REVISED POLICY GUIDELINES- PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS · Policy Guideline - Private Land Conservation Partnerships Final with attachments

POLICY GUIDELINE – Private Land Conservation Partnerships


however this rezoning doesn’t show on the property title. Split zoning is appropriate for those
properties that do not meet the eligibility criteria for a Conservation Covenant or Nature Refuge in
terms of size (less than 5 hectares) or inherent biodiversity values. As with a VCA, the process is
voluntary and is purely driven by a landowner’s aspiration to protect the native vegetation on their
property. The process is that the landowner signs a letter nominating an area of their property to be
rezoned as Environmental Management and Conservation zone and marks up the nominated area
on a map of the property. The balance of the property outside the conservation zone remains in its
original zoning (usually rural or rural residential). To formalise this zoning change under the Noosa
Plan, Council submits planning scheme amendments to the State from time to time. Compliance
action in the event of breaches of the Noosa Plan provisions is the responsibility of Council.
Support for Split Zone Conservation properties
Council will provide support to landowners who have nominated and had their properties rezoned
as Environmental Management and Conservation Zone under the Noosa Plan as follows:
•    A 3-year agreement providing a financial incentive capped at $1500 per annum to be used to
     improve the ecological condition of the rezoned area (such as environmental weed
     management and revegetation). These works will be identified under an EMP. The landowner
     must demonstrate a commitment to maintaining the works past the 3-year funding window by
     proactively managing their property for nature conservation, e.g. invasive weed management,
     maintaining tree plantings.
VCA AND SPLIT ZONING PROGRAM ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Council
Council will cover reasonable costs associated with the preparation, lodgement, and registration of
documents to give effect to the VCA or Split zoning. These may include:

•    Surveying of the conservation area, and registration of the Conservation Covenant.
•    Negotiation with the state government (including provision of field data) to facilitate a Nature
     Refuge agreement.
•    Developing split zoning landowner correspondence and mapping and undertaking periodic
     planning scheme amendments.

Council will provide assistance to the landowner including technical advice relating to the planning
and ongoing management of the conservation area. Council will undertake or provide for works in
the conservation area as outlined in the EMP and Agreement.

Council will also make available to the landholder the determined annual financial incentive for
each year of the agreement. Financial incentives will be reviewed every 3 years to reflect CPI
increases. A register of sites subject to a VCA and Split Zoning will be maintained by Council.

The VCA program will be administered and implemented by the Conservation Partnerships Officer
from the Environmental Services Branch of Council.

Landowner
Landowners entering into a VCA or Split Zoning will:

    •   Comply with the relevant protective mechanism conditions.
    •   Undertake those works identified as being their responsibility in the agreement and EMP.
    •   Inform Council of their intention to sell their property and inform them when the sale has
        taken place.

DEFINITIONS
“Biodiversity” refers to the variety of all life forms - all the different plants, animals and micro-
organisms, and the ecosystems of which they are a part.


                                                                                              Page 5