2015-09-15 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                     15 SEPTEMBER 2015


This repealed policy allowed for contributions to be used for acquisition, construction and/or
modification of land for parking, or the improvement of public transport infrastructure, subject to
meeting certain requirements. At its Ordinary Meeting of 26 June 2014 Council resolved to:
“Request Strategic Land Use Planning to prepare a detailed report addressing the feasibility of
accepting contributions in lieu of the provision of off-street parking within each locality and, in the
interim, not generally accept monetary contributions in lieu of the provision of off-street parking.”
While the resolution indicates monetary contributions in lieu of providing carparking will not
generally be applied, each development application must be assessed on its merit.
The applicant has reduced the size of the shop and now seeks to pay a contribution for 3 carparking
spaces (6 previously required), with reasons given that the smaller size of the shop and its location
near existing public transport infrastructure means the provision of on-site parking is not an
essential or practical requirement. The applicant also proposes to retain the existing vegetation
including several mature koala habitat trees, instead of providing for on-site parking at the rear
from Halse Lane.
The Hastings Street area is generally considered a key location for delivery of future public
transport infrastructure. Even though Council does not currently have a policy position for
infrastructure spending for parking contributions, it is appropriate to accept a contribution due to
the relatively small number of carspaces to be offset. The retention of the existing trees located at
the rear of the existing building is also desirable and consistent with the surrounding landscape
character of the Noosa Drive / Hastings Street area and the Overall Outcomes sought by the Noosa
Heads Locality Code.
3.    CONCLUSION
The application seeks approval to increase the gross floor area at the ‘Golden Breed’ surf shop at
15 Noosa Drive, Noosa Heads by 56.5m2 and enter into an infrastructure agreement to pay a
contribution in lieu of the provision of 3 off-street parking spaces.

The applicant has responded to Council’s previous resolution to defer the decision in June 2015
by reducing the size of the shop from the originally proposed 185m2 to 128.5m2, and retaining the
existing vegetation located at the rear of the site. The reduction in the gross floor area results in
the development complying with the 45% site cover requirement. However, the proposal still
requires Council to enter into an infrastructure agreement to pay contributions in lieu of providing
3 onsite carparking spaces on the 286m2 site.

Although Council does not have a policy to accept contributions in lieu of provision of carparking,
in this instance it is considered appropriate to enter into an infrastructure agreement due to the
relatively small number of bays in which a contribution is sought (3) and the Hastings Street area
is generally considered a key location for delivery of future public transport infrastructure.

The application is therefore recommended for approval, subject to conditions.
Departments/Sections Consulted:
    Community Services                           X   Planning & Infrastructure
    Disaster Management & Public Order           X   Building & Plumbing Services
    Waste & Environmental Health                 X   DA Planning
    Community Facilities                         X   Strategic Land Use Planning
    Cultural Facilities                              Asset Design & Investigations
                                                     Asset Planning
                                                     Civil Operations
                                                     Environment
                                                 X
    Executive Office                             X   Corporate Services
    Community Engagement                         X   Finance
    Customer Service                                 ICT
    Executive Support                                Procurement & Fleet



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