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00:00:00 Mayor Wellington: Thank you everyone. Thanks for your attendance. Today I'll call the meeting to order for this special meeting to consider the new Noosav plan and making the plan available for public consultation. Before we begin we have an apology from Councillor Frank Pardon. Wilkie I mean. I was looking straight past it. Councillor Frank Wilkie who's on leave at the moment. Everyone else is in attendance. So we'll get underway. I'm going to begin by moving a procedural motion and that is that the operation of standing orders or any relevant provision thereof be suspended to allow Council to consider live streaming. Seconded by Councillor Gerisvick. No need to speak to the motion. I'll put the motion. All those in favour? Thank you. Councillor Jackson: I'd like to move the next motion which is that the council agree to live stream and record the special meeting today. Thank you. Mayor Wellington: I'll second that. Seconded by Councillor Glasgow. Do you wish to speak to it? No. We'll put the motion. All those in favour? Thank you. That's carried. Councillor Stockwell.
00:01:00 We'll go around the table. I'll move that the standing orders be resumed. Thank you. Do I have a seconder? I'll second that. Seconded by Councillor Jackson. Do you wish to speak to the motion? Councillor Stockwell. I do. Oh. You're surprised. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: So Councillors, this is a major milestone in this term of Council and we're only here because we're not here to give you the full answer. I think it's important to identify that the new NUSA plan has been completed with a complete
00:02:00 rewrite. We've got a new legislation, we've got new state planning policies which guide how it is, we have whole new zones and whole new definitions of land uses, but the most important thing I think about this new plan scheme is what's not new and what's important is that we can take a lot of comfort from the parts of the plan scheme that are very familiar because it embeds the core philosophy of planning in NUSA in it. It's retained in the draft the commitment by both staff and elected representatives to the well established NUSA planning and design principles. These principles forged in the 80s and really consolidated in the 90s, particularly in the 97 strategic plan. And embedded in the current plan throughout this process. So for instance, the draft maintains a strong commitment to environment protection and management of our natural resources. It maintains the boundaries and the character of our towns and our villages and also continues
00:03:00 with the concept of setting a modest upper limit on development capacity within the Shire. Importantly, it identifies our expectations for high quality design so that development integrates, not dominates natural landforms and it continues to take a place based approach with precincts that reinforce the distinct characters of different centres within our Shire. But the new plan is not just business as usual, it's about preparing our community for what lies ahead. Just as much as it is about protecting the values of our community, it's also about protecting the values of the past. So councillors, when I decided to put my hand up for this role in 2015, I spent several months talking to the community and business about what they see as the future. And out of those conversations, I had four things that I said I'd do as a councillor when it came to the planning scheme review. And I wrote down some policy. Policy number one, the new NUSA plan limits population growth to the current capacity
00:04:00 of our natural and social assets to avoid more degradation. Policy number two, push to improve the affordability of housing for young and older life by promoting mixed uses on the NUSA club's bowl site, shop top housing in business centres and more housing choices that suit family size. So you see in the report that the draft has facilitated shop top housing in larger centres and smaller dwellings are promoted in and around business centres with a proposal to provide incentives to give bonuses for site coverage and plot ratio and lessen car parking requirements. For development, targeting what I consider the most significant form of housing need in our Shire and that's smaller, more affordable dwellings for young workers and individuals of an older age. So policy number three, that I set when I decided to become a councillor, move to create flexibility in commercial, industrial and rural zones to foster innovation and the mix
00:05:00 of enterprises possible in the next generation economy. And it was really good to see in the report that this has identified some of the most significant changes within our rural centres and industrial zones by providing greater diversity in priority sectors. And the report identifies things like the Mary Street Health and Wellbeing Precinct, the Venture Drive Enterprise Zone, Hofmann Drive Business and Industry Precinct, as well as specialised precincts in the NUSA Business Centre and NUSA Junction. And NUSA Junction now is proposed to go into a major centre recognising its importance, not just for retail and business, restaurants, entertainment, creative businesses, but what's new is incorporating residential development in the form of mixed-use development and high density residential. So I get to policy number four. And I said I would advocate the need to do more to halt the industrialisation of rural areas and maintain the landscape for sustainable, low chemical, free-range forms of farming in the revision of the new planning scheme.
00:06:00 So I think our preference for sustainable free-range forms of agriculture were clearly identified in our Agriculture and Agricultural Lands Establishment published at the beginning of the scheme review. I'm pleased to see the staff highlight in the report that the new scheme caters for rural pursuits to co-exist with nature conservation and lifestyle aspirations in the hinterland. There was another element of my policy and it said amend the NUSA plan tables of assessment to ban high impact farm factory farming. Now we can't go into details of what's in the plan, but I'd be really interested to see whether the community thinks we've gone far enough in that regard. So councillors, I think it's a great big step for this term of council and I really wish to thank the staff in getting to this point, the cooperation of all state government departments, and I also think the clear and concise way that all councillors have contributed to the draft as it is. Thank you, councillor. Councillor Jackson. Councillor Jackson: Thank you. It's been a long time coming and I am very excited about the unveiling of the draft new
00:07:00 NUSA plan. This is probably the most meaningful and momentous thing this council will do this term. The NUSA plan project team have done a phenomenal amount of work and they've involved councillors in dozens of workshops, literally. A planning scheme can either choke a community or it can provide a framework to enable the community, the economy and the environment to live up to its full potential. Now there is a three month opportunity for the people of Noosa Shire to give their feedback. The planning scheme is long and detailed and we all know that the devil is in the detail. So it's great that council staff are offering many ways to help people understand it. And of course, councillors are just an email away or a phone call away.
00:08:00 I'm looking forward to community feedback about how well the draft is going to help The New Noosa Plan achieves what people want Noosa to be. Here are some questions we should all ask ourselves when we're reading the New Noosa Plan draft. Environment. Does the Noosa Plan protect our beautiful environment, our parklands, our paradise? Does the plan cater for potential extreme weather events, floods, climate change impacts on beachside localities? Cities. The hinterland. Are the hinterland townships able to flourish while maintaining their village characters? Is agricultural land conserved and rural businesses able to diversify? Town centres. Are our town centres going to be pedestrian friendly places where people can live, work and play?
00:09:00 Will Noosa Junction unfold as a mixed-use urban village with shops, offices, homes, and places to have fun? Is Noosa Civic going to become more like a village, a place to live as well as work and shop? Housing. Does the plan sufficiently address people's housing needs? Will there be affordable homes for low-income families, for renters and for workers? Does the zoning adequately care for people's housing needs? Will it cater to our ageing population? And then there's Airbnb and short-term letting. Does the plan give people a chance to earn some extra money by letting out a room, while at the same time protecting communities from party houses? Business. Will the new multi-use enterprise precincts allow business to grow and diversify to satisfy the needs of a modern economy?
00:10:00 And what about home-based businesses? Does the draft new Noosa plan give the small guys a chance? In other words, is the new Noosa plan a gift for Noosa Shire's future? This is what the new Noosa plan is aiming to do. I have my views on each of these important issues, but I want to be guided by the community before I reach a final position. So the next three months is really the people's turn. As representatives guided by the people, we can then make the best decisions we are capable of for the future of this beautiful place that we call home. Mayor Wellington: Thank you, councillor. Now, councillors, before we move on, I just want to acknowledge that we have our TV camera crew present. Given that we're already live streaming, it would seem churlish to refuse this. I was joking. So I'll just bring it to your attention. Now, councillor, pardon me.
00:11:00 Yes. Councillor Pardon: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes. Councillor Jackson there posed a lot of questions with regards to her debate there, whether we're looking after the business people, affordable housing, that type of thing. So when you look through the draft plan, I think it's addressed all those issues. So my answer to most of those questions, are we looking after the people? Are we looking after the people? The battle is in the Shire, in the social sense, affordable housing. Well, I believe we have made some decisions that way. Small business, can it thrive? Well, I think we've opened up a raft of opportunities for small business to thrive within this plan. And councillor Stockwell always speaks pretty eloquently with regards to planning matters. He has a strong focus in that regard. And I think in his summing up there that he pointed to many of those matters being covered
00:12:00 in the draft plan. But I'll go back to the underpinning of the plan. And it's true what councillor Stockwell said. The previous councils through the 80s in the community set up a series of, well, actually back then there were more DCPs, development control plans. When we got to 97 and then a new council came in then, and I came in in 97, we had a short time. There was five new councillors and we had a few months to sign off on the 90 and 97 plan. But the 97 plan that looked at the whole of Shire, not just individual precincts. It looked at the land, the agricultural land across the Shire that we wanted to keep. It looked at the villages that we wanted to keep. We didn't want housing from Tewantin to Cooroy and all the way. So how do you do that?
00:13:00 It's by protecting that acreage and that agricultural land. So back then there was a plan that set the scene for today's plan and still underpins it. And you'd have to thank some of our forebearers, planners, et cetera. I won't name people who set those things in place. So since then, we had the 2005-06 plan that I was involved in at the time. And when you look at it going forward, the planning scheme ultimately led us, it was a big thing when we went to become a biosphere, the first biosphere in the state of Queensland, because it was the planning scheme and the protection of the environment, but also the opportunity for business and the social aspects for people to thrive in this environment that underpinned us when we went to UNESCO.
00:14:00 So this planning draft, for me, it's incrementally improved. We improved in 2006. Just look at the technology and disruption of today. We have to keep moving forward. And in 10 years time, the next planning scheme will incrementally improve. Because that's the way it is, continuous improvement. But we've ticked most of the, all the boxes, I believe. I can't see basically what we've missed out on. The traffic and transport plan that we're looking at for the whole Shire, and it's mentioned in the draft, is probably one of the most challenging things that we'll have to do going forward as a council to address the traffic and transport. Because as I said in the old days, the kangaroos will overrun us. And I meant that as an analogy to the people. Because the sheer impact of the people moving in, a couple of hundred thousand to move in south of us, that's going to impact on our plan and the way we do business.
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00:15:00 So not only do we have to look at our plan and what we're doing, we have to watch the rest of the world, especially on the southeast Queensland regional plan and what they're doing. But I think pretty much across the board, we've pretty much nailed it. And sure, I'd like to thank our staff. It's all right for us councillors to run around and be joyous, but you guys do all the work and it's been a fantastic job. And will continue to be a fantastic job. Councillor Glasgow: Thank you. Thank you, councillor. Anyone else wish to speak? Councillor Graystead. I just would like to say, over my last wee days, I've been going through the archives and reading some of the years prior plans. And I tell you, if you're ever struggling for a good night's sleep, grab an old Noosa plan from many years back and you'll hit the pillar very quickly. But this plan, I tell you, is strategic thinking. It's really, really, it incorporates so many different cultures in the community and the
00:16:00 house as Noosa residents. I really look forward to coming to fruition in the next 10 years and beyond. It's really going to shape our future from past. Councillor Jurisevic: And what is it? 2029 is the next one, is it? Is it 10 years now? Councillor Glasgow: So 2029 and beyond, it's going to bring to really make our culture so diverse and it's a really, I can say, it's no sleeping pill. It is great to read compared to the last ones that I have scrolled through in my studies of these old plans. And obviously, this is only my first time I've been involved in it, but I'm really excited to come to fruition. I thank you, all the planners who are really the brains of the outfit. So thank you. Mayor Wellington: Councillor? Councillor Glasgow: Councillor Jerusalem. Councillor Jurisevic: Councillor Jackson's right. It has been a long time coming. It's been a lot of work. And I'd like to thank the staff, all of those involved in putting this together, especially our community for their input to this point. And I look forward to the next stage of public consultation when this goes out there and see that we have got it right.
00:17:00 Everybody around the table seems to think that we've got this right. And we're pretty confident that we've got the mix as good as we can get within this document. But we still await feedback in the community to see that we have got it right and that of course, we'll never please everybody. And hopefully the developers will see the opportunities that are presented here for the type of development that we seek within Noosa going forward to drive Noosa forward from an economic as well as a liveability perspective. And I hope that, as I said, that the feedback that comes back shows that we have got this right and the time that we spend on this is the way forward that our community wants for our new Noosa plan. Thank you. Thank you. Mayor Wellington: As Councillor Stockwell noted, today is something of a milestone for this Council and for Noosa. It's been a good 12 years. Since we last had a planning scheme, and here we are with a brand new scheme to offer to the community. Under the amalgamated Sunshine Coast Council, our Noosa plan was to have been scrapped so
00:18:00 that we could operate under a new all of Sunshine Coast scheme. And that very gargantuan scheme, I have to say, was drafted and the public consultation was actually held with our community. And that public consultation was completed before all the political planets aligned and we're actually, and the amalgamation looked like a reality, becoming a reality. As a councillor on the Sunshine Coast Council, one of my fond memories is moving a successful motion to extract the former Noosa Shire from their coast-wide planning scheme. And that then allowed the existing Noosa plan to continue in place until the new Council could be established. And I want to acknowledge my then councillor colleague, Russell Green, who is here today, who very much supports the plan. He supported that approach. It would have been a very difficult task had we not had our own intrinsic planning scheme in place over the last five years. Most people, of course, would not be aware of exactly the incredible amount of effort,
00:19:00 the uncountable work hours, in fact, that go into development of a planning scheme. We're actually talking years of effort by dedicated professionals. Strategic planners, they're a breed apart. And I mean that in the nicest way. Because they have to marry a lot of detail with the big picture approach. Not everyone can think like that. And here we are now taking their baby, our baby, a baby with a very long gestation, out for its first public viewing. It's a scheme that's been crafted by staff who professionally and passionately care about the Shire. And they've acted, obviously, with full support of councillors, of course, who have the community's interests at heart. And I just want to say that although on relatively minor matters, we councillors can take different positions, when it comes to the big issues about what our Shire should look like or where we should be heading, this cohort of councillors are remarkably coherent.
00:20:00 We all want to preserve the intrinsic elements that make Noosa a wonderful place to live and work. I want to thank all of the staff who've helped us reach this juncture. I want to single out Raoul Weikart, who hasn't been here. He hasn't been mentioned yet. He was enticed by the CEO, who's very persuasive, back from retirement to help steer the drafting process for a good while. But, of course, all the staff have performed superbly, Rowena, Rebecca, Alinda, Anita, Michelle, Grant, Ali and Glenn, and, of course, all the other staff who contributed in many ways to this outcome. I also want to thank Kim Rawlings, who walked into the director position while the wheels were underway for this process. Kim didn't miss a beat, and it was as if she'd always been in Noosa and had Noosa values coursing through her veins. Kim's leadership has been exemplary. And I want to thank my fellow councillors. Their unwavering engagement and good humour through so many, I think it was more than
00:21:00 50 detailed workshops that we sat through with arcane information before us. I think we can all be proud of the result that we've achieved. Look, I believe this draft scheme succeeded. Deputy Mayor Stockwell: I will briefly close. I think there's some key points. Firstly, with Councillor Jackson, the community now has three months to make comment and get engaged in the process and our staff are leading. That's three times more than we need to. So it's important to recognise that we really are keen to have real community input at this stage as we did in the beginning stage. It's also, we don't want to, however, end up in the process that Councillor Pardon found himself that the next council is looking at the end product and
00:22:00 having to sign off on a plan. We do want this plan signed off by the state government by the end of the year. And that's something I think as councillors we really keep our focus on. I want to just reiterate what the Mayor said, is what this document is actually is really nice between the new and the old. We had Raoul Weikart, who's been synonymous with strategic planning in Noosa since the 90s. And then we have Kim with this band of young women, plus Glenn and Ellie. And you will see that within the document itself. You will see that the old strengths and values coming out, but you'll also see the innovative path that comes from new eyes looking at the issues that confront us into the future. So I think everyone should be thankful for the team that has put this together. I thought it was interesting that Councillor Glasgow said it's no sleeping pill. And I immediately thought, well, what
00:23:00 if it's not a sleeping pill, is it the opposite? But no, it's not psychoactive or stimulating hallucinogen behaviour. You know, we're not dreaming of concepts of developing any costs and high rise. So what is it? I think it's a multivitamin pill. I think it's helping the wellbeing of the community and giving us some resilience to make sure that we don't succumb to that same affliction that's an epidemic along the east coast of Australia, where you lose your character, you lose your meaning, you lose your lifestyle. So councillors, I'm looking forward to the engagement with the community and their feedback. I'm satisfied overall that the draft plan is really providing a really nice way ahead that really maintains our communities for what people like about them. And that is that our communities are really an archipelago of villages nested in nature. Thank you councillor.
00:24:00 Mayor Wellington: That concludes, but before we conclude, is there anything any of the staff wish to say before we conclude? I know that it's untoward, but I'm giving you an opportunity to do so. Speaker 1: The only thing I would say is thank you councillors for all of those words and the acknowledgment of all the hard work by the staff. There's no doubt there's been, it's been a long time coming. There's been lots of hours put in and this team is, it's been a long time coming. It's absolutely incredible. They're incredibly passionate, hugely engaged. And I think we as an organisation are very lucky to have them. So thank you. Well, you're right. If we keep clapping, they'll stand up and sing the la. Mayor Wellington: Okay, that concludes the meeting. I'll call the meeting closed. Thank you.