2014-08-19 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda - Pages 1-101

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                 19 AUGUST 2014


The Statutory guideline 03/14 “Local government infrastructure plans” was only just released in
late July 2014 and an amendment to a PIP will require a full review process to be undertaken
rather than that of an interim amendment. The review process for an LGIP amendment is
summarised as follows:




It should also be noted that the new process will require Council to engage and pay for an
external consultant’s review and approval prior to undergoing the Minister’s review and approval.
At the current time, the State Government’s panel of approved reviewers is not yet available.

As the current PIP has its base date at June 2006, it means that the amendment will also require
reviews to update the supporting infrastructure planning documentation that underpinned the PIP
to the current time. Many of the reviews required in relation to the transport network, public parks,
community infrastructure and infrastructure asset valuations have already commenced or will
commence by the respective Council branches. While there are no changes planned to the
density provisions of the planning scheme, an update of the population and development data
will also need to address more recent census data and projection requirements.

3.    Infrastructure Charges Resolution

Since 1 July 2011 infrastructure charges have been levied through Council’s adopted
infrastructure charges resolution. The Act continues with that general framework but the
resolution is now called a charges resolution.

Under the transitional provisions in the Act, Council’s existing adopted infrastructure charges
resolution becomes a charges resolution and will continue in effect until 1 July 2015, unless
otherwise repealed. However, the Act overrides the current resolution to the extent of any
inconsistency or omission with the new requirements.

An amendment to the current resolution must be undertaken by 1 July 2015 to address these
inconsistencies and to comply with the new legislative requirements in order to continue issuing
infrastructure charges on development from that date. These requirements relate to calculation of
charges, automatic increase provision (indexation), offset and refunds, conversion applications
and valuing infrastructure.

The process for making a charges resolution have been simplified in that the Council only needs
to upload the resolution and maintain it on its website for it to take effect.

4.    Infrastructure Charges Notices (ICN)

Previously, the Act referred to a number of different notices such as an infrastructure charges
notice, a regulated infrastructure charges notice and an adopted infrastructure charges notice.
The only notice that is now issued by a Council following commencement of the legislative
amendments is an Infrastructure Charges Notice (ICN).

New matters to be incorporated in an ICN include how the infrastructure charge was determined,
any automatic increase provision and whether an offset or refund for constructed trunk
infrastructure applies. The ICN must also include an information notice that states the reasons for
the ICN and also outline rights of appeal. The relevant triggers for payment of the charge and the
‘negotiated’ charge procedure remain relatively unchanged.

                                                                                    Page 39 of 155