Pittwater 2012 Bushfire Prone Land Map - Pittwater Council

Pittwater 2012 Bushfire Prone Land Map
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bushfire Prone Land?
Bushfire prone land is land that falls within or partially within a
bushfire prone area, which can support a bushfire or is likely to
be subject to bushfire attack. In general, a bushfire prone area
occurs in or within 100 metres of a high or medium bushfire
hazard.
How are bushfire hazards managed in Pittwater?
Pittwater contains a great deal of native bushland on its headlands,
parks and reserves. Pittwater Council works closely with the Rural
Fire Service to mitigate risk from bushfire in bushfire prone areas
through urban planning and fuel hazard reduction.
Why do we need a bushfire prone land map?
State government laws on bushfire protection ensure that people,
property and the environment are more fully protected against the
dangers that may arise from bushfires.
As a result, all NSW councils are required to regularly review and
update their maps of bush fire prone land.
The draft Pittwater 2012 Bushfire Prone Land Map is on public
exhibition between 23 February and 30 March 2012 and following
adoption by Council, will be certified by the Commissioner of the
NSW Rural Fire Service. All development applications lodged
before certification of the map will be assessed against the
current Pittwater Bushfire Prone Land Map.
Where can I view Pittwater’s draft Map?
The Map is available on the Council’s website at www.pittwater.
nsw.gov.au. During public exhibition of the draft Map between
23 February and 30 March, it will also be available for viewing
at Pittwater Council’s customer service centres and libraries (at
1 Park Street Mona Vale and 59A Old Barrenjoey Road Avalon).
What do the colours on the Map represent?
A property is deemed to be bushfire prone land if it is wholly or
partly located in the red, orange or yellow area on the draft Map.
How do I know if my home is bushfire prone?
Letters are being sent to affected property-owners. As mentioned
previously, the new draft map is available on Council’s website
and customer service centres. To confirm whether your property
is identified on the existing map, visit www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/
building_and_development/mapping
How has the mapping been carried out?
The Pittwater 2012 Bushfire Prone Land Map has been prepared
in accordance with the NSW Rural Fire Service Guidelines.
The new map used aerial photography and compared bush fire
prone vegetation mapping with the Council’s existing vegetation
mapping. This was to determine the accuracy of the vegetation
boundaries and vegetation type (which influences the bushfire
vegetation categories and the final Bushfire Prone Lands Map).
Vegetation edges were reduced by 2 metres to reduce any errors
associated with aerial photography and this removed a number
of properties just clipped by the existing Bushfire Prone Land
Map. All new areas of vegetation were re-examined to ensure
vegetation boundaries and vegetation categories were correct
under the guidelines. Finally the new Draft Bush Fire Prone Land
Map was reviewed by the NSW Rural Fire Service before public
exhibition.
A comparison map highlighting the difference between the 2004
Bushfire Prone Land Map and the draft 2012 Bush Fire Prone
Map is available on Council’s website at
www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/exhibition
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How does the map affect development of affected
properties?
Since August 2002, legal standards have been in place for the
safe construction of buildings in bushfire prone areas in NSW.
These standards are set out in the Planning for Bushfire Protection
Guidelines 2006 and must be addressed in the preparation of
a development application for land identified on the Pittwater
Bushfire Prone Land Map. Standards include; adequate setbacks
from bushland; inclusion of reduced fuel areas (Asset Protection
Zones); correct positioning of the building and good access roads
for firefighters and residents.
Bushfire protection standards must be included in development
applications for existing or proposed development in bushfire
prone areas. Development applications on bushfire prone land
are assessed by the Council and the Rural Fire Service.
All development on bushfire prone land requires a Bushfire Risk
Assessment and certification prepared by a suitably qualified
consultant - these are required irrespective of whether your
property is fully or partially included in the Map.
For further information - refer to www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
‘Building in a Bush Fire Prone Area – Frequently Asked Questions’
State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and
Complying Development Codes)
As of 25 February 2011, land identified as being bushfire prone
is no longer excluded from the SEPP Codes. Instead, specified
development requirements and standards apply to new SEPP
development undertaken on low risk bushfire prone land.
Development standards have been designed to ensure that
complying development is not allowed on higher risk bushfire
prone land i.e. BAL-40 or Flame Zone (the distance from a
bushfire at which there is significant potential for sustained flame
contact to a building). Complying development on bushfire prone
land will require a Bushfire Affected Level (BAL) certificate under
the Planning for Bushfire Protection Guidelines 2006 prepared
by a suitably qualified consultant.
Subdivision or Integrated Development on Bushfire
Prone Land
A development application for a ‘Subdivision’ or ‘Integrated
Development’ (as defined under Section 100B of the Rural Fires
Act, e.g. school, nursing home, State Environmental Planning
Policy (Housing for Seniors or People with a Disability 2004)),
also requires an accompanying Bushfire Risk Assessment
prepared by a suitably qualified consultant and a Bushfire Safety
Authority (BFSA) Report from the NSW Rural Fire Service.
When will the new Bushfire Prone Land Map apply?
The existing Bushfire Prone Land Map will remain in place until
the 2012 Bush Fire Prone Land Map is certified by the NSW
Rural Fire Service Commissioner. All development applications
lodged before this date will be assessed against the previous
Pittwater Bushfire Prone Land Map.
How often will the Pittwater Bushfire Prone Land
Map be reviewed?
It will be reviewed by the Council in consultation with the Rural
Fire Service every five years.
For more information:
Contact Officer: Mark Beharrell
Manager, Natural Environment & Education
Phone: 02 9970 1368
Email:
mark_beharrell@pittwater.nsw.gov.au
www.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/exhibition
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