Landscape Policy and Development Assessment

Landscape policy, guidelines and assessment of development applications provide a framework via which government staff, consultants, industry and developers can design and install landscaping to acceptable environmental, structural, visual and legal standards and thereby help to improve environmental outcomes. Policies and guidelines set the intentions and performance criteria against which applications are assessed.

Policy Writing

Contribution to landscape policy development for the Hervey Bay and Fraser Coast Council Planning Schemes:

  • Assist Council’s consultant planners with upgrading Hervey Bay Council’s Local Planning Policy 18 (Landscaping) 1995 into a Landscaping Code in the Hervey Bay City Council Planning Scheme 2006
  • Contribute to the development of the Urban Design Code
  • Assist Council’s strategic planners with the first round amendments of the Hervey Bay Planning Scheme 2006, and specifically a re-writing of Section 4.6 – Landscaping Code
  • Review, update and transform Hervey Bay Council’s Development Manual – firstly into Planning Scheme Policy # 2 in the Hervey Bay City Council Planning Scheme 2006, and then into a Landscaping Policy in the first Fraser Coast Regional Council Planning Scheme

Date: 2006 – 2008

(Works undertaken while employed by Hervey Bay City Council and Fraser Coast Regional Council)

 

Landscape Guidelines

Project: Compilation of a planting palette and matrix of over 600 plant species suitable for the Sunshine Coast region, and an accompanying information sheet. The latter outlined performance criteria for planting design, plant selection and procurement; general planting design principles, sustainability (plant selection and maintenance) and revegetation; and legislation, standards and strategies relevant to planting. The palette and information sheet form one component of the Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual to guide Council staff, industry and developers and to sit outside of the Planning Scheme so that it can be regularly updated as a process of continuous improvement.

Date: 2012

(Project undertaken while employed by Sunshine Coast Regional Council)

 

Development Assessment

Over 120 landscape assessments, including:

  • Revegetation of creeks and foreshore areas
  • Parks and street tree plans
  • Industrial estates and sheds
  • Duplexes, townhouses, units, retirement villages and residential subdivisions
  • Resorts
  • Commercial buildings, offices, shops and shopping centers
  • Combinations (eg multi-residential development with hotel, shops and restaurant)
  • Sports, sailing and surf life-saving clubs
  • Child care and medical centres
  • Roundabouts, car parks and main roads acoustic fences

Date: 2005 – 2008

(Assessments undertaken while employed by Hervey Bay City Council and Fraser Coast Regional Council)