2021-08-10 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                            10 AUGUST 2021


Community comment                                        Proposed response
Consider including a metric for tracking climate         Council is working with CSIRO to develop a
resilience of ecosystems and species in Noosa.           framework for supporting biodiversity and
                                                         ecosystem adaptation, including clear objectives
                                                         and management interventions for climate change
                                                         risks. This will help inform future actions under the
                                                         CCRP and Environment Strategy.
Theme 6: Sustainable agriculture and food systems
Adopt a publicity strategy to encourage citizens to      Agree there is a need for better coordination and
embrace food consumption practices that are more         messaging for consumers and local producers. The
ecologically sustainable, locally sourced, and less      role for Council in this is still being developed and
environmentally harmful.                                 Council will continue to engage with food and agri-
                                                         businesses to better understand what industry
                                                         support is needed. There are good programs in
                                                         place to connected communities with local producers
                                                         such as Slow Food Noosa and their Snail of
                                                         Approval program, as well as Eat Local Noosa.
Develop more targeted metrics and actions for            The CCRP includes a metric to track the ‘Number of
supporting farmers and the agricultural sector to        farmers participating in on-ground actions through
reduce emissions and to assist farmers to implement      land management programs’. A further target has
sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices.     been added: ‘By 2026, the knowledge and capacity
Crops should be included in this as their                of local food and agribusinesses to prepare for
management practices (land use, synthetic                climate risks and take up carbon reduction
fertilisers, pesticides, soil management) have           opportunities has increased’. Council will engage
impacts on climate change, biodiversity, water           with agricultural groups over the coming months to
quality etc.                                             understand best ways to support agri-business over
                                                         as part of the CCRP implementation, as well as
                                                         through development of the Economic Strategy.
Theme 7: Resilient and adaptive communities and built environments
Include new actions as follows:                          Council will continue to update the planning scheme
“Update the Noosa Planning Scheme to manage the          with best practice measures for sustainability as well
impact of climate change on buildings and public         as pursue advocacy actions to the State
spaces, including heat mitigation, flooding and          Government for improvements to building codes to
bushfire risk.                                           bring about more sustainable design outcomes that
                                                         consider climate risk and energy efficiency.
Adopt a more innovative, exploratory stance in
Council’s policies and approvals related to urban        Wording states: ‘Continue to update Noosa Plan
planning, precinct development and house design          2020 planning scheme to manage the impacts of
e.g. less conventional building materials, ‘green’       climate change on buildings and public
design features and issues related to residential hard   spaces including heat mitigation requirements, as
surfaces, plot ratios and vegetation cover.              well as for flooding, inundation and bushfire risks’.
Need further discussion in the plan on public health     Wording added.
issues, including heatwaves, cold snaps, increased
vector borne diseases, mental health, blackouts and
power shortages.
Council should be working with conveyancing              Council includes natural hazard information on town
solicitors to ensure clients are briefed on              planning certificates for property conveyancing
environmental hazards.                                   searches. This includes for flooding, bushfire,
                                                         landslip, acid sulfate soils and coastal erosion.




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