What is the issue?
C3 Environmental Management zoning is proposed for privately owned land, including parcels where landowners dispute that the land has the high environmental value necessary to justify conservation-focused zoning.
Why does WUFA disagree?
Conservation zoning should be based on reliable evidence about the particular property, including an on-site ecological assessment where the zoning is contested.
Key points
- C3 should not be applied as a blanket zoning tool.
- Desktop mapping may not accurately describe a particular site.
- A site visit allows vegetation and disturbance to be properly assessed.
- Land not demonstrated to have high environmental value should be considered for RU4 or R5.
WUFA recommendation
Where a landowner objects to proposed C3 zoning, Council should fund an independent site-specific ecological assessment. Land not demonstrated to have high environmental value should be zoned RU4 or R5.