Download REVIEW DATE: - Greater Taree City Council

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DRAFT POLICY
SEA LEVEL RISE
Policy Number:
File Number: GT5099
Authority:
Approval date:
Review date:
Responsible Officer:
1.
BACKGROUND
This policy statement deals with sea level rise only and represents an important
component of Council’s response to climate change in regards to meeting its Duty of Care
under the Local Government Act 1993.
This policy will provide a framework that enables Council to respond to the projected
impacts of sea level rise in the Greater Taree Local Government Area and will serve as an
interim measure until the full scope of hazards and risk associated with sea level rise have
been identified through the preparation of an updated flood model, flood study and
floodplain management plan.
2.
POLICY STATEMENT
This policy will enable Council to:
3.

Provide a framework for a risk based approach to managing the impacts of sea
level rise.

Promote appropriate development within flood prone areas.

Provide an interim policy stance prior to the development of a comprehensive
floodplain management plan.
SCOPE
This policy applies to land that is shown as the “Flood planning area” on Council’s Flood
Planning Map where the site is within the coastal zone and below 4m AHD.
GTCC Policy for Sea Level Rise
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This Policy adopts the sea level rise planning benchmarks adopted by the NSW
Government’s Sea Level Rise Policy Statement October 2009:

40cm rise above 1990 mean sea levels by 2050; and

90cm rise above 1990 mean sea levels by 2100.
Council will consider and incorporate the sea level rise planning benchmarks into:

Assessment and management of coastal flood risk.

Determining development applications.

Future land use planning.
This policy will be reviewed after the State Government’s review of the sea level rise
planning benchmarks, timed to coincide with the release of the fifth Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change report due in 2014.
4.
REFERENCES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
NSW Government (October 2009). Sea Level Rise Policy Statement.
NSW Government (August 2010). NSW Coastal Planning Guideline: Adapting to Sea
Level Rise.
GTCC Policy for Sea Level Rise
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