2021-12-07 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda - Updated

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  7 DECEMBER 2021


      (9)    A further firebreak trail easement is also to be located within a 20-metre wide,
             minimum width, within all lots that back onto the retained vegetation within Lot 12.
      (10)   As the width of the lot and therefore the total length of the firebreak trail is less than
             100 metres a single access easement to a formed road is acceptable.
      (11)   I would note however, that the land is within an Urban Fire District and as such any
             firebreak trail should be constructed to a standard that can be traversed by an urban
             appliance and not a rural appliance as the Urban Appliance may be the first responder
             to a vegetation fire within this area.
The above bushfire access/egress matters could be resolved by conditions, were all other matters
satisfactorily addressed.
Flood Hazard
Where development is located within areas at risk from natural hazards, the Overall Outcomes of
the Natural Hazard Overlay Code seek for “…development to be compatible with the hazard so as
not to place people and property at risk”. In addition, development is required to “…support and
not unduly burden disaster management response or recovery capacity and capabilities”.
The entire site is mapped as being affected by flood hazard under The Noosa Plan’s Natural
Hazard Overlay mapping. The application seeks approval to increase the number of lots thereby
increasing the number of people and property in a flood hazard area. The proposed development
intends to achieve flood immunity by modifying the landform through the introduction of fill on land
below the 1% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) level. The fill is proposed to create house
pads above the defined flood level of 2.3m AHD which the applicant suggests is a sufficient area
above the defined flood level to accommodate the intended future residential use.
The Natural Hazards Overlay Code requires development to “…have an effective evacuation route
that remains passable, with sufficient warning time, to enable people to progressively evacuate to
safe areas above the probable maximum flood”. The site is only accessible via Lake Weyba Drive
which is subject to inundation and is not driveable during a flood event and generally the area is
isolated for up to 3 days.
The applicant has provided a Flood and Stormwater Quantity Assessment which includes an
emergency management response. The report states:
     There is potential for residents at the site to become isolated during extreme flood events
     when Lake Weyba Drive is inundated. This risk will be managed by including a building
     covenant on new allotments stating that homes are required to include a second story. The
     upper floor level will serve as a flood refuge area and will be above the PMF flood level of
     3.4 m AHD. This will provide a safe place for persons to take refuge during the extreme flood
     events.
     Residents who have medical needs that make sheltering in place inappropriate should
     evacuate early if there is a major flood warning issued by relevant authorities. This is an
     important message that should be communicated by Council to all residents along Lake
     Weyba Drive and broadly across the LGA as part of general community engagement raising
     flood awareness and resilience.
Council officers advised the applicant that conditions of a reconfiguration could not require future
dwellings to be two storeys. In response to this feedback the applicant has proposed that Council
can condition that all dwellings must have a habitable floor level above the PMF, being 3.4m AHD
stating that the Flood and Stormwater Quality Assessment can be amended to reflect this.
An external review of the flood report was provided by Switchback Consulting for Council which
notes that the proposed filling of the site does not result in direct off-site flood impacts.
As part of the settlement for the appeal at 135 Lake Weyba Drive a flood warning system was
implemented to provide sufficient time for occupiers to decide whether to evacuate or shelter in
place. The warning system was integrated into a community title arrangement whereby the body


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