2014-04-28 General Committee Meeting Agenda Pages 65-200

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                    28 APRIL 2014


Cessation of Learn to Surf 3

The distance between the rockwalls on main beach is 690 metres. Council also operates the
sand slurry system adjacent to the rivermouth rockwall and when operating requires an exclusion
zone of up to 75 metres, which prevents activities from occurring within this area. Consequently,
the available permit area is approximately 615 metres.

There are currently 6 activities which are permitted to operate from specific areas in the available
permit area between the rockwalls and additionally the surf dance activity will periodically utilise
the area. Feedback provided from current surf school permit holders indicates that:

    Surf conditions on any given day dictate the locations of the activity;
    Surf school 2 and 3 sometimes struggle to find an appropriate bank to operate from
     because at times there are a number of rips and holes particularly from the halfway point
     heading to the rivermouth rock wall. Of the useable 615 metres approximately half is
     deemed appropriate to conduct the activity;
    To operate safely surf school activity tends to congregate together operating from a
     favoured sandbank.

The area between the rockwalls is also a popular all year location as it offers protection from
prevailing south easterly winds and acts as an alternative spill over location to the points. In
addition to high tourist numbers, the following are also example user groups:

    Recreational surfers of all abilities;
    Local boardriding clubs conducting monthly competitions;
    Temporary events: 10-15 per year, e.g. Wrecks and Relics surfing competition, disabled
     surfing association events, outrigger competitions etc;
    Noosa Surf Club training activities and other local surf club training as conditions dictate;
    School surfing activities.

The proposed cessation of Learn to Surf 3 will:

    Decrease the congestion between recreational surfers, beachgoers and commercial permit
     holders;
    Allow existing permit holders to operate with more scope to move along the beach to suit
     the conditions;
    Continue to allow tourists and locals to have the option to choose between the services of
     two surf schools;
    Increase the viability of the remaining surf schools.

Policy

The main provisions in the proposed policy are:

    The maximum permit term be three years. This is in accordance with the maximum term
     provided under the Land Act 1994;
    An Expression of Interest process be undertaken every three years in accordance with the
     principles of section (4) (2) of the Local Government Act 2009 (i.e. transparent and
     effective decision-making in the public interest);
    That a three yearly assessment cycle allows Council to assess all permit applications
     simultaneously to consider the overall impact on the community and commercial
     businesses;
    That the community’s use of community land takes precedence over commercial requests;



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