Davis Rd Cootharaba DA Planning Report

             (i) land which is of scenic, cultural, historical, educational, recreational, scientific,
                   ecological, biodiversity, economic, social or aesthetic value;
             (ii) soil or landforms such as watercourses, drainage lines, foreshores, dunes and
                   steep slopes;
             (iii) the ecosystem health and quality of the water, land and other natural resources;
                   and
             (iv) the extent and condition of native and remnant vegetation, including wetlands
                   and areas of significant regrowth of local origin;
    b)   The biological diversity of native flora and fauna and their habitats is maintained;
    c)   Wildlife corridors, vegetation links and riparian vegetation are conserved, managed and
         rehabilitated to ensure the long term ecological viability and sustainability of native flora
         and fauna species;
    d)   Activities that may impact upon vegetation are managed so as to minimise the impact
         upon Noosa’s natural resources, including—
             (i) the ecological values of water catchment areas;
             (ii) that part of the natural environment that may be environmentally harmed by
                   vermin, pests, noxious plants or threats such as fire, development and
                   inappropriate land management; and
    e)   vistas and scenic amenity of the landscape;
    f)   The replanting or rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems and habitat is achieved;
    g)   In the case of urban areas, urban amenity, quality of life and ecosystem health is
         maintained and enhanced.

Compliance
The proposed facility has been located within an unutilised section of a road reserve and outside
of areas mapped as ‘Riparian Buffer Area’, ‘Koala Habitat Area’ and ‘Environmental Protection
Area’, and set back from ‘Watercourses and Drainage Lines’ on the Biodiversity Overlay.

Although the subject site is mapped as containing ‘Environmental Enhancement Area’, the
location of the facility has been sited within a previously disturbed area of the Davis Road reserve,
south of an existing clearing for aerial power lines and access. Additionally, the development will
occupy a relatively small footprint within the site (300 m2) and will involve only minor vegetation
clearing of least concern vegetation and minor excavation works during construction of the
facility. As such, the development will not impact on existing ecological processes or natural
drainage as it is set back over 200 m from the closest mapped watercourse/drainage lines.

Whilst it is acknowledged vegetation clearing is required to establish the proposed facility, due
diligence and care has been taken to ensure only least concern vegetation is required to be
cleared. Specifically Aurecon ecologists undertook a flora and fauna survey within a 100 m buffer
of the proposed clearing and found that no EVNT fauna or flora species would be impacted upon
during the establishment of the facility (refer to Appendix 4).

For these reasons, the proposed is considered to comply with the Overall Outcomes of the
Biodiversity Overlay Code, and further assessment is not required.


7.2.7 Natural Hazards Area Code

The subject site is identified as containing ‘Medium Bushfire Hazard Area within the Bushfire &
Acid Sulfate Soils Overlay (refer to Figure 6.5). The Overall Outcomes relevant to the subject site
are as follows:


NBN-4BBZ-4GYM-5125 – David Cootharaba                                              Page 43