Operational Works Application For Access Driveway Within Hoop Pine Road, Cooroy (OPW15/0194)

OPERATIONAL WORKS APPLICATION FOR ACCESS DRIVEWAY WITHIN HOOP PINE ROAD, COOROY (OPW15/0194)

Document information

Author	Coordinator - Engineering, Mark Lewis
Manager, Planning & Environment, Kerri Coyle
Planning & Infrastructure Department

Index	ECM/ Application / OPW15/0194

Attachments	1.	Locality Plan
2.	Proposal Plan

APPLICATION DETAILS
Applicant	Tod Consulting Engineers
Proposal	Development Permit for Operational Work Engineering Works - Vehicle Access
Properly Made Date	8 October 2015
Information Request Date	23 October 2015
Information Response Date	7 March 2016
Decision Due Date	16 June 2016

PROPERTY DETAILS
Property Address	22 Hoop Pine Road, Cooroy
RP Description	Lot 2 RP 864123
Land Area	8718.0000 Square Metres
Existing Use of Land	Vacant

STATUTORY DETAILS
SEQRP Designation	Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area
Locality	Cooroy & Lake Macdonald
Zone	Rural Settlement
Overlays	Biodiversity, Slide Hazard, Bushfire Hazard
Assessment Type	Code
RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Coordinator Engineering & Manager, Planning & Environment to the Planning & Environment Committee Meeting dated 12 July 2016 regarding Application No. OPW15/0194 for a Development Permit for Operational Works – Vehicle Access and refuse the application for the following reasons:
1.	The proposed works do not meet Planning Scheme Policy No. 5 Engineering Design Standards – Roads, Drainage and Earthworks for a road, as the proposed gradient is excessive.
2.	The proposed gradient is considered dangerous and presents a significant safety risk for users of Hoop Pine Road.
3.	The proposed works will require excessive maintenance to ensure all weather access for slip resistance and adequate functioning of the stormwater drains and result in an unreasonable imposition on Council.

REPORT
Background
A complaint was received in February 2015 concerning works undertaken in the road reserve of Hoop Pine Road.  The complaint indicated that the works were causing drainage problems in the area. Further complaints were also received from people interested in purchasing and viewing 22 Hoop Pine Road unable to drive back up Hoop Pine Road to Ocean View Road given the steep gradient of the Hoop Pine Road reserve and its unformed nature.
Investigations determined that the works had been undertaken by the owner of 22 Hoop Pine Road, without Council approval, in their attempt to provide vehicle access to their property. Notably, this property is located in the Sunshine Coast Council area, with the local government boundary traversing the Hoop Pine Road reserve adjacent to the southern boundary of a narrow strip of land that is part of 225 Ocean View Road and the northern boundary of 22 Hoop Pine Road. (see Attachment 1).
A “Formal Direction Notice” was issued by officers to the owner of 22 Hoop Pine Road on the 15 May 2015. The notice identified that:
The works are unapproved and pose a significant safety issue to the public and a liability issue to the owner and Council and Council have closed the area;
The section of road reserve within Noosa Council had been previously identified as too steep to construct a rural style gravel roadway; and
Approval should be sought from Noosa Council prior to any further construction of the access.
The owner of 22 Hoop Pine Road subsequently lodged the subject Operational Works application for an access driveway on 6 October 2015. The works proposed include:
Significant earthworks to provide a platform for the driveway
A 3 metre wide concrete driveway with a single passing bay
A driveway with grades varying from 22% (5m), 26.5% (90m) and 16.6% (46m)
Longitudinal surface drainage
The proposed design does not meet Council’s engineering design standards for a road, with the design only consistent with the standards for an access driveway. The table below compares the standards required by Council’s Engineering Design Standards (PSP5) for an access road with the proposed design standards for the access driveway.
Road Details	Council Standard	Proposed Design
Width	3.0 m sealed on 6.0 formation	3.0 m Sealed
Gradient for 60% of length	15%	26.5%
Surface Treatment	Bitumen	Concrete
Passing Lanes	1 every 100 metres	1 every 100 metres
The proposed construction plans include road gradients in excess of Council’s maximum safe road grades of 15%, with the proposed road gradients being up to 26.5%.
While the topography of the existing road reservation along the subject section of Hoop Pine Road means that suitable gradient and safe road design standards cannot be met, the proposed gradients are considered dangerous and present a significant risk to drivers. The steep gradient means that there is the potential risk of drivers losing control of the vehicle and the potential for loss of grip between tyres on the proposed concrete surface. To address this risk, the applicant’s engineering consultant has proposed a concrete surface with transverse grooves to maximise the grip. However, given the vegetated nature of the road corridor and the high rainfall in this area transverse grooves are unlikely to fully mitigate vehicles from slipping. Further, the risk to driver safety is heightened by the steep drop off the ridge where the proposed concrete carriageway is proposed.
The gradients proposed will also require additional maintenance works to be undertake to ensure all weather access for slip resistance and adequate function of drains in this area. This will result in additional costs to Council and there may also be some Work Place Health & Safety risks associated with officers maintaining the works on these steep gradients.
The preferred option for the applicant would be to seek a closure of the roadway and amalgamation of the subject section of road reserve into 22 Hoop Pine Road. This would remove Council from any potential liability and maintenance responsibilities. While the design would not improve the safety issues raised, the access driveway would the responsibility of the owner to maintain it regularly.
It is therefore recommended that the application be refused.
Departments/Sections Consulted:

	Chief Executive Officer		Community Services		Corporate Services
	Executive Officer to the Mayor & CEO		Community Facilities		Financial Services
	Executive Support		Community Development		ICT
			Libraries & Galleries		Procurement & Fleet
			Local Laws		Property & Facilities
			Waste & Environmental Health		Revenue Services
					
	Executive Office	x	Planning & Infrastructure		
	Community Engagement		Building & Plumbing Services		
	Customer Service		Civil Operations		
	Economic Development		Infrastructure Planning & Design		
	Governance	x	Planning & Environment		
	Human Resources		Strategic Land Use Planning		
	Sustainability				

[word/footer2.xml]
Page 1 of 4

[word/footer4.xml]
Page 4 of 4

[word/header1.xml]
3

[word/header2.xml]
PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT	12 JULY 2016

[word/header4.xml]
3

[word/header5.xml]
PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT	12 JULY 2016