2017-06-06 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                      6 JUNE 2017


Council met with QPWS and SCSA on 9 June 2016 to discuss potential alternate Sunshine
Coast inland flying locations. QPWS requested a list of criteria for suitable locations for inland
flying locations. These conversations are ongoing with SCSA and QPWS. Three sites of interest
are Wratten’s National Park (west of Gympie), locations in Walli (east of Kenilworth) and the
Conondale National Park.

On 8 July 2016, Council Officers and King and Co., met with SCSA and its legal advisor for
without prejudice discussions to discuss the legal advice provided by King and Co. and its
ramifications for SCSA. As a result, SCSA requested Council facilitate a meeting with residents
to discuss the specific issues.

On 30 August 2016, Council Officers and King and Co. met with affected residents for without
prejudice discussions regarding the resident’s concerns. Council’s role was not one of mediation
but rather to facilitate discussion between the parties to explore options. The discussions were
amicable and a commitment was provided by SCSA to provide a Management Plan to decrease
the impact of the flying activities on the residents. The main provisions of the submitted
Management Plan are:
    Installation of a weather station and movement activated site cam;
    Restrict flying unless certain weather conditions are met;
    Consequences for non-compliance with site rules;
    Line of sight markers 30 metres from beachfront property boundaries (proposed that
      Council install);
    Limit number of pilots in the air concurrently;
    Prohibit hovering over resident properties; and
    To be trialled over three flying seasons (three years).

In early December 2016, resident representatives provided feedback regarding the Management
Plan stating the proposed three year trial period was too long. The residents aired frustration over
the continuing number of aircraft over their houses and expressed doubt that the activity could be
adequately managed, given SCSA are a volunteer organisation. The residents maintain that a
Management Plan is a reactive approach that will have a negligible effect, given there are no
effective controls to curb the activity once the flyers are in the air.

On 9 December 2016, King and Co. wrote to SCSA providing the opportunity for both parties to
reach a compromise and advising Council would review the matter at the end of February 2017.

On 4 May 2017, Council received notification it was successful in its application for $75,000
funding under the State Government’s Sport and Recreation Planning Program to develop a
Regional Sports Facility Plan. The Plan encompasses Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa Council
and Gympie Regional Council areas. The Plan will provide an agreed Regional Facility Plan for a
group of activities that are defined as generally difficult to locate and will not be captured within
the draft Noosa Sport and Active Recreation Plan. Aviation (including hang gliders and
paragliders) is captured within the plan and SCSA provided a letter of support to back Council’s
funding application (see Attachment 3).

On 18 May 2017, a paraglider became entangled in the powerlines at the site. While the flyer
was not seriously injured, the incident cut the power to 2,225 homes in the area and the power to
nearby school traffic lights. This incident prompted contact from resident representatives
reinforcing their safety concerns.




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