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

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                  19 AUGUST 2014


      12.   During the construction phase the developer is responsible for maintenance of the
            access driveway extending from the end of the sealed section of Mountain View
            Road to the site of the telecommunications tower.
      13.   During the operational phase:
            a.    The developer is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the access
                  driveway extending from the end of the existing driveway servicing 66 Mountain
                  View Road to the site of the telecommunications tower,
            b.    The developer must enter into an agreement with the owner of 66 Mountain
                  View Road to share the costs of ongoing maintenance of the access driveway
                  extending from the end of the sealed section of Mountain View Road to the end
                  of the existing driveway servicing 66 Mountain View Road.
B.    Find the following are sufficient grounds to justify the decision despite the conflict with the
      Planning Scheme:
      1.    The telecommunications facility will provide coverage for the NBN fixed wireless
            network, allowing for the delivery of higher speed data to households in the area;
      2.    The proposal is screened by substantial vegetation buffers and does not adversely
            impact the existing visual qualities of the area.



PREVIOUS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
At the Ordinary Meeting on the 31 July 2014, Council resolved to defer to the next round of
meetings consideration of Application No. MCU13/0067 for a Development Permit for Material
Change of Use for Service & Utility Type 3 Tower situated at Grahams Road, Pinbarren and
request the applicant to:
1.    Investigate alternative sites to locate the tower that minimise visual impacts for residents
      and impacts on the views of Mt Cooroora.
2.    Provide a site plan detailing the likely area of service for the tower for the current location
      and alternative sites investigated.

REPORT
On Friday 8 August the applicant responded to Council’s resolution.                A summary and
assessment of the response is included below:

Investigate Alternative Sites
The applicant highlights their previous advice, suggesting that the alternative locations west of
Pomona Kin Kin Rd would require a facility at least 50m in height. This assertion is qualified by
transmission assessments for three alternative sites along Greenridge Pinbarren Road, based on
the terrain and obstructions (trees) limitations blocking a direct line of site transmission link back
to the approved National Broadband Network (NBN) facility at Pioneer Road, Pomona.

The applicant contends that a 50m+ tower along Greenridge Pinbarren Road would have more of
a visual impact on the surrounding residents than the proposed site. This part of Pinbarren is
zoned Rural Settlement and includes a greater number of houses than the proposed site, which
enjoy views south to Mt Cooroora, west to Mt Cooran and east to Mt Pinbarren. Greenridge
Pinbarren Road also forms part of the Major Road Network and is the main road connecting
Cooran to the east. While this part of Pinbarren already includes 25m high electricity stanchions,
it is agreed that a 50m+ tower along these relatively low lying areas adjacent to Pinbarren Creek
would be more prominent than the proposed tower and contrary to The Noosa Plan, which seeks
for Telecommunication Towers to not degrade views from the major road network.



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