When Northern Beaches Council called for comments on its Draft Northern Beaches Environment Study, West Pittwater Community Association jumped at the opportunity to have a say.
NBC describes the study as “an important step towards a clearer, simpler and fairer set of planning rules for the Northern Beaches”. You can read more about it here.
WPCA’s response points out there needs to be a shared vision for managing existing aquatic reserves and marine estates, given that responsibility falls to a number of bodies – Northern Beaches Council and the NSW Government via Crown Lands and Roads and Maritime. The issues involved are vitally important to liveability and biodiversity and require clear, coherent planning and management.
To give some idea of the scope of WPCA’s input, included in your committee’s response are canopy preservation; the increasing number of jet skis and limited rider awareness of estuarine environments; mooring numbers; Council’s complex animal control measures; and the need for the Environment Study to include water quality targets for non-sewered areas and consideration of marine craft sewage and waste water pump-out.
Among many other matters, WPCA also notes that parts of McCarrs Creek, Lovett Bay and Morning Bay – such as Salvation Creek in Lovett Bay – need consistent recognition as estuarine waters with a 4-knot speed zone.
Comments on the draft study closed in late February. Council is currently reviewing feedback, which it says will be used to refine the study and “help us develop the new planning framework and other development related activities, likeprecinct planning, that fall outside of these controls”.
Photo: Take it easy … the estuarine waters of Salvation Creek in Lovett Bay. Photo by Sara Nimmo – Feature Photo: Sara Nimmo