RESPONSE TO SARA IR - Attachment 1A - RFA24-059-SARA IR Response 310725

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      height of 30 metres with an average of 45 metres. This would permit under State Code 16
      and for existing infrastructure a 1.5 x clearing exemption of 45 metres (see Figure 1).
  5. The site was reinspected on the June 2025 and tallest tree observed within the 1.5 times
     area was a Eucalyptus racemosa (Scribbly gum) was 16 metres.
  6. If the tallest observed tree on the site was accepted as the basis for a 1.5 times setback,
     then the firebreak in accordance with the State Code 16 would be 24 metres instead of the
     tallest tree height for the Regional Ecosystem 12.5.3 as provided by the Regional
     Ecosystem Technical Descriptions (see Figure 1).
Exemptions
  1. We note that Category X regulated vegetation on freehold land is exempted from
     regulation for any purposes. Therefore, we maintained our view that no additional
     approvals by SARA / Department of Resources and as such no response to the State
     Code 16 is required.
  2. The Category x area is not mapped in the Noosa City Plan Biodiversity overlay and as
     such no approvals are required from the Noosa Shire Council.
  3. The definition of “Clearing as a result of a material change of use, 2 –
      “clearing of vegetation that will become exempt clearing work if the development
      application is approved. This includes any of the following examples:
      a.   clearing for routine management and essential management purposes associated
           with the approved development including clearing to maintain proposed infrastructure,
           facilities, roads, access routes, utilities, services and fences, and clearing to maintain
           the safety of persons and property that will be associated with the development
      b.   clearing for necessary fire breaks, fire management lines and associated with the
           development. This will be assessed as follows:
              i.   all built infrastructure other than underground services, roads and fences will
                   be assessed as requiring clearing for fire breaks and safety buffers with a
                   width of 20 metres or 1.5 times the height of the tallest adjacent tree to the
                   infrastructure, whichever is the greater. The extent of clearing assessed will
                   include any vegetation that may be required to be cleared for fire breaks
                   distances and safety buffers on adjoining land”.
  4. This definition provides for one of two options depending on the height of the adjacent
     vegetation, 1.5 times the height of the tallest vegetation or if that figure is less than 20
     metres then the clearing width is 20 metres.
  5. The site inspection determined that the maximum height of the tallest tree adjacent to the
     infrastructure was 16 metres, therefore the necessary clearing that could become exempt
     clearing work would be 24 metres.
  6. With regard to the Category B Regulated Vegetation of the Regional Ecosystem 12.5.3
     and with respect to what is existing “exempted clearing” under State Code 16, that up to 24
     metres from the current development is considered to be exempt clearing. This extent is
     shown on Figure 1 (the yellow line).
  7. With respect to the additional clearing which may be classed as exempted clearing as a
     consequence of the approved development, this will extend 24 metres into the Category B
     regulated vegetation 24 metres from the extent of that infrastructure. (see dark blue line in
     Figure 1).