Response to Information Request - SARA.pdf

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 “Adamson Town Planning, specialising in providing higher order town planning advice”




State-controlled road

It is requested that the applicant provide further information on Performance Outcomes (PO)15-
22 of State code 6: Protection of State transport networks (State code 6) of the SDAP.

Provide revised proposal plans and a revised Traffic Engineering Assessment detailing the
following:
(i) Private buses/coaches/mini-buses and shuttles:
     • A dedicated bus setdown facility with adequate capacity (number of parking bays) to
        cater for the demand generated by the development for private/chartered coaches, buses,
        mini-buses, shuttles and the resort's own private shuttle services, including potential
        events held by the resort complex
     • Bus lay-by parking commensurate with demand, namely, bus layover for resort owned
        buses any events held at the resort complex
     • A bus setdown facility and bus lay-by parking designed for the maximum design vehicle
        (single unit rigid bus of 14.5m in length), with the bus setdown facility parallel to the kerb
        and at the entry to the development. Guidance on suitable dimensions can be obtained
        from Chapter 5 – Bus Stop Infrastructure of the Public Transport Infrastructure Manual
        2015. Bus parking should comply with the Disability Standards for Accessible Public
        Transport 2002 made under subsection 31(1) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
     • A Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) certified swept path analysis
        demonstrating:
            o that the maximum design vehicle can manoeuvre into and out of the bus setdown
                facility
            o that buses parked in the bus setdown facility have independent movements
            o that buses can circulate past buses parked in the bus setdown facility
            o that buses can manoeuvre into and out of the bus lay-by parking without causing
                conflict
     • A bus circulation allows an efficient and direct route between the entry and exit of the
        development and should avoid carparking areas and aisles and circuitous routes. All bus
        parking zones are separate from passenger loading zones for taxis, rideshare, private
        vehicles and service vehicle loading zones to avoid vehicle conflict and maximise safety
        and efficiency and bus parking capacity
     • A waiting area of adequate dimensions for the anticipated dwell time of passengers at
        the bus setdown facility. Include shelter and seats as well as hardstand and access for
        waiting, boarding and alighting passengers.

(ii) Taxis and rideshare:
     • A porte cochere that has a dedicated passenger loading zone with adequate capacity
        (number of car parking bays) to accommodate the demand generated by the
        development for taxis and rideshare and private vehicles
     • A porte cochere that can accommodate the parking of a taxi suitable for use by people
        with a disability in accordance with the disability standards set out in PO22 of State Code

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“Adamson Town Planning, specialising in providing higher order town planning advice”
Adamson

Town Planning

State-controlled road

It is requested that the applicant provide further information on Performance Outcomes (PO)15-
22 of State code 6: Protection of State transport networks (State code 6) of the SDAP.

Provide revised proposal plans and a revised Traffic Engineering Assessment detailing the
following:
() Private buses/coaches/mini-buses and shuttles:

e A dedicated bus setdown facility with adequate capacity (number of parking bays) to
cater for the demand generated by the development for private/chartered coaches, buses,
mini-buses, shuttles and the resort's own private shuttle services, including potential
events held by the resort complex

e Bus lay-by parking commensurate with demand, namely, bus layover for resort owned
buses any events held at the resort complex

e Abus setdown facility and bus lay-by parking designed for the maximum design vehicle
(single unit rigid bus of 14.5m in length), with the bus setdown facility parallel to the kerb
and at the entry to the development. Guidance on suitable dimensions can be obtained
from Chapter 5 — Bus Stop Infrastructure of the Public Transport Infrastructure Manual
2015. Bus parking should comply with the Disability Standards for Accessible Public
Transport 2002 made under subsection 31(1) of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992

e A Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ) certified swept path analysis
demonstrating:

o that the maximum design vehicle can manoeuvre into and out of the bus setdown
facility

o that buses parked in the bus setdown facility have independent movements
that buses can circulate past buses parked in the bus setdown facility
that buses can manoeuvre into and out of the bus lay-by parking without causing
conflict

e A bus circulation allows an efficient and direct route between the entry and exit of the
development and should avoid carparking areas and aisles and circuitous routes. All bus
parking zones are separate from passenger loading zones for taxis, rideshare, private
vehicles and service vehicle loading zones to avoid vehicle conflict and maximise safety
and efficiency and bus parking capacity

e Awaiting area of adequate dimensions for the anticipated dwell time of passengers at
the bus setdown facility. Include shelter and seats as well as hardstand and access for
waiting, boarding and alighting passengers.

(ii) Taxis and rideshare:

e A porte cochere that has a dedicated passenger loading zone with adequate capacity
(number of car parking bays) to accommodate the demand generated by the
development for taxis and rideshare and private vehicles

e A porte cochere that can accommodate the parking of a taxi suitable for use by people
with a disability in accordance with the disability standards set out in PO22 of State Code

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           6 and Chapter 7 of the Public Transport Infrastructure Manual 2015
           (http://translink.com.au/about-translink/reports-and-publications)
      •    A RPEQ certified swept path analysis demonstrating that the maximum design vehicle
           can circulate past parked vehicles (maximum design vehicle) in the porte cochere. This
           will be necessary for independent vehicle movement in the porte cochere
      •    A porte cochere vehicle setdown adequately distinguished and separated from the vehicle
           turnaround, short term car parking and the entry and exit of the existing porte cochere.
           The design of the porte cochere and its vehicle exit should avoid conflicts with cars
           manoeuvring into and out of the short-term car parking area and entering the existing
           port cochere. Adequate queuing distance will need to be provided.

(iii) Urban Bus Stops:
      • A safe, direct and convenient pedestrian pathway connecting the entry of the
         development to existing footpath on Links Drive, immediately north of the site's gated
         entrance.

In response to the above issues Traffic and Transport Plus (TTP) have provided an amended
Traffic Engineering Assessment which is provided as Attachment 2. The advice provided by
TTP has considered the above issues and have advised generally as follows1:

      •    the porte-cochere proposed to be utilised by the development for bus and taxi drop
           off is existing which has operated well since first constructed and routinely
           accommodates coaches. Cars are able to independently manoeuvre through the porte-
           cochere while other vehicles are parked. Part of the proposal includes widening the
           porte-cochere on the northern side adjacent to the access to the proposed hotel. This
           will allow cars/taxis to drop off at the hotel whilst other vehicles can circulate on the
           existing porte-cochere;
      •    a swept path analysis for the buses entering and leaving the porte-cochere is provided
           as an attachment to the report (refer Attachment 2);
      •    buses are able to enter the subject site via the existing main access off Links Drive.
           There are no parking spaces located on the access driveway which means buses that
           queue to enter the porte-cochere will not prevent cars from accessing the parking
           areas both provided and being proposed;
      •    guests waiting for buses are undercover adjacent to the porte-cochere;
      •    the servicing of the Resort Complex is via the access at the “rear” of the development
           off Resort Drive;
      •    there is a bus layover on Links Drive adjacent to the northbound carriageway
           immediately north of the entrance gates. There is also an unused bus stop on Resort
           Drive that could be used for layover if necessary. If large numbers of buses are to be
           present at the same time, there is an overflow parking or multi-space area to the east
           of which could be utilised as required;
      •    there are currently no urban bus stops south of Eenie Creek Road. The Noosa Plan 2020
           indicates that there is a planned bus stop on Eenie Creek Road immediately west of

1
    Response by TTP, dated 22 November 2021, paras 23-31, page 5
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“Adamson Town Planning, specialising in providing higher order town planning advice”
Adamson

Town Planning

6 and Chapter 7 of the Public Transport Infrastructure Manual 2015
(http://translink.com.au/about-translink/reports-and-publications)

e A RPEQ certified swept path analysis demonstrating that the maximum design vehicle
can circulate past parked vehicles (maximum design vehicle) in the porte cochere. This
will be necessary for independent vehicle movement in the porte cochere

e Aporte cochere vehicle setdown adequately distinguished and separated from the vehicle
turnaround, short term car parking and the entry and exit of the existing porte cochere.
The design of the porte cochere and its vehicle exit should avoid conflicts with cars
manoeuvring into and out of the short-term car parking area and entering the existing
port cochere. Adequate queuing distance will need to be provided.

 

(iii) Urban Bus Stops:
e A safe, direct and convenient pedestrian pathway connecting the entry of the
development to existing footpath on Links Drive, immediately north of the site's gated
entrance.

In response to the above issues Traffic and Transport Plus (TTP) have provided an amended
Traffic Engineering Assessment which is provided as Attachment 2. The advice provided by
TTP has considered the above issues and have advised generally as follows’:

e the porte-cochere proposed to be utilised by the development for bus and taxi drop
off is existing which has operated well since first constructed and routinely
accommodates coaches. Cars are able to independently manoeuvre through the porte-
cochere while other vehicles are parked. Part of the proposal includes widening the
porte-cochere on the northern side adjacent to the access to the proposed hotel. This
will allow cars/taxis to drop off at the hotel whilst other vehicles can circulate on the
existing porte-cochere;

e aswept path analysis for the buses entering and leaving the porte-cochere is provided
as an attachment to the report (refer Attachment 2);

e buses are able to enter the subject site via the existing main access off Links Drive.
There are no parking spaces located on the access driveway which means buses that
queue to enter the porte-cochere will not prevent cars from accessing the parking
areas both provided and being proposed;

e guests waiting for buses are undercover adjacent to the porte-cochere;

e the servicing of the Resort Complex is via the access at the “rear” of the development
off Resort Drive;

e there is a bus layover on Links Drive adjacent to the northbound carriageway
immediately north of the entrance gates. There is also an unused bus stop on Resort
Drive that could be used for layover if necessary. If large numbers of buses are to be
present at the same time, there is an overflow parking or multi-space area to the east
of which could be utilised as required;

e there are currently no urban bus stops south of Eenie Creek Road. The Noosa Plan 2020
indicates that there is a planned bus stop on Eenie Creek Road immediately west of

' Response by TTP, dated 22 November 2021, paras 23-31, page 5

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          the Noosa Springs Drive overpass bridge. It is a reasonable to assume that when the
          bus stop is constructed a pedestrian path will also be provided to connect to Noosa
          Springs Drive. A pedestrian path already exists along Links Drive that connects the
          Resort Complex to Noosa Springs Drive; and
      •   pedestrian pathways exist along Noosa Springs Drive to connect the Resort Complex
          to the nearest existing bus stop on Cooyar Street. Pedestrians wishing to travel
          between the northern footpath and the subject site are able to do so via the existing
          western carpark, which has access to the footpath located on its northern edge. Under
          the proposal this access will be kept allowing active transport access to the north to
          occur independent of the access driveway. Signage and markings will be put in place
          to indicate that the area is effectively a ‘shared zone’.

Koala Habitat Areas

It is requested that applicant provide further information on PO1 and PO5 of State code 25:
Development in South East Queensland koala habitat areas (State code 25) of the SDAP.

Provide a report prepared by an appropriately qualified ecologist that:
   • identifies the number of NJKHTs on site that are proposed to be impacted including those
       that could be impacted from the future use of the site (e.g. infrastructure, excavation or
       fill) and as exempted development (as defined in Schedule 24 of the Planning Regulation
       2017) which would apply as a natural and ordinary consequence of the development.

With respect to this issue, Gondwana Ecology has considered the matter of offsets having
regard to the Preliminary Earthworks Plan provided as Appendix B in the Engineering Report
(refer Attachment 3). A copy of the Engineering Report is provided as Attachment 4.

Gondwana Ecology has advised2 the site, including the patch of vegetation designated a koala
habitat area is fenced from the surrounding bushland and is disturbed by a heavily weed
infested ground cover. Further, the surveys over several years have failed to record koalas on
the site, which is likely due to the site being fenced and the habitat not being of particular
importance for the koala.

The proposed development is on land that is already impacted by development or otherwise
has been disturbed. The proposed location and the extent of earthworks for the proposed
tennis courts have been minimised to avoid additional tree loss.

In accordance with the State offset legislation, the koala habitat trees to be removed will be
offset by way of financial contribution, as follows:

The impact area (koala habitat in SEQ) for the subject land in hectares is 19 X 0.004ha = 0.076ha.
This equates, based on the financial calculator, to $8,702.76.


2
    Response prepared by Gondwana Ecology, dated 16 November 2021, page 4
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“Adamson Town Planning, specialising in providing higher order town planning advice”
Adamson

Town Planning

the Noosa Springs Drive overpass bridge. It is a reasonable to assume that when the
bus stop is constructed a pedestrian path will also be provided to connect to Noosa
Springs Drive. A pedestrian path already exists along Links Drive that connects the
Resort Complex to Noosa Springs Drive; and

e pedestrian pathways exist along Noosa Springs Drive to connect the Resort Complex
to the nearest existing bus stop on Cooyar Street. Pedestrians wishing to travel
between the northern footpath and the subject site are able to do so via the existing
western carpark, which has access to the footpath located on its northern edge. Under
the proposal this access will be kept allowing active transport access to the north to
occur independent of the access driveway. Signage and markings will be put in place
to indicate that the area is effectively a ‘shared zone’.

Koala Habitat Areas

It is requested that applicant provide further information on PO1 and POS of State code 25:
Development in South East Queensland koala habitat areas (State code 25) of the SDAP.

Provide a report prepared by an appropriately qualified ecologist that:

e identifies the number of NJKHTs on site that are proposed to be impacted including those
that could be impacted from the future use of the site (e.g. infrastructure, excavation or
fill) and as exempted development (as defined in Schedule 24 of the Planning Regulation
2017) which would apply as a natural and ordinary consequence of the development.

With respect to this issue, Gondwana Ecology has considered the matter of offsets having
regard to the Preliminary Earthworks Plan provided as Appendix B in the Engineering Report
(refer Attachment 3). A copy of the Engineering Report is provided as Attachment 4.

Gondwana Ecology has advised? the site, including the patch of vegetation designated a koala
habitat area is fenced from the surrounding bushland and is disturbed by a heavily weed
infested ground cover. Further, the surveys over several years have failed to record koalas on
the site, which is likely due to the site being fenced and the habitat not being of particular
importance for the koala.

The proposed development is on land that is already impacted by development or otherwise
has been disturbed. The proposed location and the extent of earthworks for the proposed
tennis courts have been minimised to avoid additional tree loss.

In accordance with the State offset legislation, the koala habitat trees to be removed will be
offset by way of financial contribution, as follows:

The impact area (koala habitat in SEQ) for the subject land in hectares is 19 X 0.004ha = 0.076ha.
This equates, based on the financial calculator, to $8,702.76.

? Response prepared by Gondwana Ecology, dated 16 November 2021, page 4

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Gondwana Ecology has confirmed the proposed redevelopment will not fragment koala
habitat and the rehabilitation exercise will enhance the remaining patch of bushland. Further,
given the context of the site, scale and design of the proposed re-development and minimal
impact to ecology values, it would be reasonably expected the development would be
approved subject to the imposition of reasonable and relevant conditions.

The issues raised by the SARA have also been considered by the bushfire expert, Rob Friend
and Associates with respect to the impacts upon koala habitat (refer Attachment 5). It is
advised that … the development will occur primarily over land that is already cleared and be
utilised for structures like tennis courts and landscaping. The hazardous vegetation retained in
proximity to the development site is separated by Resort Drive, tennis courts and auxiliary
parking which will provide a buffer between hazardous vegetation and proposed structures3.

Under the BMP, two bands of understory management within the landscaping proposed will
have a focus on selection of low flammability species for understory plantings. The basis for
the managed vegetation zone is to provide separation from potential bushfire hazard area
which is located outside of the property boundary.

Rob Friend and Associates has advised the management of understory vegetation is for
vegetation less than 2m in height and is to reduce potential surface and near surface fuel loads.
Canopy fuels are unlikely to be involved in a bushfire at this site. Further for the purpose of
bushfire mitigation, no mature trees will require removal within the development footprint or
immediate surrounds, including non-juvenile koala habitat trees (NJKHT’s). While the tennis
courts could be considered infrastructure, the retained NJKHT’s do not present a bushfire
hazard to the tennis courts and are not required to be removed.

In accordance with section 14.1 of the Development Assessment Rules, the applicant has
completed its response to the information request made.

Should you have any questions with respect to the above or require further information, please
contact me.

Yours faithfully




Shane Adamson (BEngTech, GDURP, MPIA, MQELA)
Town Planning Specialist
Director - Adamson Town Planning Pty Ltd




3
    Response by Rob Friend and Associates, dated 18 November 2021, page 2
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“Adamson Town Planning, specialising in providing higher order town planning advice”
Adamson

Town Planning

Gondwana Ecology has confirmed the proposed redevelopment will not fragment koala
habitat and the rehabilitation exercise will enhance the remaining patch of bushland. Further,
given the context of the site, scale and design of the proposed re-development and minimal
impact to ecology values, it would be reasonably expected the development would be
approved subject to the imposition of reasonable and relevant conditions.

The issues raised by the SARA have also been considered by the bushfire expert, Rob Friend
and Associates with respect to the impacts upon koala habitat (refer Attachment 5). It is
advised that ... the development will occur primarily over land that is already cleared and be
utilised for structures like tennis courts and landscaping. The hazardous vegetation retained in
proximity to the development site is separated by Resort Drive, tennis courts and auxiliary
parking which will provide a buffer between hazardous vegetation and proposed structures’.

Under the BMP, two bands of understory management within the landscaping proposed will
have a focus on selection of low flammability species for understory plantings. The basis for
the managed vegetation zone is to provide separation from potential bushfire hazard area
which is located outside of the property boundary.

Rob Friend and Associates has advised the management of understory vegetation is for
vegetation less than 2m in height and is to reduce potential surface and near surface fuel loads.
Canopy fuels are unlikely to be involved in a bushfire at this site. Further for the purpose of
bushfire mitigation, no mature trees will require removal within the development footprint or
immediate surrounds, including non-juvenile koala habitat trees (NJKHT’s). While the tennis
courts could be considered infrastructure, the retained NJKHT’s do not present a bushfire
hazard to the tennis courts and are not required to be removed.

In accordance with section 14.1 of the Development Assessment Rules, the applicant has
completed its response to the information request made.

Should you have any questions with respect to the above or require further information, please
contact me.

Yours faithfully

Ae

Shane Adamson (BeEngTech, GDURP, MPIA, MQELA)
Town Planning Specialist
Director - Adamson Town Planning Pty Ltd

3 Response by Rob Friend and Associates, dated 18 November 2021, page 2

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