2017-05-24 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                             24 MAY 2017


Option 4: Council purchases the Johns property, dedicates a significant portion of the land
          as nature reserve conservation area (70%) and focuses on the environmental
          rehabilitation of the land for three to five years

 Strengths                                                 Weaknesses

    Council acquires a strategic parcel of                  Difficulties in managing the transition for current
      environmental land on the Noosa River with high           long term residents to new housing options
      environmental values;                                     before settlement;
    This option is consistent with Council’s long term      Homeless people in the Shire no longer have a
      acquisition of environmentally sensitive land on          shelter of last resort;
      the Noosa River and adjoining creeks in this            The environment levy policy does not allow
      locality as they become available;                        funding to be used for non-environmental
    Council utilises environment levy funds to                purposes i.e. the purchase of a camping ground;
      purchase that portion of the site which reflects        No business case developed to justify Council’s
      the highest environmental values;                         investment in a camping ground;
    The social problems at Johns Landing are                Ben Johns will be reliant on other agencies to
      bought to a head and addressed;                           assist with relocating existing residents.
    By acquiring the land Council can manage the
      nature and scale of any potential development.

 Opportunities                                             Threats

    Ben Johns’ retirement presents a momentary              Squatters remain on the land at the time of
      opportunity     for     Council   to    maximise          settlement;
      environmental outcomes for the Shire whilst at
      the same time providing more certainty of a             Even if all current residents have left the property
      successful transition for the current residents to        a number of temporary homes and shelters and
      alternative accommodation, which would not be             significant amounts of rubbish remain on the
      the case if Council was not the purchaser;                property;
    By acquiring the land Council can control the           Potential for increased homelessness in other
      nature and scale of any future development;               parts of the Shire after settlement;
    There is a focus on the environmental                   Council seen to be acting heartlessly and without
      rehabilitation of the land;                               regard for the needs of some of the most
    Council could consider over time whether there            vulnerable people in our community.
      is a legitimate business case to invest in
      redeveloping a part of the site as a future
      campground or recreation area;
    This option sees the development of a
      Community Roundtable of Government and
      Non- Government agencies working together to
      address social issues (including homelessness)
      in the Shire as per the recommendations of
      Council’s Social Strategy.


Conclusion

Option 4 is recommended as it is the only option where Council can achieve the following
outcomes:
 acquire a strategic parcel of environmental land on the Noosa River with high environmental
   value at a reasonable price;
 address the social problems at Johns Landing by bringing them to a head; and
 leaves open the option of developing a portion of the land as a camping ground subject to a
   satisfactory business case being made.



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