Biodiversity and Waterways
Session purpose
· Provide an overview of the biodiversity content
· Provide an overview of the waterways content
· Outline key changes between Brisbane City Plan 2000 and Brisbane City Plan 2014
Introduction - Biodiversity
· New simple and transparent biodiversity provisions will improve biodiversity protection and help to achieve the Vision 2031 target
· Biodiversity areas overlay will secure a connected and consolidated network of habitats across Brisbane
· A simple and flexible approach to biodiversity offsets
Overview of Codes and PSPs
· Biodiversity areas overlay map and code
· Biodiversity areas planning scheme policy
· Biodiversity offsets code
· Offsets planning scheme policy
· Waterway corridors overlay map & code
· Wetlands overlay map & code
· Wildlife movement solutions (WMS) in Streetscape hierarchy overlay code
· Significant landscape trees overlay map and code
· Vegetation planning scheme policy
Biodiversity Areas Overlay Map
Policy Setting - Biodiversity
The overlay map includes five sub-categories:
1. High ecological significance – supports the most significant ecological features, and are to be protected and restored
2. General ecological significance – supports some ecological value, but may be somewhat isolated from the broader biodiversity network
3. Biodiversity interface area – adjoin HES where land use change is anticipated. Area is intended to accommodate low-impact land uses, such as landscaping areas or esplanade roads
4. and 5. Priority koala habitat area and Koala habitat area – locations known to support higher densities of koalas. Koala habitat trees are protected and restored to preserve local populations of koalas
Policy Setting – Biodiversity
• Identifies the biodiversity significance of lands in Brisbane
• Secures Vision 2031 target
• Protection of an ecologically robust network of well-connected habitats
• Formalises offsets policy where intrusion into an area with biodiversity value is unavoidable
• Provides safe movement routes for wildlife
• Reflects Queensland Government requirements for koala conservation
Policy Comparison - Biodiversity
Brisbane City Plan 2000 / Brisbane City Plan 2014 /• No Planning Scheme Map
• Biodiversity values managed by Biodiversity code and Natural Assets Planning Scheme Policy
• Lists of significant vegetation communities, flora and fauna
• Ecological assessments required for many DAs / • Biodiversity areas overlay map identifies areas with biodiversity significance
• Greater emphasis on protection of areas with strategic biodiversity significance, including wildlife corridors
• Requires protection, management and restoration of land mapped within Biodiversity areas overlay
• Dwelling houses located outside of Biodiversity areas overlay mapping and development footprint minimised
• Ecological assessment reports only required for unavoidable development intrusion
• Biodiversity areas PSP provides guidance on ecological assessments, development design and koala conservation
Policy Comparison - Biodiversity
Brisbane City Plan 2000 / Brisbane City Plan 2014 /• No guidance for the establishment of biodiversity offsets / • Introduction of biodiversity offsets where unavoidable development intrusion is allowed in biodiversity areas
• Provides two options to meet offset obligations, including monetary payment to Council or direct offsets at suitable receiving site in biodiversity network
• Requires that biodiversity offsets adequately reflect the significance of the clearing site and that offsets contribute to establishing a consolidated and connected biodiversity network
• Monetary payments will be set annually in the Fees and Charges Schedule
• Offsets PSP provides guidance on selecting receiving sites, habitat restoration, monitoring and reporting
Policy Comparison – Biodiversity
Brisbane City Plan 2000 / Brisbane City Plan 2014 /• Wetlands mapped in Planning Scheme map and protected by Wetlands Code / • Wetlands with significant ecological value included in Biodiversity areas overlay
• Wetlands that have a hydrological function identified in Wetlands overlay and are protected from changes to hydrological regimes
• Installation of wildlife movement solutions required in some Local and Neighbourhood Plans / • Wildlife movement solutions locations shown on Streetscape hierarchy overlay
• Wildlife movement solutions required for new roads in the Biodiversity areas overlay
• Guidance on selection of appropriate wildlife movement solution designs included in Infrastructure Design PSP
Policy Comparison - Biodiversity
Brisbane City Plan 2000 / Brisbane City Plan 2014 /• Koalas identified as significant species in Natural Assets Planning Scheme Policy but no specific guidance provided / • Koala habitat areas mapped in Biodiversity areas overlay
• Requires protection of koala habitat and koala habitat trees
• Requires conservation of koala movement opportunities
• Development incorporates koala habitat trees in landscaping and open space areas
• Reflects Queensland Government Koala State Planning Regulatory Provisions
Policy Comparison – Biodiversity
Brisbane City Plan 2000 / Brisbane City Plan 2014 /• Generic requirements for protection of significant vegetation incorporated throughout numerous codes / • Protection of significant vegetation required in:
− Centre or mixed use code
− Dual occupancy code
− Industry code
− Multiple dwelling code
− Filling and excavation code
− Subdivision code
• New Vegetation PSP introduced to assist applicants with:
− identification of significant vegetation outside of Biodiversity areas overlay
− development design or lot layouts to protect significant vegetation
Policy Comparison – Vegetation
Brisbane City Plan 2000 / Brisbane City Plan 2014 /• Significant landscape trees listed in Natural Assets PSP
• Landscape features mapped on selected Neighbourhood Plans / • Sites supporting SLTs, any adjoining affected sites and Landscape Features mapped on Significant landscape tree overlay
• Tree species and dimensions for Landscape Features listed in Significant landscape tree overlay code
• Tree species and sites with individual and groups of SLTs listed in Significant landscape tree overlay code
• NP codes seek protection of PSP-listed SLTs or replacement trees
• Limited guidance on Landscape Features and tree protection measures / • Development retains significant landscape trees
• Where loss is unavoidable, significant landscape trees are replaced with a number of trees to ensure no net canopy loss
Level of Assessment – Biodiversity
Development / Level of Assessment /MCU / Code *
MCU for a dwelling house / Self or Code *
ROL / Code *
Operational work for filling or excavation / Code *
Operational work for clearing more than 500m2 vegetation in Koala habitat area / Code *
Building work for outdoor lighting / Code *
Building work for an extension to a dwelling house outside of an approved development footprint (or over deemed footprint of 1000m2) / Code *
* If the MCU or ROL is impact assessable, the level of assessment is not lowered to code assessment
Introduction - Waterways
• New Waterway corridors overlay code with 3 sub-categories:
− Brisbane River corridor
− Citywide waterway corridor
− Local waterway corridor
• Clearer guidance on development in waterway corridors
• Self assessable criteria for dwellings
Policy Setting – Waterways
Waterway corridor overlay code:
• Development must allow for movement of fauna, minimise road crossings and retain natural flowpaths and corridors
• All corridors still achieve primary purpose of waterway health but increased emphasis on multiple uses (recreation, habitat, conveyance and health)
• New self-assessable criteria for dwellings
• New citywide and local categories to specify functions and outcomes clearly. Focus on local waterway corridor providing private recreation
• Corridors are now clearly mapped
• Landscape characteristics of Brisbane River Corridor sections are maintained as per Brisbane City Plan 2000
Policy Comparison – Waterways
Brisbane City Plan 2000 / Brisbane City Plan 2014 /• Waterway corridors and Brisbane River corridor mapped but not termed ‘overlay’ as per QPP
• Development in a waterway corridor regulated through the Waterway code
• Performance outcomes by waterway function
• Required rehabilitation of waterway corridor / • Mapping of corridor extent is now clearer and at a finer scale
• Introduction of citywide and local waterway corridor classification (in addition to Brisbane River corridor)
• Development maintains and enhances waterway corridors and protects the flood storage and conveyance functions of waterway corridors
• Development designs built form to support waterway corridors
• Development in the Brisbane River corridor maintains the corridor’s important values
• Reduced setback for houses in local waterway corridors
• Planting species PSP contains preferred species for riparian vegetation
Level of Assessment – Waterways
Development / Level of Assessment /MCU for a dwelling house / Self or Code *
MCU other than for a dwelling house / Self or Code *
ROL / No change
Operational work for filling or excavation / Code *
Building work for an extension to a dwelling house / Self or Code *
Building work in the Brisbane River corridor sub-category / Self or Code *
* If the MCU or ROL is impact assessable, the level of assessment is not lowered to code assessment
Summary
• New simple and transparent biodiversity provisions will improve biodiversity protection and help to achieve the Vision 2031 target
• New Waterway corridors overlay code with three sub-categories
• Clearer guidance on development in waterway corridors