Annual Report 2016-17

Corporate Plan Theme 1: The Noosa Environment
“Our environment is protected, enhanced and valued by the community”


•   Council committed to a three-year agreement to      •   Stage 2 of the Munna Point foreshore
    remain part of the Healthy Waterways Program.           revitalisation project has been implemented
                                                            with the aim of reducing environmental damage
•   Council reviewed its management approach                to Munna Point from erosion.
    to the Noosa River and has committed to
    refresh and rewrite the Noosa River Plan with       •   In December 2016, Council adopted the
    an expanded focus on river catchment areas.             Noosa Biodiversity Assessment Report.
    The revised Noosa River Plan is currently being         This report is an important input into our
    drafted.                                                Council’s new Planning Scheme and also
                                                            acts as a benchmark for future assessment of
•   Council adopted the Noosa Shire Koala                   biodiversity across the Shire. The report will
    Conservation Plan in July 2016. Actions to              also be useful as part of the 10 year renewal
    implement the Plan are now being progressed.            application for the Noosa Biosphere Reserve.
•   Council undertook an audit of waste water           •   Council awarded a new waste management
    facilities in Cooran. Cooran is not serviced by a       contract to Cleanaway for the period 2017 -
    sewerage system and accordingly, residential            2024 at an approximate cost of $46 million.
    properties use on site waste water facilities and       This contract covers the collection, disposal
    an audit was undertaken to determine the level          and recycling operations for the Eumundi
    of compliance from an environmental protection          Road Waste Recovery Centre and includes
    and health perspective.                                 the introduction of a green waste recycling bin
                                                            which will reduce green waste being buried in
•   Council adopted the Noosa Parklands Park
                                                            the landfill, thus significantly reducing methane
    Management Plan following significant
                                                            gas.
    consultation with local residents. Staff are
    currently working to develop a suite of other       •   Council was successful in receiving a
    management plans for other bushland reserve             grant (managed by the Local Government
    areas within the Shire. Those plans are                                                                                                                            •   Council has addressed a range of significant
                                                            Association of Queensland) for the                                                                             planning and environment applications during
    substantially complete.                                 development of a Coastal Hazard Adaption                                                                       the last 12 months. Council approved 98.7% of
                                                            Plan. A Project Officer has been appointed and                                                                   planning applications.
•   Council made a submission to the State
                                                            work is currently underway to develop both a
    government on the green paper on Fisheries                                                                                                                         •   Council had considerable success in the
                                                            Coastal Hazard Adaption Plan (year one) and a                                                                  Planning and Environment Court with a
    Management Reform. Council has also made a
                                                            Climate Change Adaption Plan (year two).                                                                       significant victory for our Planning Scheme
    number of direct representations to the Minister
                                                                                                                •   The Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan                 in the Noosa Civic case. The court supported
                                                        •   Council entered into a Memorandum of                    has been rolled out in 2016/17. This included
•   Council has adopted its Zero Emissions                                                                                                                                 Council’s position that it was inappropriate
                                                            Understanding with Healthy Waterways and                significant media coverage and school                   under the Planning Scheme to expand retail
    Strategy focused on eliminating our
                                                            Catchments for the ongoing “Land for Wildlife”          education sessions.                                    operations on that site. During 2016/17, the
    organisation’s emissions by 2026. This was a
                                                            program. This program helps support property        •   Council has entered into a contract for the            appellant in the poultry farm case also withdrew
    major initiative of Mayor Wellington and work
                                                            owners who care for their land to encourage             purchase of Johns Landing (approximately               their appeal as did the appellant in the Service
    has been undertaken in 2016/17 to establish
                                                            environmental protections.                              50 ha) in order to undertake the long-term             Station Centre appeal at the Good Shepherd
    the baseline level of emissions (which have
                                                                                                                    protection of important environmental land on          Lutheran School site on Eumundi Road.
    been recently re-calculated). A major report        •   Council undertook an environmental clean-up             the Noosa River. Council is also working with      •   In an environmental first, Council has trialled a
    has been finalised on the energy use of 9 of             of asbestos which was dumped illegally on               the current owner of the property to assist with       range of new environmentally friendly asphalt
    Council’s largest energy producing sites to             Walter Hay Drive.                                       the transition to alternative housing for those
    identify which energy efficiency projects should                                                                                                                         processes in conjunction with our contractor.
                                                                                                                    residents living on the current site.                  This has included the introduction of recycled
    be undertaken in the first instance to both          •   A systematic inspection of our industrial
    reduce costs and emissions.                             areas has been undertaken to identify any           •   Council has facilitated the approval processes         printer cartridges into the asphalt mix and the
                                                                                                                    for a project being funded by the Noosa                use of different temperatures to undertake the
                                                            issues with run-off etc to local waterways.
•   Council adopted a new street sweeping                                                                           Biosphere Reserve Foundation to re-establish           planning process. We have also trialled different
                                                            The detailed report has identified some key              oyster reefs in the Noosa River. This has              combinations of recyclable material including
    contract which has resulted in an increased             areas for improvement and the Council will be           entailed obtaining both town planning approval         shredded car tyres and recycled glass.
    length of roads being serviced by the street            considering the option of introducing a licencing       from Council and environmental approvals from
    sweeper. This reduces the amount of rubbish             regime under our local laws.                            the State government. In addition, Council also
    going into drains and waterways.                                                                                provided $250,000 to the Noosa Biosphere
                                                                                                                    Reserve Foundation for projects that advance
                                                                                                                    the purpose of the Noosa Biosphere Reserve.




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