2015-05-26 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                  26 MAY 2015


Strategic Land Use Planning
8                         KOALA HABITAT PROTECTION - NOOSA PLAN AMENDMENTS
DOCUMENT INFORM AT ION




Author                               Principal Strategic Planner, Rebecca Britton
                                     Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index                                ECM/ Subject/ Noosa Plan Amendments

Attachments                          1.   Assessable Development Area Koala Habitat Values
                                     2.   Shire-wide Koala Habitat Mapping
                                     (Note: both maps have been attached separately to Agendas in A3 size)



EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Principal Strategic Planner to the Planning & Organisation
Committee Meeting dated 26 May 2015 on proposed amendments to the Noosa Plan relating to
koala habitat protection; and
A.    Agree to the proposed amendments to bring the scheme in line with State requirements for
      koala habitat protection and koala offsets; and
B.    Agree to the inclusion of a new koala habitat area map into The Noosa Plan to identify
      koala habitat that needs consideration as part of development applications involving
      vegetation clearing.



REPORT
Overview

Council submitted a package of amendments for The Noosa Plan planning scheme to the State
Government in September last year, seeking the Department’s endorsement of the amendments
for the purpose of public consultation.

Council has recently received advice from the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government
and Planning that changes will be required to the planning scheme Biodiversity Overlay Code to
meet State Interest requirements for koala habitats and environmental offsets.

This is the last remaining issue to be resolved prior to the State signing off on the proposed
amendments to enable Council to proceed to consultation.

The requested changes essentially require removing references to a State planning policy and
mapping that no longer apply and replacing with references to the:
                        South East Queensland Koala Conservation State Planning Regulatory Provisions;
                        Associated mapping – namely, Assessable Development Area Koala Habitat Values; and
                        Queensland Environmental Offset Policy.




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