Approved Document Bushfire Management Plan 132004.5633.03

As per the AS3959, 2018, Class 1-3 and associated 10a structures are required to be
constructed in accordance with the Australian Standard 3959 - Construction of buildings in
bushfire-prone areas (AS3959-2018). Subsequently, all proposed accommodation structures
are required to be constructed to a BAL-29 construction standard. The proposed annexe,
meditation halls and ablutions blocks are all located >6m from Class 1-3 structures and are
consequently not required to be constructed in accordance with the Australian Standard 3959
- Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas (AS3959-2018).
The nominated construction standards should be reviewed by an experienced
consultant/designer at the time of detailed building design. Should the proposed site layout
or vegetation setbacks identified above change, this may alter the determination of the
required BAL.

3.3 Landscaping and Vegetation Management
The landscaping and ongoing management of vegetation in areas susceptible to Bushfire
Hazard is an important tool to mitigate bushfire risk. Previously detailed APZ’s should prevent
buildings from being subjected to direct contact from flames, and reduced levels of radiant
heat in the event of a bushfire. Please note: building footprint, and location, and vegetation
setbacks able to be achieved, will dictate the asset protection zone widths required adjacent
the proposed development.

Landscaping and vegetation retention within the APZ should consider the following
guidelines:
    ▪   Immediately adjacent proposed buildings should either be fully cleared and regularly
        maintained (i.e. lawn) or retain trees as clumps or islands and provide a tree canopy
        cover of less than 15% and tree canopies should be located greater than 2 metres from
        any part of the roofline of a building. Any trees should have lower limbs removed up
        to a height of 2 metres above the ground.
     ▪   Any landscaping performed on site shall maintain the APZ effectively free of available
         fuel. Landscaping plants may be used in this area so long as they are selected for their
         low combustibility, by virtue of high moisture content, low volatile oil content, high
         leaf mineral levels, large fleshy leaves, and absence of shedding bark. They should be
         placed so as to not provide either vertical or horizontal connectedness of plant
         material, and avoid overhanging rooflines or contact with flammable parts of
         buildings. Any planted trees should be of species which grow to over 2m, to maintain
         separation between lower canopy and the ground.
     ▪   Turf is to be maintained regularly to reduce the potential for long grass to fuel an
         advancing fire toward buildings. It is recommended to manage understorey
         vegetation for a minimum of 20m adjacent proposed structures to effectively collapse
         a fire front.
It is noted that a clear setback is currently apparent to the northwest through north.
Consequently, management of vegetation in this direction is expected to be limited to a small
number of trees and associated mid and lower strata vegetation. Setbacks to the southwest
through south to southeast is less well established, and although hazard in this direction is
 30 April 2021                  35 Rules Road, Pomona - Bushfire Management Plan V5         Page 21
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