Objection MCU18

I can assure Council that when I moved to Noosa (from a Mews style property in an inner-
city laneway, which incidentally was much quieter than my current home now is), it was not
to pursue a preferred lifestyle of sleeping in the car in the garage or entertaining ideas of
building a soundproof sleeping bunker in the garage. That I have had to give serious
consideration to such an absurd concept is as a direct consequence of
Council’s ‘unrestrained and unplanned development’ (of STA) which is, in accordance with
the Noosa Plan, to be ‘resisted’. Noosa Plan 3.2.3

Councillors and the applicants may query my assertions of loss of residential amenity in the
Hill St locale. Where is the evidence? How many complaints have been received by Council
from residents in the vicinity? As Councillor Lorentson has previously observed: Council
receives more complaints about dogs barking than it does STA.

There is a reason for that Councillors. Residents have long since realised there is little to be
gained by lodging complaints with an unresponsive Council and unresponsive, often
threatening, STA managers. Failure to actively oppose cannot be construed as support. A
lack of complaints does not demonstrate responsible performance and management of STA
properties. It demonstrates resignation - acceptance that residents’ legitimate complaints
will not be appropriately responded to. One need look no further than the July meetings of
Council and Councillor Lorentson’s opinion piece (Noosa Today 30/7) to understand why
residents feel they have no reasonable avenue of recourse, and no hope for such. We
residents are exhausted. Exhausted by living with STA properties, and exhausted by
opposition.

The applicants assert pages 8-11, the properties: 2 two-storey units in duplex configuration,
are appropriate to be converted from their current residential usage to permanent on-going
STA usage. I refute their assertions.

The property in question is a duplex and is thus inherently unsuited to STA usage. To grant
STA usage to one property in a duplex is to unreasonably prejudice the residential amenity
of the adjoining property to such a degree that permanent residential occupation is not
viable. At the meeting 12/7 Ms Coyle appraised Council that past experience demonstrates
to mix STA usage with permanent residential usage does not work. Councillor Jurisevic
asked for evidence of this. There is an abundance of evidence to support Ms Coyle’s
position, commencing with the Noosa Plan itself. The Plan acknowledges that the needs,
interests, and I would add behaviours, of ‘short-term visitors ... are not compatible with
residential amenity.’ Noosa Plan 3.2.4

Mayor Stewart and Planning staff are directly aware of this issue, having so eloquently been
appraised by Dr Alison Asher of the Noosa Residents Against Unregulated STA. Dr Asher’s
experiences (and those of other residents) are detailed in her blogs ‘Living Next Door to
Anarchy’. Dr Asher’s advocacy in meetings and representations to Council was so affecting,
staff and Mayor Stewart sprang to their feet and hugged Dr Asher in spontaneous
demonstrations of support and human comfort for the appalling assaults Dr Asher has
endured against her residential amenity and the safety, well-being and security of herself,
her family and her property.


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