2021-01-27 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                                 27 JANUARY 2021


   In terms of the first point, it is likely that visitation numbers drop to playgrounds during wet
   weather though it is clearly not the case that no visits occur. It is easily foreseeable that a break
   in the weather could see visitors come to the playground and be there when the flood event
   commences.
   In terms of evacuation, the FRAEMP relies on people to identify the risk and then take logical
   and appropriate actions within a short space of time in order to avoid the flood hazard. The
   timeframe from the start of the design flood event until the site begins to inundate is as little as
   13 minutes, while the time from the start of the event until the southern-most pathway begins
   to inundate is 39 minutes.
   The FRAEMP calculates that the lateral spread of flood water is slow enough that people can
   easily walk to safety ahead of advancing flood waters. What the FRAEMP does not consider is
   the possibility of people not taking immediate action and becoming isolated in higher areas of
   the site (e.g. climbing tower or amenities block) by rising flood waters. If people then try to
   evacuate once isolated they risk being exposed to unsafe flood conditions.
   If Council decide to approve the playground in this location then it is strongly recommended that
   conditions are applied that would actively alert visitors of the flood threats and need for
   immediate evacuation and improve the evacuation pathways such that areas of isolation cannot
   occur.
   Due to the very low level of flood immunity of the site, it is likely that any automatic flood warning
   system would trigger frequently (i.e. likely more than once per year).
The following tables, provide an assessment against the relevant assessment benchmarks of both
the State Planning Policy 2017 Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience State Interest (SPP2017)
and the Noosa Plan 2006 Natural Hazards and Natural Resources Overlay Code. Benchmarks
which are not relevant are not included. It is noted that neither the SPP2017 nor the Noosa Plan
2006 codes were specifically envisioning a stand-alone park application so interpretation of the
code provisions is necessary in some instances.
                         Natural Hazards and Natural Resources Overlay Code
             Assessment Benchmark                                          Assessment
 Overall Outcome 13.30.2(a) - development in             See below response to O17
 areas at risk from natural hazards is compatible
 with the nature of the natural hazard so as not to
 place people, property, economic activity, social
 wellbeing and the natural environment at risk
 Overall Outcome 13.30.2(a) - development is             See below response to O17
 resilient to natural hazard events by ensuring siting
 and design accounts for and minimises potential
 risks of natural hazards to people and property
 O17 Development provides that for all flood             The Natural Hazards and Natural Resources
 events up to and including the defined flood            Overlay Code lacks specific detail on the required
                                                         level of flood immunity for public parks.
 event—
                                                         However, the expected flood immunity for parks is
 a) the safety of people on the site is protected;
                                                         stated in the LGIP Standards of Service for Public
 b) the capacity to use land in the flood plain is       Parks as:
     not adversely affected; and
                                                         Well drained land above the 1:5 Average
 c) the risk of damage to property on the site is        Recurrence Interval level (Q5 flood level) with at
     avoided or minimised as far as practicable.         least 10% above the 1:100 ARI level or the highest
                                                         known flood level, whichever is the greater
                                                         The 1:5yr ARI (20%AEP) flood immunity criteria is
                                                         not achieved for the park, with most of the park
                                                         inundated in only a 50% AEP event, which equates
                                                         to very frequent inundation.


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