2019-12-11 Special Meeting Agenda

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA                                                       11 DECEMBER 2019


The key issues for submitters objecting to the revised provisions in the new Noosa Plan for short-
term accommodation are:

    Opposition to making short-term accommodation inconsistent in the Low Density Residential
     zone;
    Opposition to over regulation – it has consequences and people should have rights to do
     what they want with their property;
    The zoning is inequitable and the legal issues have not been considered;
    Removing the possibility for future investment in holiday homes will:
     o     affect livelihood and lifestyle;
     o     affect Noosa’s capacity to service future tourism growth and economy;
     o     reduce holiday accommodation, visitor numbers, visitor spending and investor interest,
           particularly at the high end;
    Changes are anti-tourism and undemocratic;
    No community and economic impact assessment done and there is no data on complaints;
    Changes will not help housing affordability as changes will drive investment and short-term
     accommodation into higher density zones forcing out tenants;
    Owners with existing use rights will have a competitive advantage over those that don’t;
    Changes will affect people whose partial or sole income comes from short-term lets and
     property values;
    Impacts on local employment with reduced business associated with short-term
     accommodation;
    Need flexibility to future short-term let properties, it reduces choices and rights;
    Reduces holiday maker’s choices.

There were further comments and questions raised regarding existing use rights as follows:

    Question the legitimacy of existing use rights - as short-term accommodation is a separate
     use to a dwelling house, so how can they have existing use rights?
    Existing use rights should not be passed to new owners;
    How will residential amenity be managed with properties with existing use rights?
    Creates distorted property values and different categories of home ownership with those that
     have existing use rights and those that don’t;
    Expiry of existing use rights if the uses is abandoned (for 12 months), will prevent houses
     moving back to permanent rental for fear of losing rights;
    There is uncertainty for maintaining existing use rights when rebuilding or when there is
     permanent occupation;
    Should have flexibility to do both short-term accommodation and permanency without losing
     rights;
    Properties purchased with an intent to short-term let, or have done so for less than 12
     months, should still have existing use rights;
    Properties without existing use rights may be compensable with an adverse planning change.

Response to submissions

The continued increase of short-term accommodation (which is essentially a commercially
operated use) within Low Density Residential zones is contrary to the intent of the new Noosa Plan,
the purpose and outcomes of the Low Density Residential zone and outcomes sought for
permanent residential areas.

The overall outcome for the Low Density Residential zone is that “Low density residential
neighbourhoods are home to permanent residents with minimal impact of visitors”. It is considered
that preserving land in this zone for permanent resident and protecting the residential amenity of
low density residential neighbourhoods should take precedence in this zone.

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