council into the future.
The proposal therefore raises a number of matters which the Council is entitled to consider from
the viewpoint of its separate role as road authority (in respect to works in the David Low Way road
reserve) and trustee (in the case of the offset vegetation maintenance proposal in the adjacent
beach reserve).
These matters have been brought to Council’s attention as they do raise significant issues for
Council that will impact on the character of this part of David Low Way; the safety of David Low

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