2017-05-24 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                 24 MAY 2017


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Director Community Services and Principal Environment Officer
to the Special Meeting dated 24 May 2017 and:
A.    Authorise the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to finalise negotiations for the purchase of the
      parcel of land described as Lot 115 on SP 173075 based on the valuation received from
      Bugler Francis Valuers (provided at Attachment 1 to the report);
B.    If the negotiations in Item A are successful, authorise the CEO to enter into a contract for the
      purchase of the property subject to the conditions of the contract being generally as outlined
      in the report;
C.    Agree that the land purchase is to be funded 70% from the Environment Levy and 30% from
      Council’s General Reserve, and the land be dedicated as a Nature Refuge with a
      conservation protection area and a mixed use zone as shown in Figure 5 in the report; and
D.    Note that the report has been determined as a confidential matter under the Local
      Government Act due to the consideration of a contractual matter but that in the interests of
      transparency, Council will make the report “non-confidential” following settlement.



REPORT
This is a joint report by Principal Environment Officer and Director of Community Services. The
environmental elements of this report have been addressed by the Principal Environment Officer
and the social / community aspects have been addressed by the Director of Community Services.

1.    Background

Johns Landing is a 49.38 hectare, irregular shaped parcel of land on the Noosa River north of Lake
Cooroibah. It has high environmental values including 440 metres of frontage to the Noosa River.
However, the low lying river flats are flood prone and environmentally degraded.

The land has been owned by the Johns family for three generations and is currently being operated
as a camping ground. The current owners Ben and Patricia Johns have announced their intention
to retire.

Following a presentation to Councillors on 2 February 2017 which highlighted the land’s
environmental values and the social issues on site, the CEO requested the Director of Community
Services to enter into discussions with the Johns family regarding the future of the land and refer
the issue back to Council for final consideration. This included the possibility of Council purchasing
the site.




                                                                                        Page 4 of 42