2014-09-16 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   16 September 2014




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PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                16 September 2014

                                                                              ATTACHMENT 1
    The Noosa Plan seeks that the water quality of watercourses within the Mary River Catchment Locality is
    maintained and enhanced. A Stormwater Treatment and Water Quality Management Plan have been
   prepared by Callaghan and Toth, which aims to address the impacts and proposes stormwater treatments
    for the proposed poultry farm operations.
    The report details how the proposed treatment train is capable of removing nutrients and heavy metals from
    the poultry shed areas. However, it does not adequately address how the spreading of the litter will be
    managed with regard to nutrient and stormwater runoff. In particular, there is uncertainty with regard to
    nutrient uptake from the application of litter on the avocado orchard and how this will be managed.
    Guidelines used by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry indicate that approximately 38%
    of phosphorus in poultry litter is in the available water soluble form. This results in the manure being more
    prone to being transported in a leaching or runoff event. In addition, the orchard is of a relatively low tree
    density and cover on steep land, and these factors would increase the likely risk of nutrient transport in
    runoff events.
    Callaghan and Toth’s report for the applicant indicates that the use of poultry litter to fertilise the existing
    avocado trees will be managed, to ensure nutnent levels do not exceed current application rates of
    commercial fertiliser. However, there is uncertainty involved with the information provided about the new
    fertiliser regime of spreading the manure on the existing avocado orchard, in terms of the effects on water
    quality entering the Mary River tributary. Council's specialists advise that, while the receiving vegetation
    environment may not be significantly affected by increased phosphorous levels, there is insufficient
    quantitative information provided about the specific design of the catchments within the avocado orchard, to
    assess all the potential impacts on the adjoining waterways. Notwithstanding this, it must be acknowledged
    that poultry manure could be spread on the avocado orchard now, with no approval required from council,
    although this is unlikely to occur as frequently compared with the proposed poultry farm operations.
    Visual Amenity
    For development on sloping sites and ridgelines, The Noosa Plan seeks for buildings and structures to be
    responsive to the natural topography and landscape character. The proposed development is for 8 x 100m
    to 130m long x 5m high sheds along the existing ndgelines of the site. Large quantities of cut and fill are
    required on the existing ndgelines, to accommodate not only the sheds, but also the roads for trucks to
    service each of them and 300m long x 20m wide bunded litter storage areas. Retaining structures are
    required in some locations, which include a height difference of approximately 8m between the floor levels
    and the existing hillslopes.
    The applicant proposes to screen the buildings and structures by finishing the sheds in muted tones, and
    using existing avocado trees along the sides of the slopes. However, due to the nature of the cut and fill to
    accommodate the buildings, roads and bunded areas on the ndgelines, there are some locations where
    vegetation screening will be ineffective.
    CONSULTATION
    IDAS Referral Agencies
    The application was referred to the following IDAS referral agencies:
    Concurrence
    Department of Transport and Main Roads
    The department is a concurrence agency for the application, as the proposal exceeds the threshold for
    development impacting on State transport infrastructure (>200,000 poultry). The department responded by
    letter dated 13 December 2012 stating that they have no requirements.
    Advice
    Powerlink

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