2016-09-06 - Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                              6 SEPTEMBER 2016


The Bushfire Management Plan is assessed as complying with the State Planning Policy 2014
and the Noosa Plan. The development provides the required setbacks to hazardous vegetation
and a suitable Emergency Response Plan has been prepared. The Emergency Response Plan
has been reviewed and endorsed by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. Based on the
application material received, the development can be conditioned to ensure new uses in
bushfire hazard areas do not compromise the safety of people or property from bushfire.
Koala Habitat
The site is adjacent to mapped Koala habitat, being Girraween Nature Reserve and Noosa
National Park. The mapped Koala habitat consists of Regional Ecosystem 12.2.5 which is
described as Open forest to low closed forest. Species can include Corymbia intermedia,
Lophostemon confertus, Banksia integrifolia subsp. integrifolia, B. aemula, Callitris columellaris,
Acacia spp., Livistona spp. and Endiandra sieberi. Melaleuca quinquenervia in swales.
Understorey generally shrubby and can include vine forest species. Occurs on Quaternary
coastal dunes, beach ridges and sandy banks of coastal streams.
Residents have reported koalas moving and calling along Resort Drive, which borders the
western portion of the site. Planted trees (Eucalyptus propinqua) along the road verge provide
forage for koalas. Site investigation confirms these trees are used by koalas. Within the
proposed clearing footprint for the pathway 3 secondary koala food trees (Bloodwoods) will be
required to be removed. The removal of these trees is not likely to significantly impact on the
koala populations in the area. The financial contribution to implement the Noosa Koala
Conservation Plan, including the provision of koala habitat on adjacent lands will, in time, provide
substantially more koala habitat and is considered an acceptable outcome.
The main impacts on koalas and their habitat are considered to be initial construction activities,
clearing for pathway, the use of the development and increased human activities in the vicinity.
The Noosa Springs master plan designates the site for development and includes the provision
of pedestrian pathways in the road reserves to the east and south of the site. Advice from
Council’s Infrastructure Planning section requires the pathway to provide pedestrian access and
it is desirable to have a cleared access for bushland maintenance purposes. The east of the site
already has a cleared area suitable for a pathway, however, the south of the site will require
vegetation clearing to support a pathway. As stated previously, the advantages of providing a
pathway along the boundary of the site are the co-location of a bushfire buffer, reduced demand
on Council resources for on-going boundary vegetation maintenance, better access for
maintenance and reduced interference with vegetation due to the pathway location.
Statutory Koala Requirements
The koala is listed as a ‘Vulnerable’ species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection &
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Development that has a significant impact on
koalas requires referral to the Australian Government Minister for the Environment. Under the
EPBC Koala Referral Guidelines impacts on ‘habitat critical to the survival of the species’ and
impacts that ‘substantially interfere with the recovery of the species’ are a ‘significant impact’.
Due to the limited clearing associated with the development, it is considered the development will
not have a significant impact on koalas and referral to the Australian Government is not required.
The development site and the southern pathway are located outside the State’s mapped Koala
Assessable Development Area and therefore the application is not subject to the provisions of
the South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provisions.
The Noosa Plan maps Koala Habitat to the southern half road reserve to the south of the
development site. The proposed location of the 6m formation pathway is outside the mapped
Koala Habitat area and therefore the application is not subject to the koala provisions of the
Noosa Plan.




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