2018-03-12 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                  12 MARCH 2018


A designation may include requirements about any or all of the following:
   The height, shape, bulk, landscaping or location of works;
   The use of premises including vehicular and pedestrian access, operating times etc; and
   Measures to lessen the impact of the use such as environmental management procedure.

The Minister is required to give notice to all affected parties (owner of the premises and Council)
and provide a minimum of 15 business days for parties to make a submission. Notably there are
no appeal rights applicable to infrastructure designation decisions.

In the 5 January 2018 correspondence to the Department (referenced above), Council expressed
its dissatisfaction in the Department’s proposed approach to this matter, in seeking to
retrospectively designate the land for community infrastructure without any or little consideration
to how issues associated with this development and the significant visual impacts of the boat
shed can be addressed.

It is important to note that if part of the Holiday Park (comprising the access driveway to the boat
shed) is designated for community infrastructure and Council subsequently wanted to undertake
development within the Holiday Park reserve there would be a referral trigger to the Department
under the Planning Regulation 2017. The Department has advised they can clearly specify in the
designation that the inclusion of part of the Holiday Park is purely related to access and that the
designation does not allow for the intensification of the QBFP operation onto the Holiday Park
and would not prejudice future operation and development of the Holiday Park.

Nevertheless, despite the Department seeking to minimise potential issues for Council, the
creation of a referral trigger creates an additional administrative burden and uncertainty for
Council should it wish to undertake development works within the Holiday Park.

Recent Discussions with Department of Housing and Public Works

In early February 2018, the Department made contact with Council and requested a meeting to
discuss how they might improve the boat shed’s appearance. On 15 February 2018 Council
officers met with the Department to discuss the proposed improvements to the boat shed.

The proposed changes included minor cosmetic treatments relating to colour changes and
installation of a small awning to the shed’s river frontage. Notably there was no proposal by the
Department to lower the height of the facility, which has been a major source of community
complaint.

At the meeting, Council officers requested that the Department re-examine the tendered designs
given the unsatisfactory nature of the minor amendments and further lower the height of the
building. Council officers also suggested that consideration be given to developing a landscape
plan for the shed with planting to help visually soften and blend the building into the landscape.

Council officers also advised that they were not supportive of the proposed designation as this
approach seeks to circumvent the Noosa Plan, is a burden on the further development of the
Holiday Park and is not likely to be acceptable to the community. Council officers again
encouraged the Department to lodge a development application for the boat shed with Council.

Since this meeting, the Department has advised that they are agreeable to continuing to review
the shed design advising Council officers they will engage a consultant to undertake a visual
analysis of the shed. This visual analysis is expected to include detailed advice on how the
Department can improve the building’s presentation and a detailed landscape plan for the area.
The Department have also confirmed their preferred approach is still to follow a community
infrastructure designation process.


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