2017-07-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    11 JULY 2017


     k)    That water quality objectives are met in keeping with the Environmental Protection
           (Water) Policy 2009 for Mary River Environmental Values and Water Quality
           Objectives.
Applicant’s Request
From the outset, it is reiterated that the applicant intends to incorporate a “best practice”
stormwater design for this site and is committed to working with Council to achieve an
outstanding and sustainable development. The applicant’s civil engineer does however have
some concerns with the current wording of condition 27(e) and requests clarification on the
requirements of the condition.
Covey Associates prepared the original Stormwater Management Plan that accompanied the
development application and has since prepared the attached correspondence outlining the
concerns with condition 27(e). Covey Associate’s correspondence requests clarification as to
how the Plan of Development’s water quality targets (as referenced in condition 27(e)) were
determined and what regulations or guidelines they are linked to.
Covey Associates’ explain the differences between “concentration based outcomes” and “load
based reduction targets”. Given the time that has passed since the adoption of the Plan of
Development, it is possible that the guidelines that the POD’s water quality targets are linked to
have been superseded by more recent water quality policies. Covey Associates’ states that it is
arguable that the targets associated with the POD are not reflective of currently accepted data
and are unrealistic, particularly as data suggests undeveloped catchments generate pollutant
loads in excess of the targets during storm events.
It is noted that the submitted Stormwater Management Plan easily achieves current annual
pollutant load reduction objectives set by the State Planning Policy 2016. Council staff have also
previously provided the table below to Councillors confirming that the development complies with
the SEQ Water Development Guidelines 2012 for horizontal separation distances (setbacks) for
dangerous and hazardous substances.




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