Meeting papers

                                                                          100




                              * the available rate rebate cannot exceed
                                                                          90




                                  the determined financial incentive
                                                                          80
         Rebate Eligibility
                                          (% of general rate)             70
                                                                          60
                                                                          50
                                                                          40
                                                                          30
                                                                          20
                                                                          10
                                                                           0
                                                                                0   10     20     30     40     50    60     70     80     90    100
                                                                                    % of Total Property Area Com prising the Conservation Area

                                                                                                                                                       Support for VCA’s
Financial Incentives
Existing VCA’s:
Council will continue to honour existing VCA’s that were entered into with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
Council may also offer existing VCA landowners the option of placing an additional layer of protection over the
property via split zoning the existing conservation area into Environmental Management and Conservation
zoning.
The agreed incentives will continue as per the individual landholder’s VCA with the annual incentive being
reviewed against CPI every 5 years. Incentives are paid annually following a property assessment by a Council
officer with any unallocated funds relating to a particular property expiring at the end of each financial year (i.e.
they are not carried forward). When a property changes hands, the statutory conservation protection remains,
and the VCA expires. An agreement between the new landholder and Council may be entered into depending on
VCA program priorities, and applications will be considered at the request of the new landholder.
New VCA’s:
Where an eligible landholder and Council enter into a new VCA which includes statutory protection and/or an
Environmental Management Plan for the conservation area, Council will provide the following resources:
Establishment costs
Council will outlay costs to establish a covenant, Nature Refuge or split zoning on the nominated section of the
property. Costs include developing a survey plan of the covenant area, Nature Refuge dedication costs, legal
fees, and Council officer time.
Financial Incentive
A financial incentive may be provided for the annual implementation of an Environmental Management Plan for
up to 5 years, with the annual incentive being reviewed against CPI every 5 years. These include:
•     Costs to develop the Environmental Management Plan for the conservation area under statutory
      protection.
•     An annual incentive to implement the Environmental Management Plan will be capped as follows:
      o     Minimum available annual incentive of $1,630 per annum for Conservation Areas up to 5 hectares in
            size.
      o     For conservation areas over 5 hectares an additional $108 will be available for every extra hectare,
            up to a maximum total of $5425 each year.
      o     Ongoing financial support will not exceed 5 years unless specified in the EMP.
      o     Costs cannot be claimed for unexpended VCA funds from previous financial years.
What funds can be used for under the EMP
The type of works or materials required will be identified in the agreed EMP. Examples include:
•     engagement of contractors for ecological restoration works and fencing;
•     engagement of contractors for pest control;


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