292 Illoura Place Cooroibah - Bushfire Management Plan · MCU20/0022

the intent of the Noosa Hazard Overlay Code, and the Bushfire Resilient Communities
Technical Reference Guide. Maintenance of these setbacks in a managed state is required
adjacent each structure, including maintaining grassland to avoid fuel load accumulation
adjacent the proposed development.

3.3 Landscaping and Vegetation Management
The landscaping and ongoing management of vegetation in areas susceptible to Bushfire
Hazard is an important tool to mitigate bushfire risk. Previously detailed APZ’s should prevent
buildings from being subjected to direct contact from flames, and reduced levels of radiant
heat in the event of a bushfire.

Landscaping and vegetation retention within the APZ should consider the following
guidelines:
    ▪   Immediately adjacent proposed buildings should either be fully cleared and regularly
        maintained (i.e. lawn) or retain trees as clumps or islands and provide a tree canopy
        cover of less than 15% and tree canopies should be located greater than 2 metres from
        any part of the roofline of a building. Any trees should have lower limbs removed up
        to a height of 2 metres above the ground.
    ▪   Any landscaping performed on site shall maintain the APZ effectively free of available
        fuel. Landscaping plants may be used in this area so long as they are selected for their
        low combustibility, by virtue of high moisture content, low volatile oil content, high
        leaf mineral levels, large fleshy leaves, and absence of shedding bark. They should be
        placed so as to not provide either vertical or horizontal connectedness of plant
        material, and avoid overhanging rooflines or contact with flammable parts of
        buildings. Any planted trees should be of species which grow to over 2m, to maintain
        separation between lower canopy and the ground.
    ▪   Turf is to be maintained regularly to reduce the potential for long grass to fuel an
        advancing fire toward buildings.

3.4 Emergency Access & Egress
New developments in bushfire prone areas should be serviced by safe access/exit points for
both residents and emergency services personnel in the event of an emergency. The
development is to avoid entrapment potential, provide safe and effective access for
emergency services vehicles and safe evacuation routes for occupants.

The Noosa Plan 2017, Division 9 – Natural Hazards Overlays Code (O9) prescribes ‘fire access
tracks to provide adequate access for fire-fighting and other emergency vehicles and adequate
width to minimise the risk of fire crossover’. 012 prescribes that ‘Roads provide for the safe
and effective evacuation of users of premises and access by Emergency Services’.

Site access is via Illoura Place, a predominantly bitumen public roadway, from the north of
the site. Site access is via an internal gravel driveway adjacent the eastern site boundary. This
driveway is ~3m in width throughout. It is recommended this driveway be widened to a
 13 March 2020                292 Illoura Place, Cooroibah - Bushfire Management Plan       Page 18
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