Development Permit For Operational Work Placing An Advertising Device - Signage At 78-80 Rene Street, Noosaville - OPW15/0214

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FOR OPERATIONAL WORK PLACING AN ADVERTISING DEVICE - SIGNAGE AT 78-80 RENE STREET, NOOSAVILLE - OPW15/0214

Document information

Author	Manager Planning & Environment, Kerri Coyle
Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index	ECM/ Application/ OPW15/0214

Attachments	Nil

APPLICATION DETAILS
Applicant	Storage First
Proposal	Development Permit for Operational Works Placing an Advertising Device - Signage
Properly Made Date	12 November 2015
Decision Due Date	19 January 2015

PROPERTY DETAILS
Property Address	78-80 Rene Street, Noosaville
RP Description	Lot 279 CP 865180
Land Area	10920m²
Existing Use of Land	Industrial Warehouse (Self Storage Facility)

STATUTORY DETAILS
SEQRP Designation	Urban Footprint
Locality	Noosaville
Zone	Industry
Assessment Type	Code

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Manager, Planning & Environment to the General Committee Meeting dated 11 January 2016 regarding Application No. OPW15/0214 for a Development Permit for Operational Works - Signage situated at 78-80 Rene Street, Noosaville and refuse the application for the following reasons:
The application proposes signs in excess of 4m2 sign face area and total signage area on the premise in excess of 10m2 , which are inconsistent with the Overall Outcomes of The Noosa Plan’s Advertising Devices Code;
The proposal represents excessive signage for a single business that will result in unnecessary visual clutter and dominate the streetscape.
The signage is incompatible with the existing and preferred streetscape character and is contrary to the Advertising Devices Code.

REPORT
PROPOSAL
The application seeks approval for a Development Permit for Operational Works for additional wall signs at the existing commercial premises. The signs comprise two panels at 6.70m in length and 1.50m in width with a combined sign face area of 12m2.  Both signs have a font area of 5723mm x 1053mm, equating to 6.0m2, and are to be fixed to an existing building fronting Rene Street.

The site has 5.97m2 of existing signage associated with the approved development on the site.  Cumulatively, the existing and proposed advertising devices will have a total sign face area of 17.97m2.  The signs read “Storage First” and “Self Storage” as shown in the applicant’s mock-up in Figure 1 below.  Existing advertising devices on the site are shown in Figures 2 & 3.  The application is before Council because it is recommended for refusal.

Figure 1 - Proposed Signage Mock-Up

	
Figure 2 - Existing advertising device	Figure 3 - Advertising device at entrance

site details
Site Description
The site has a road frontage of approximately 78 metres to Rene Street, with no secondary road frontage. The land is predominately flat.  An aerial photograph of the site and its surrounds is shown below in Figure 4 below.

Figure 4 – Aerial Photograph of Site
Surrounding Land Uses
A mix of industrial uses is adjacent to the site to the north, east and west within the industry zone. Nearby uses include mechanical workshops, manufacturing, service industries, warehouses and some heavy/noxious industries.
assessment
Statutory Instruments – Planning Scheme
The applicable planning scheme for the application is The Noosa Plan (16 September 2013). The following sections relate to the provisions of the Planning Scheme.
Advertising Devices Code
The application raises planning concerns because it proposes signage in excess of as-of-right limits allowed under Specific Outcome O2 of the Code, being 4m2 for any single sign and a total of 10m2 for any premise.  Specific Outcomes O1 of the Code also seeks to prohibit signage in excess of the as-of right limits, stating:
O1 The following advertising devices are inconsistent with the overall outcomes sought by this Code and are not located in the former Noosa Shire—
…
g) Signs with a sign face area exceeding 4m2;
…
j) any combination of signs on one premise with a combined sign face area of more than 10m2.

The applicant submits the following in support of a relaxation of the Code provisions:
The subject site is located within close proximity to another self storage facility with signage that has been recently approved (refer OPW14/0276), and is considered a similar scale, size and outcome to the proposed fence signs.
The site has a frontage of 78m to Rene Street and has a total area of 1.092ha. The scale, proportion and siting of the proposed signage is consistent with the size of the site, neighbouring development and the commercial character of the locality. The site has the ability to be subdivided in accordance with the minimum lot requirements for the Industry Zone in Table 14-68 of the Reconfiguring a Lot Code, which would facilitate signage of 20m2 for the existing frontage area. The existing and proposed signage is spread across the frontage consistent with what would be evident if separate lots existed.
In accordance with the overall outcomes of the Code the proposed signage:
Will not detract from the desirable characteristics of the natural and built environment in which the advertising devices are exhibited, being the Industry Zone;
is designed, sited and integrated so as not to contribute to the proliferation of visual clutter;
will not detract from the visual amenity of the major road network nor from the rural or residential amenity enjoyed by residents of and visitors to Noosa; and
will be safely constructed and secured and will not create a hazard.
Despite the applicant’s submission the site could be reconfigured into multiple premises, the Code is clear in applying a 4m2 limit per sign and 10m2 sign face area limit overall for a premise.  The building facing Rene Street does have a long frontage to the street but is low rise and required to be screened by a 5m landscaped setback by the existing development’s MCU approval.
Whilst the applicant makes reference to the recent appeal for the development at 44-46 Rene Street (Sharpe Enterprises Pty Ltd vs Noosa Council), the basis for the appellant’s success in overturning Council’s refusal of additional signage in that case was founded on a constrained assessment against a different code (the Business Uses Code) and the presence of two large buildings (premises) fronting Rene Street.  As such, the circumstances for this application are significantly different.
Approval of additional signage beyond code limits is broadly undesirable and conflicts with the overall outcomes of the Code, as stated in O1 of the Code.  The Code’s intent is to apply prescriptive signage limits to specifically limit the size and proliferation of signs in the Noosa area.  The application is considered to conflict with the outcomes and purpose of the Code.
Other Planning Considerations – Draft Planning Scheme Amendments
Proposed amendments to the Noosa Plan will result in various changes to the Advertising Devices Code. The amendments apply a further reduced limit to smaller sites (such as strata titled developments), where total signage will be limited to the frontage width x 0.75m.  The amendments, however, do not significantly amend the assessment criteria for this application and maintain the 4m2 and 10m2 limits for a single premise.
cONSULTATION
IDAS Referral Agencies
Not applicable.
Other Referrals
Not applicable.
conclusion
The proposed signage raises planning concerns because it seeks advertising devices in excess of code limits.  The Advertising Devices Code seeks to apply prescriptive sign size and total sign face area limits for a premise to limit advertising devices within Noosa, avoid visual clutter and ensure signage is unobtrusive.  The Code is clear that signage in excess of these limits conflicts with the outcomes sought for the Noosa area.  The application is therefore considered to conflict with the provisions of The Noosa Plan and is recommended for refusal for the following reasons:
The application proposes signs in excess of 4m2 sign face area and total signage area on the premise in excess of 10m2 , which are inconsistent with the Overall Outcomes of The Noosa Plan’s Advertising Devices Code;
The proposal represents excessive signage for a single business that will result in unnecessary visual clutter and dominate the streetscape.
The signage is incompatible with the existing and preferred streetscape character and is contrary to the Advertising Devices Code.

Departments/Sections Consulted:

	Chief Executive Officer		Community Services		Corporate Services
	Executive Officer to the Mayor & CEO		Community Facilities		Financial Services
	Executive Support		Community Development		ICT
			Libraries & Galleries		Procurement & Fleet
			Local Laws		Property & Facilities
			Waste & Environmental Health		Revenue Services
					
	Executive Office	X	Planning & Infrastructure		
	Community Engagement		Building & Plumbing Services		
	Customer Service		Civil Operations		
	Economic Development		Infrastructure Planning & Design		
	Governance	X	Planning & Environment		
	Human Resources		Strategic Land Use Planning		
	Sustainability				

[word/footer1.xml]
Page 1 of 5

[word/footer2.xml]
Page 6 of 6

[word/header1.xml]
3

[word/header2.xml]
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT	11 JANUARY 2016

[word/header3.xml]
3

[word/header4.xml]
PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT	DD MONTH YYYY

[Attachment: image1.png (image text)]
Sgn Panels Rene
81h
Sign - ‘
=

[Attachment: image3.jpeg (image text)]
    
   

i
a

Storage Firs>

Ph 5474 4735

Safe. Clean. Secure
WE SELL BOXES