2019-07-09 Services & Organisation Committee Agenda

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                    9 JULY 2019


Events Should be Relocated from Noosa Heads
A number of submitters called for Council to identify a new location for major events away from
tourism precincts to ease congestion and pressure on high use areas. Part (d) of the policy
provides potential for this outcome but Council is yet to investigate or identify such a site/s.
The recommendation section of this report includes an item for Council to investigate options to
undertake a master planning exercise for Noosa Heads, similar to the Noosaville Foreshore Land
Use Master Plan completed in 2018. This would provide for detailed community and stakeholder
consultation to support any future changes.
Policy Language
A number of submitters were concerned with the use of passive or uncertain language in the
draft policy (e.g. may, generally, seek to) and the amended Events Policy in Attachments 2 and 3
incorporates changes to provide clearer wording in a number of locations.
Exclusivity
A small number of submissions objected to the high entry cost to some major events and
requested the policy require free activities for locals at every event. Community inclusion was
considered in the drafting process and, on balance, the policy accepts that the range of events in
Noosa will provide a variety of experiences and opportunities, which include many affordable
events across Noosa’s event calendar.
Single Use Plastics
In response to a detailed submission regarding the use of plastics, the wording of part (f) is
recommended to be changed to bring forward the phase-out of single use plastics for tourism
events to 2020 in line with Tourism Noosa’s approach, with all other events to follow by 2021.
3.    Proposed Amended Events Policy for Adoption
The amendments proposed to the Events Policy are as per the tracked changes version of the
document included in Attachment 2. This document is recommended for adoption.
4.    Next Steps
Adoption of the Events Policy will mean primary documents for the events framework (shown in
Figure 1) will be in place and staff will proceed to the preparation of event guidelines to help
event organisers to apply for and manage their events.
In response to ongoing community concerns regarding the impact of road closures, it is
recommended Council’s website be amended to list all upcoming closures (including those for
events, roadworks, etc.).
The feedback received through the events policy consultation broadly reflected ongoing
community concerns with the impact of events on local residents and businesses, particularly
with major events in tourism precincts. Staff are of the view that a new land management
process, involving extensive community and stakeholder consultation, is now warranted for the
Hastings Street precinct. A master planning process, similar to that recently undertaken for the
community land along the Noosaville foreshore, would provide opportunity to holistically consider
the recreational, commercial and community use of all community land (parks, reserves,
beaches, roads and carparks) in that area. The recommendation includes an item for staff to
investigate options to proceed to a new master planning process for future Council consideration.


Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Meeting Minutes, 18 April 2019, Page 14, Item 5
That Council note the report by the Property Advisor to the General Committee Meeting dated 15
April 2019 regarding the Draft Events Policy for Noosa Shire and agree to adopt the Draft Policy
for the purpose of proceeding to community consultation.

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