2014-02-25 Planning & Organisation Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                              25 FEBRUARY 2014


BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Noosa Plan was first gazetted in February 2006 and prepared in compliance with the
Integrated Planning Act 1997 (IPA) – the planning legislation in force at the time. It has since
been amended a number of times. It has remained intact through Council amalgamation and de-
amalgamation exercises.
The Noosa Plan has served Noosa well with sufficient detail and clarity but requires further
improvement to:
a)   update the Strategic Framework and the Desired Environmental Outcomes including
     reinforcement of an urban footprint or growth management boundary;
b)   respond to the results of 2009 and 2012 Sunshine Coast Council community engagement
     exercises;
c)   update vegetation protection provisions to incorporate the Temporary Local Planning
     Instrument for Vegetation Protection (subject of a separate report to Council);
d)   respond to Council resolutions of 2008 regarding the Shire Business Centre to facilitating
     economic development;
e)   reflect the new State Planning Policy;
f)   review local area plans in light of place making recommendations
g)   revise provisions to help facilitate small scale, rural and nature based tourism;
h)   provide better planning direction for new rural developments and industries;
i)   ensure engineering and other standards reflect current state requirements and are
     complementary to local places and Noosa values; and
j)   correct minor ‘glitches’ and editorial anomalies.

The SPA requires local governments to complete a review of their planning scheme within 10
years after the planning scheme was originally made. While planning schemes developed under
the IPA remain valid under the SPA, they must be updated to reflect the new Queensland
Planning Provisions (QPP) when their review is due.

By February 2016 Noosa Council must complete a comprehensive review of the scheme
including an assessment of the achievement of the strategic outcomes stated in the scheme.
After reviewing the planning scheme, Council must resolve whether to:

a)   propose to prepare a new scheme; or
b)   propose to amend the scheme; or
c)   if the local government is satisfied the scheme is suitable to continue without amendment -
     decide to take no further action.
There have been various changes to planning legislation over the last few years and more to
come. In late 2013 the state government introduced the single State Planning Policy that sets
out the State’s interests and expectations around planning and development. The South East
Queensland Regional Plan is also under review with a draft likely to be released in April this year.
The state government is also developing a Queensland Development Act intended to replace the
SPA, potentially in mid-2015.
Given the various changes to legislation and plan drafting requirements (with further expected in
the next 2 years) option (c) is unlikely to be accepted by the State however senior State Officers
are also cautioning against starting a new scheme at this point in time.
Therefore it is not recommended that Council attempt to prepare a new planning scheme within
this term of Council due to the resources required, time involved and upcoming state legislative
reforms. Rather it is recommended a review of the scheme be completed in the second half of
2015 with a view to commence preparing a new scheme in 2016. In the meantime, it is proposed
to amend the current scheme to deal with pressing issues until a comprehensive review is
commenced.


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