2021-02-09 Services & Organisation Committee Meeting Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 9 FEBRUARY 2021


When considering new commercial high use business proposals on community land Council staff
have generally taken the following further operational approaches:
     New commercial uses on Noosa River foreshore, Noosa Spit, Noosa Sound and Weyba
       Creek and adjacent areas are avoided in line with Council’s adopted Noosaville Foreshore
       Land Use Master Plan and recognising the significant extent of existing commercial jetty
       leases on Noosa’s waterways.
     Intensive commercial uses on Noosa’s open beaches (Sunshine Beach to Peregian Beach)
       are avoided in order to protect their existing low-key recreational and open space values.
     A preference for new permits to be awarded via an open public tender process only rather
       than unilaterally awarded in response to an application from a single business.
A summary table of proposed permits is included in the section below.
Fees
Total fees payable to Council from the permit holders is currently $48,281 per annum. Council’s
cost to administer the permits includes managing the tender process, assessment of
applications, processing of fees, issuing of permits, complaints and enquiry management and
undertaking an inspection and compliance program.
To avoid any ratepayer subsidy of the administration of the permits the fees need to be cost
reflective and also take into account any potential direct competitive tension with local
businesses operating under commercial arrangements to ensure a level playing field where
possible. Comparison to Hastings Street commercial leasing rates (which commonly exceed
$3,000/m2 per annum) is difficult due to the lack of built premises offered by Council and the
resultant exposure to weather impacts. Council fees for outdoor dining permits provide a more
suitable comparison, with the fee for Main Beach frontage restaurants currently $924m 2 per
annum.
The table below summarises the proposed permits and outlines the existing and proposed
annual fees to apply to the tender offering. The right-hand column also provides an indication of
the proposed weekly permit cost. In successive years, fees are proposed to be indexed to CPI.

 Activity                                                  Current         Proposed       (Weekly
                                                          Annual Fee      Annual Fee       Cost)
  Learn to Surf – Main Beach 1                             $13,036.50          $18,000*     $346
  Learn to Surf – Main Beach 2                              $8,148.00          $12,500*     $240
  Beach Hire – Main Beach                                   $6,518.50           $12,500     $240
  Beach Hire – Rock Wall (Middle Groyne)                    $1,695.00            $6,500     $125
  Refreshment Van – First Point                             $4,345.50          $12,500*     $240
  Refreshment Van – Noosa Spit                              $2,173.00           $6,500*     $125
  Kayak Hire & Tours – Main Beach                           $4,345.50            $4,500      $87
  Kite Surfing Lessons                                      $1,630.00            $3,000      $58
  Surf Dance Lessons                                        $1,630.00            $3,000      $58
  Mobile Beach Refreshments                                 $2,587.75   Indexed to CPI       $50
  - “Hey Bill” Main Beach Iconic Lifetime Permit                        per 2000 Permit
  Beach Massage – Main Beach                                $1,630.00            $3,000      $58
* Permit involves ongoing occupation of a parking space
The fee increases maintain a tiered approach, with a minimum fee set at $3,000 and higher fees
applying to those permits in locations that enjoy greater patronage. The increased permit fees
still remain well below comparative outdoor dining permit fees for adjacent restaurants. A
nominal value for occupying a car space of $4,000 is now included in the fees marked with an
asterisk. Notably, the kayak tour operator has occupied a car space in Noosa Woods for many
years but is observed to run tours infrequently; therefore, occupation of a car space is now
proposed to be excluded from the next permit.




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