An LEP consolidation

The Federation LEP will be a consolidation of the Corowa and Urana LEPs, and it will integrate updated flood planning for Daysdale, Urana – Boree Creek, Morundah, Oaklands, Rand and Urana Villages and the Murray River towns [Howlong, Corowa & Mulwala].

The current LEPs are similar having both been prepared in accordance with the State mandated standard LEP template but have differences in their controls and land use tables. The proposed Federation LEP is administrative with its key purpose being to harmonise the LEPs and create a single planning instrument, rather than make any fundamental changes.

The draft Federation LEP does not seek to introduce any new zones or remove any existing zones.

Council unanimously agreed to seek Ministerial approval for a Gateway Determination. Upon Gateway approval, the Draft LEP will placed on public exhibition for the mandatory period of 28 days.

Federation Council was proclaimed on May 12, 2016, comprising the former Shires of Corowa and Urana. Federation Council is operating under two separate local environmental plans (LEPs), which represent the planning controls prior to amalgamation: Corowa Local Environmental Plan (CLEP) 2012, which applies to land in the former Corowa Shire area and Urana Local Environmental Plan (ULEP) 2011, which applies to land in the former Urana Shire area.

From August 2019 until February 2020 community consultation was undertaken to inform the preparation of the new Federation LEP. This was included as part of Federation’s Local Strategic

Planning Statement with Planning Priorities 1 & 2 both including the Action ‘Develop a new Federation Local Environmental Plan (Short-Medium Term)’.

“The new LEP is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all planning controls, but a consolidation of the existing LEPs applicable across the Federation local area,” council’s director development and environmental services Susan Appleyard said.

“The approach prioritised consistency across land use policies and development controls. However, where this was not possible the approach was either to use the Standard Instrument LEP wording, adopt the ‘bestfit’ option, or under extenuating circumstances introduce a new policy/planning approach.”

Amendments

Amendments made during the consolidation of the Local Environmental Plans include: * New LEP Aims

* New Minimum Lot Size objectives * Increase in length of time for temporary use

of land to 100 days

* New provisions for total floor area of secondary dwellings

* Increase in relevant distance for development near zone boundaries to 50 metres * Changes to miscellaneous permissible uses

to adopt higher values

* Merging provisions of Riparian land and waterways (Urana) and Development on river front areas (Corowa)

* Minor changes to the permissibility of Intensive Plant Agriculture, Roads, Water Reticulation Systems, and Home Industries/ Home Businesses

* Applying both RU1 and E3 zones for clause

‘Erection of dwelling housing on land in certain rural and environmental protection zones’

* Zone R5 Large Lot Residential being made

a closed zone

* Correcting mapping anomalies to Land Zoning and Lot Size Maps.

“Preparation of a new LEP for Federation will result in a single policy document for council and the community,” Ms Appleyard said.

“It will also enable the controls in the current LEPs to be harmonised where appropriate, as well as reflecting the direction that council and the community wish to take.”

It is recommended that Council endorse Option 2: Merge the Corowa LEP 2012 and the Urana LEP 2011.

A draft planning proposal to facilitate preparation of a Local Environmental Plan (LEP) for the Federation Local Government area was endorsed at Federation Council’s monthly meeting on July 20.