Changes to Sunshine Coast Council’s vegetation management assessment process will come into effect on 24 June 2012.
Deputy Mayor Chris Thompson said vegetation protection and management on the Sunshine Coast is important to our community and the proposed changes will maintain the same level of vegetation protection as the current Interim Local Law.
“Applications to remove vegetation will now be assessed via council’s development assessment process,” Councillor Thompson said.
“It basically means that applications for the removal of vegetation on private land will be assessed through the Temporary Local Planning Instrument No.1 (Protected Vegetation Overlay) 2012.
“The Temporary Local Planning Instrument will start when the current Interim Local Law expires 23 June 2012.
“At this stage, there won’t be an application fee which is in keeping with the current process.”
Councillor Thompson said the changed process applies to private landowners who need to remove vegetation for essential management reasons such as the protection of infrastructure including water pipes or house foundations.
“Protection of the Coast’s natural resources by preventing unnecessary damage to vegetation and ensuring that vegetation is cleared responsibly remains important,” he said.
“The changed process will allow anyone to view vegetation removal applications at PD Online making the whole process more transparent to the public.”
Council’s website is the best place to find out more information about vegetation management on the Sunshine Coast and link to PD Online.