2018-07-10 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   10 JULY 2018




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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                            10 JULY 2018

                                                                                                ATTACHMENT 2

       Community Engagement and Communications Plan                                                        <>

    Project Name               New draft Noosa River Plan (2018) - planning and consultation
   Date                        25/05/18
    Department                 Environment & Sustainable     Branch            Environment Services
                               Development
                              Jan Maddin (Environment Officer — Rivers & Coast)
    Target start date                    Jan 2017                 Target finish date  Oct -Nov 2018
    Project Description
    A new Noosa River Plan (draft) has been developed in consultation with internal and targeted external stakeholders. It is to
    be released for broader input from the community and relevant State Government agencies, via public consultation.

    This new plan covers the whole Noosa River catchment. It focuses on both land-based and on-river activities which affect
    water quality, aquatic life and the ecosystem health of the catchment’s freshwater creeks and wetlands, lakes and estuary,
    coastal creeks and groundwater. It incorporates actions identified for carry over from the previous river plan, the Noosa
    River Community Jury recommendations, new actions and emerging issues, and a fully costed Action Plan. It proposes
    implementation over a 5 year period and annual tracking of the Action Plan.

    A key focus of the plan is to progress transition of agreed management responsibilities for anchoring, mooring and living on
    the river from the State to Council. Other areas of management focus include the Noosa River Marine Zones, boating
    speed limits, marine infrastructure, commercial use of the river, sustainable fisheries, migratory shorebird habitat
    protection and Hincksia algal blooms in Laguna Bay. On a broader catchment scale, focus is on management of polluted
    runoff from rural and urban areas and climate change.

    The plan also references significant investment in research and studies undertaken in partnership with various groups since
    2014 (supported by Council via the Environment Levy, General Revenue and the Community Project Grants Program), and
    the associated partner projects underway.

    Implementation of the plan will be the responsibility of Noosa Council working with community stakeholders and the
    relevant government agencies. Fundamentally the new plan calls for Council to drive management of the Noosa River as an
    important natural asset, and protect the environmental, recreational, cultural, tourism and fisheries values of the
    catchment for future generations.

    Design - Project background
    Council endorsed a review and update of the previous Noosa River Plan in January 2017 to address key pressures affecting
    the river system and progress recommendations made by the Noosa River Community Jury.
    The last river plan (2004) was developed and implemented by Council in collaboration with the relevant State Government
    agencies and overseen by a committee of community and industry stakeholders. This plan was largely Noosa Estuary
    focussed and delivered the Noosa River Marine Zones and a seasonal reduction in boating speed limits during peak holiday
    periods.
    However due to several factors, including changes in State Government priorities, a number of important actions of historic
    and ongoing concern to Council and the local community were left incomplete. These included abandoned and derelict
    vessels in the river, living on the river and compliance with waterways regulations, boating clutter and congestion and
    commercial use of the river.
    In 2014 Council declared interest in taking on the management responsibilities for anchoring, mooring, living on the river
    and commercial use of the river, and committed to a process to seek agreement from the State to transfer these
    responsibilities to Council.

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