7.10 Draft Yarra Strategic Plan
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Council Agenda 28/10/19 7.10 Draft Yarra Strategic Plan Abstract The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s endorsement of the draft Yarra Strategic Plan (YSP) (Confidential Attachment 1) prepared by Melbourne Water (MW) (lead agency) in consultation with the Yarra Collaboration Committee (YCC) (Confidential Attachment 2), for consultation purposes. The Yarra River Protection (Willip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 (the Act) recognises Traditional Owners’ custodianship of the Yarra River, Birrarung, and identifies the river and its lands as one living, integrated natural entity for protection and improvement. The passing of the Act signalled an important shift in the way the Yarra River corridor is managed and protected. The Act provides an overarching policy and planning framework that seeks to integrate activities and coordinate decision-making for the Yarra River. The City of Boroondara is one of 15 responsible public entities covered by the Act. The Act requires a range of actions including the development and implementation of a YSP as the overarching policy and planning framework for the Yarra River and land in its vicinity. The plan has been developed by a governance group made up of the 15 state and local agencies who manage the Yarra River corridor, and senior representatives from the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation. This group, known as the YCC, has met on 18 occasions to inform the content and drafting of the plan. The process has been facilitated by MW, as lead agency for the development of the YSP, on behalf of government. Boroondara staff have provided input to the draft YSP via representation on the YCC, and via a number of workshops with core staff and the executive leadership team during the plan’s development. The draft YSP is the first integrated river corridor strategy. It identifies immediate actions for the river, enables long-term collaborative management between agencies and Traditional Owners, and guides local planning. To help guide our activities in the Yarra River corridor,10 year performance objectives have been identified. These objectives represent the key changes that are being prioritised for the river. The draft YSP is well aligned with Boroondara’s environmental objectives, and supports a number of the key themes to emerge under the Boroondara Community Plan. In the next 10 years, the plan will enable a more coordinated approach to investment on Yarra River land to ensure that we deliver greater value from our investments and achieve broader benefits for the river and the community. City of Boroondara 79 Council Agenda 28/10/19 Formal endorsement of the plan by the 15 responsible public entities will help achieve these outcomes. Formal endorsement is scheduled to occur in October 2019 to enable public consultation to commence in late 2019. Once endorsed by all partner agencies and the Ministers responsible for these portfolios, the draft YSP will be available for public comment. Following public consultation, the YSP will be finalised and presented back to the 15 organisations for endorsement. The final plan will then go through Ministerial approval. Confidential information is contained in Confidential Attachments 1-5, as circulated in the confidential section of the agenda, in accordance with Section 89(2) of the Local Government Act 1989, as the premature disclosure of the information could be prejudicial to the interests of Council or other persons. This item has been included in the public agenda to facilitate transparency and accountability in Council’s decision making. If discussion of the information in the Confidential Attachments to this report is required in order for Council to make a decision, this item will be deferred to the confidential section of the agenda. Officers' recommendation That Council resolve to: 1. Endorse the draft Yarra Strategic Plan (Confidential Attachment 1) prepared by Melbourne Water (lead agency) in consultation with the Yarra Collaboration Committee (Confidential Attachment 2), for consultation purposes. 2. Write to Melbourne Water (lead agency) responsible for the development of the draft Yarra Strategic Plan advising of Council’s endorsement. City of Boroondara 80 Council Agenda 28/10/19 Responsible director: Charles Turner Acting Director Environment and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose The purpose of this report is to seek Council’s endorsement of the draft Yarra Strategic Plan (YSP) (Confidential Attachment 1) prepared by Melbourne Water (MW) (lead agency) in consultation with the Yarra Collaboration Committee (YCC) (Confidential Attachment 2), for consultation purposes. Once public feedback has been received, the draft plan will be revised before being presented back to Council for final endorsement. 2. Policy implications and relevance to community plan and council plan The draft YSP is consistent with strategies contained within the seven priority themes that emerged from the Boroondara Community Plan, and now form part of the Council Plan 2017-2021. These include: Your Community, Services and Facilities Your Parks and Green Spaces The Environment Neighbourhood Character and Heritage Getting Around Boroondara Your Local Shops and Businesses Civic Leadership and Governance. Implementation of the YSP will also deliver a range of community health and wellbeing benefits consistent with the Boroondara Public Health and Wellbeing Plan, and complement the delivery of Council’s adopted Integrated Water Management Strategy and Urban Biodiversity Strategy. 3. Background The draft YSP is scheduled to be released for public consultation in late 2019. Prior to public consultation, the Act requires the plan be endorsed by each of the responsible public entities, including Boroondara. Boroondara staff have provided input to the draft YSP via representation on the YCC, and via a number of workshops with core staff and the executive leadership team during the plan’s development. The process has been facilitated by Melbourne Water (MW), as lead agency for the development of the YSP, on behalf of government. Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 The Act recognises Traditional Owners’ custodianship of the Yarra River, Birrarung, and identifies the river and its lands as one living, integrated natural entity for protection and improvement. City of Boroondara 81 Council Agenda 28/10/19 Key elements of the Act The Act aims to: provide for the declaration of the Yarra River (and certain public land in its vicinity) as one living and integrated natural entity set out Yarra Protection Principles, including general, environmental, social, recreational, cultural and management principles prompt the development of a long-term community vision (Confidential Attachment 3) provide for the development and implementation of a YSP as an overarching policy and planning framework for the Yarra River and land in its vicinity establish the Birrarung Council to report to the Minister for Water on the development and implementation of the plan and act as the ‘voice of the Yarra River’ require regular reporting by the Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability on the environmental condition of the river and its parklands provide for the declaration of Yarra River land and the Greater Yarra Urban Parklands. Responsible public entities Responsible public entities are outlined in the Act and include: the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Melbourne Water (MW) Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) Port Phillip Westernport Catchment Management Authority Department of Transport (VicRoads & VicTrack) Parks Victoria Eight local governments (Melbourne City Council, Boroondara City Council, Nillumbik Shire Council, Stonnington City Council, Manningham City Council, Banyule City Council, Yarra Ranges Shire Council, Yarra City Council). Land declarations To guide and manage activities on public and private land, the Act designates three categories of land to which the YSP applies: Yarra River land Yarra River land covers Crown land within 500 metres of the Yarra River’s banks. It includes the bed, soil and banks of the Yarra River, but excludes land owned by municipal councils. Additional Yarra River land may be declared at any time by the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister. Greater Yarra Urban Parklands Yarra River land parcels that are designated for recreational use and within Melbourne’s urban growth boundary are known as the Greater Yarra Urban Parklands. This designation does not affect the status of ownership or management of the land. City of Boroondara 82 Council Agenda 28/10/19 YSP area This area includes land of any kind located within one kilometre of the banks of the Yarra River. Some areas are defined as excluded land. Obligations for responsible public entities Each of the responsible public entities: must have regard to the Yarra Protection Principles when performing functions or duties or exercising powers in relation to Yarra River land must not act inconsistently with any part of a YSP that is expressed to be binding when performing a function or duty or exercising a power under the Act in relation to Yarra River land must have regard to those parts of the YSP not expressed to be binding must prepare an annual report on their implementation of the YSP. This report will include actions and projects delivered towards the plan’s performance objectives. The YSP What is the YSP? The Act