Meeting minutes

ORDINARY MEETING MINUTES                                                   26 OCTOBER 2023


             from this pilot will help develop a model for any future place programs.
             In relation to your request to suspend the Pomona Place program, Council will
             not be suspending the program. The first phase of the community engagement
             which lasted seven weeks has been very successful with high levels of
             participation across the numerous activities. This has resulted in over 250
             survey responses, over 240 people providing input through community pop-ups,
             detailed community submissions and other contributions. For Pomona's
             population of just under 3,000 this is a highly statistically significant response.
             The community are keen to see the outcomes of the engagement as well as the
             next phase of the project to develop a draft plan prior to the second phase of
             community engagement when the draft plan is released therefore the project
             will proceed as planned


             Question 2.
             Will Noosa Council categorically confirm that they will not ban, suspend or
             restrict powered vessel access (including vessels powered by internal
             combustion engine) to any part of Noosa River now or into the future?

             Response by Larry Sengstock, Acting Chief Executive Officer
             Council does not have the authority to ban powered vessel access to the river
             and does not seek to gain this authority. There is no proposal to prevent
             powered vessels from accessing the river, in fact Council is working with
             Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) to identify suitable upgrades to boating
             facilities.

             For two years Council and the former Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory
             Committee, comprised of 14 members representing the commercial and
             recreational fishing and boating sectors, conservation and Natural Resource
             Management, commercial operators on the river and the tourism sector, worked
             with MSQ to introduce a 28-day anchoring limit in any financial year to reduce
             congestion and improve the river’s amenity, which is anticipated to be
             considered by the Minister for Transport and Main Roads next year. This was a
             major achievement and outcome of the Committee.


    11.2.   JULIE WATSON

             Question 1.
             What is the procedure if you go ahead with the conservation park over the river
             if a future council want to change the parameters that you set?

             Response by Larry Sengstock, Acting Chief Executive Officer
             Any council can consider the decisions of a previous council and revisit those
             decisions, policies and strategies adopted by that council.
             In relation to the issue of the conservation park consideration, it is important
             firstly to understand this Council is not going ahead with a Conservation Park,
             this Council is considering a Noosa River Catchment Plan that includes an
             action to consider a Conservation Park. Consideration of a Conservation Park
             would be a lengthy and comprehensive process and requires number of steps
             including public consultation and a detailed feasibility assessment of natural,
             cultural and socio economic values of the river. If this were to proceed this
             process would take some time before any future Council considered going
             ahead with a Conservation Park over parts of the river.