2015-10-13 Planning & Organisation Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                          13 OCTOBER 2015


Infrastructure Uses Code
The Code includes requirements around two central themes - Health & Safety and Visual
Amenity.

Health & Safety
The Specific Outcomes of the Code require the development to avoid unacceptable risks to
the environment or to personal and public safety. The applicant has provided a summary of
the maximum cumulative radiofrequency (RF) and electromagnetic energy (EME) levels at
ground level emitted from the proposed tower, assuming full power usage. The summary
indicates the proposed tower will emit a maximum EME level from the tower, which is
0.098% of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s (ARPANSA)
regulated acceptable maximum radiation public exposure limits.

Taking a precautionary approach to the sensitive issue concerning health and safety over
time, certification is to be provided by the telecommunications carrier upon request. The
certification must demonstrate annual compliance with the Health & Safety requirements
compared to ARPANSA regulations.

Visual Amenity
The Code seeks for the tower to be below 25m height in the Rural zone. The proposed tower
is 41m high, with the applicant indicating the height is required to provide appropriate
coverage to the surrounding properties.

The tower will be sited amongst mature vegetation, near existing electricity infrastructure and
setback more than 150m from the closest residential dwelling. As demonstrated by the
photomontages of the tower from the neighbouring residential dwellings and the Davis Road
carriageway (See Attachment 2), the proposal is considered to be visually integrated with
its setting and existing infrastructure so as not to dominate views from surrounding areas.

Conditions are recommended for the development to be finished with suitable muted tones,
no lights to be attached and existing vegetation to be kept around the perimeter of the lease
area, which would assist in screening the tower.
Overlay Provisions
The Biodiversity and Natural Hazards Overlay codes are applicable to this application:
Natural Hazards Overlay (Medium Bushfire Hazard Area)
The proposed development is a non-habitable structure, which will not result in an increase
in the number of people living, working or congregating in the mapped bushfire or landslide
hazard areas, thus meeting the outcomes of the Natural Hazards Overlay.
Biodiversity Overlay (Environmental Enhancement)
The proposed facility has been located within a section of the Davis Road reserve mapped
as being Environmental Enhancement Area. Although the subject site is mapped by the
overlay, the location of the facility has been sited within a previously disturbed area of the
Davis Road reserve, adjacent to an existing clearing for aerial power lines and access.

The development will occupy a relatively small footprint within the site and will involve only
minor vegetation clearing of ‘least concern’ vegetation (approximately 15 trees) and requires
only minor excavation works during the construction of the facility. The applicant includes a
flora and fauna survey within a 100m buffer of the proposed clearing, which concludes that
the site does not include any rare and/or endangered species and has been impacted by
previous clearing.



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