Comments Invited for Coffs Coastal Planning

A Draft Coastal Hazard Planning Proposal goes on exhibition for public comment from today until April 15, announced the Coffs Harbor City Council.

The draft Planning Proposal is the next step following the adoption in 2013 of a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) for Coffs Harbor, which addressed the potential risks to the coastline from coastal erosion and inundation up to the year 2100. The Plan incorporated forecast rise in sea level of 40cm above the 1990 mean sea level by 2050 and a rise of 90cm by 2100, which corresponds with Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change predictions.

The CZMP came up with 48 actions to address identified risks of erosion and inundation. These included beach and dune management, public assets management, environmental planning and further studies, monitoring and community education.

The actions also included updating Council’s Coastal Hazard Policy, revising planning controls within Council’s Development Control Plan 2013 and amending Council’s Section 149 Certificates to address development in the coastal zone.

By revising and amending the existing planning controls we’ll ensure that relevant information is provided to property-owners and communities to make sure that future coastal development is as resilient as it can be to coastal hazards,” said Chris Chapman, Council’s Director Sustainable Communities.

In the Draft Planning Proposal, we’re outlining that future developments have to demonstrate ways to deal with coastal hazards in design, layout and function. We want to reduce the possible burden of protecting inappropriate development in areas at risk of coastal hazards that may face future generations.”