2018-09-11 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   11 SEPTEMBER 2018


                                                       Attachment 2




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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                          11 SEPTEMBER 2018

                                                                                                   Attachment 2

           | @ |      NOOSA                                                      Policy Guideline
           mm mi     Rees                                                 REVOLVING FUND
           Corporate Plan Reference:                 Theme 1: The Noosa Environment:
                                                     Our environment is protected, enhanced and valued
                                                     by the community
           Endorsed by Council                       Ordinary Meeting <DD Month, YYYY>
           Guideline Owner and Department:           Director Environment and Sustainable Development

           GUIDELINE PURPOSE
           The purpose of this guideline is to provide a framework for the implementation of a Revolving Fund
           to support Council’s Environment Levy land acquisition,program.
           GUIDELINE BACKGROUND
           The Environment Levy raises funds for the purpose of conserving and enhancing biodiversity in the
           Noosa Shire. One of the Environment Levy programs is: the acquisition. of environmentally
           significance land’. Since 1996 a total of 33 environmentally significant parcels have been
           purchased either with the levy or in partnership with State or Federal governments. These parcels
           are managed by Council or have been gifted to the State to contribute to the protected area
           network.

           The Environment Levy Policy.already provides the head of power for the excision and sale of
           acquired land. Under the Environment Levy Policy Funding Principles Part 1:
           e)    Initiatives able to be undertaken after the land is acquired with Levy funds include but are not
                 limited to:
                 (i) | The.excision and sale,of portions of acquired land that are deemed unsuitable for the
                      purpose ofthe Levy and the considered future use will not adversely impact upon the
                      identified values of the balance area.
                 (ii) On-selling an acquired site.to a purchaser who undertakes a statutory covenant (or
                      other statutory mechanism) that is registered on the land title (in accordance with the
                      Land Title Act 1994) and expressly protects and manages the conservation values of
                      the property.
           This guideline provides a framework for the implementation of a revolving fund consistent with the
           Environment Levy Policy. The.fund would enable environmentally significant parcels of land to be
           purchased, rehabilitated as necessary, protected through a Nature Refuge Agreement under the
           Qld Nature Conservation Act 1992 and then on-sold. Alternatively, Council may retain the Nature
           Refuge and on-sell the balance low or lower biodiversity value parcel to recoup capital. A revolving
           fund therefore enables greater leveraging of Environment Levy funds for further acquisition and
           conservation protection of private land.
           A revolving fund has a similar outcome to the Voluntary Conservation Agreement (VCA) Program,
           i.e. ultimately having private landholders with Nature Refuges over their property. Through the VCA
           program, the private landholder manages the risk of buying and selling their land. Through a
           revolving fund Council manages the risk of buying and selling the land.
           There are three revolving fund mechanisms:
           °    On-selling with statutory protection (also known as a revolving fund)
           e     Boundary re-alignment
           e     Park subdivision
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